William Golding by Gillian Benson

  • Birth

    Birth
    Golding was born in a village called Saint Columb Minor, in the coastal city of Cornwall, England. His mother was a supporter of the suffragette movement. His father was an advocate of rationalism.
  • Age 12- Novel Attempt

    Age 12- Novel Attempt
    At age 12, Golding attempted to write a novel, but was unsuccessful. From there, he found a way of releasing his frustration by bullying his peers.
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    College Education

    He began attending Brasenose College at Oxford in 1930 (cliff notes). He began studying science, but then changed to literature. He graduated in 1935 with a bachelor of arts in English and an English diploma (cliff notes).
  • First Publication

    First Publication
    A year before Golding graduated, he published his first book of poetry. However, it was overlooked by many.
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    Career

    He worked as a writer, actor, and producer, and also taught English and philosophy at a school in Salisbury. His teaching influenced the writing of Lord of the Flies
  • Marriage

    Marriage
    He married Ann Brookfield in 1939, and they had two children.
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    Royal Navy

    Golding fought in World War II from 1940 until the war ended in 1945. This time of fighting exposed him to the evil that humans can commit, which greatly influenced his book The Lord of the Flies. He went back to writing and teaching afterward.
  • Lord of the Flies

    Lord of the Flies
    He published his most well known book, Lord of the Flies, in 1954. This novel embodied his perception of humans from teaching and the war. This was his first novel, and had been rejected 21 times.
  • Retirement from teaching

    Retirement from teaching
    He retired from teaching to fully pursue writing in 1961.
  • Nobel Prize

    Nobel Prize
    Golding won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983. This was his greatest honor and award he had received.
  • Death

    Death
    Golding died in Cornwell, England from a heart attack. One of his books titled The Double Tongue, was published after he had already passed away.