-
Birth and Early Childhood
William Golding was born September 19th, 1911 in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. His mother, Mildred, was an active suffragette who fought for women’s rights, such as voting and his father, Alex, worked as a schoolmaster. Golding received his early education at Marlborough Grammar School. He later described his young self as a brat who "enjoyed hurting others". -
Period: to
College and Teaching
Eventually, after primary school, William went on to attend Brasenose College at Oxford University. There, Golding settled on studying English, and a year before he graduated, he published his first work "Poems". A year later, Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. His experience teaching disruptive young boys would later serve as his inspiration for his famous novel Lord of the Flies. -
Period: to
The Royal Navy
During his teaching years, Golding temporarily abandoned his job to join the Navy and fight in World War II. It was during this time that Golding's eyes opened to the horrors of what evils man was capable of. Lieutenant Golding fought battleships at the sinking of the Bismarck, and also fended off submarines and planes. It was Golding's participation in the war that would also produce vital ideas for his later novel Lord of the Flies. -
Lord of the Flies
After 21 rejections, Golding finally published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies. The graphic story tells of a group of adolescent boys stranded on a deserted island after a plane crash, and how they evolve as the more savage side of human nature turns them against one another. Since publication, the novel has been widely deemed a classic, discussed in classrooms worldwide. In 1963, Golding retired from teaching. -
Death
In 1962, Golding retired from teaching. A year later, Peter Brook made a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel. Two decades later, at the age of 73, Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature; in 1983. Five years later, he was knighted by England’s Queen Elizabeth II. Golding spent the rest of his life living peacefully with his wife, Ann Brookfield. They had two children, David and Judith. On June 19, 1993, Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. -
Legacy
Golding's novel was adapted into two films, one in 1963, and later in 1990. This films helped bring to life the message and meaning of the classic novel, while appealing to a younger generation. After Golding died, his completed manuscript for The Double Tongue was published posthumously. Along with this, Golding has also written Rites of Passage, Pincher Martin, Free Fall and The Pyramid. A great novelist, Golding will continue to teach and inspire children from around the globe.
