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Birth
William Golding was born on September 19, 1911 in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. His mother was an active suffragette, and his father was a schoolmaster and an advocate of rationalism. His father, who was a big influence on William's developement, didn't approve of emotion and preferred deciding with logic. -
Childhood
As a child Golding grew up in an old house located next to a graveyard. He was a troubled child, and he often bullied his peers. Golding would later go on to say that he "enjoyed hurting people" (Biography.com) -
Attending College
William Golding attended Brasenose College at Oxford University. Although his father wanted him to be a scientist, Golding went into the field of English Literature. Although he originally wanted to write poems, Golding later turned towards Fiction and graduated in 1935 with a bachelor in English Arts. -
Publishing of "Poems"
In 1934 William Golding published a book of poetry titled "Poems". This was in his last year of college, and no critics or major groups seemed to recognize the poems. -
Teaching Career
After graduating from college in 1935, Golding immediately went into teaching at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. There he taught English and Philosophy. -
Fighting in the Royal Navy
Although passionate about teaching, Golding stopped teaching to fight in the Royal Navy during World War II. Golding spent most of his time fighting from a boat, and here he developed a liking for sailing and also learned what people were capable of doing. -
Publishing of "Lord of the Flies"
While back and teaching again, Golding wrote the novel "The Lord of the Flies". This novel was mocking an earlier novel titled "The Coral Island". "The Lord of the Flies" took Golding 21 tries to get published, and the novel explores human innate savagery. The book became very popular and was later even made into a movie. -
Nobel Prize for Literature
In 1983, William Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for his popular novel "The Lord of the Flies". Five years later, in 1988, he was even knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. -
Death
William Golding died of a heart attack in 1993 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. The last few years of his life were spent by writing books in his retirement. -
Publishing of "The Double Tongue"
After dying, Golding's book "The Double Tongue" was published. It was complete although Golding hadn't gotten around to publishing it when he was still alive. -
Legacy
Golding will be remembered most for his novels, mainly "The Lord of the Flies". Some other popular books by Golding include "Rites of Passage", "Free Fall", and "The Pyramid". Although Golding will be known as a novelist, he wrote many poems, plays, and short stories as well.
