William Golding's Life

Birth

Sep 19, 1911

He was born in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England to a suffragist mother (biography.com) and father who was a schoolmaster. Golding's rationalist father, who valued reason over experiences, was an influence during Golding's childhood (cliffsnotes.com).

Primary School

Sep 19, 1923

While attending his father's school, Marlborough Grammar School, he bullied other students, as he enjoyed hurting people. Around this time, he tried to write a novel (biography.com).

College

Sep 19, 1930

Spending five years at Brasenose College, Golding initially studied science according to his father's wishes but later decided to study literature (biography.com). As a childhood dream of his was to write poetry, Golding wrote poems mocking rationalism, which he criticized increasingly. These poems were then published in Macmillian's Contemporary Poets series (cliffsnotes.com).

After College

Sep 19, 1935

After graduating with degrees in English and education, Golding worked for four years at a settlement house and the theater. Theater was an important influence on Golding's literature (cliffsnotes.com).

Bishop Wordsworth's School

Sep 19, 1939

Golding began to teach at Bishop Wordsworth's School. His experience as a teacher shaped his knowledge about the behavior of young boys. In the same year, he also married Ann Brookfield (biography.com).

WWII: The Royal Navy

Sep 19, 1940

For six years, Golding served in the Royal Navy during WWII. This was a valuable experience because Golding began to recognize the evil that man was capable of. After the war, Golding returned to teaching and writing (biography.com).

Lord of the Flies Published

Sep 17, 1954

Based upon his experience with young boys, his view of man's nature, and his distrust of rationalism, Golding wrote Lord of the Flies, a novel exploring the inherent evil and good in humanity (cliffsnotes.com). Although rejected 21 times by various publishers, Lord of the Files is now used in many classrooms worldwide (biography.com).

Full-Time Author

Sep 19, 1961

Golding quit his job as a teacher to write full-time. From 1961 onward, Golding wrote many works of fiction and three collections of essays (cliffsnotes.com). Golding's most successful novels included Pincher Martin, Free Fall, and The Pyramid (biography.com).

Lord of the Flies Film Released

Aug 13, 1963

Peter Brooks created a film adaptation of Lord of the Flies. This was the first of two adaptations (biography.com).

Rites of Passage Published

Jan 12, 1980

Rites of Passage, a spiritual novel that is part of a trilogy, won the Booker Prize in the year that it was published. The Booker Prize is an important literary award in the UK (cliffsnotes.com).

Nobel Prize

Dec 10, 1983

Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. This was his most significant award (cliffsnotes.com).

Death

Jun 19, 1993

Golding died from a heart attack in Cornwallis, leaving behind a wife and two children. He was 82 (biography.com).