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Birth
William Golding was born in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He grew up in a house next door to a graveyard. His mother, Mildred, was an active suffragette who fought for women’s right to vote. His father, Alex, was a schoolmaster (Bio.). -
First attempt at a novel
When William Golding was 12, he tried to write a novel, he was unsuccessful. He was a very angry and volatile child and he liked to get his anger out by bullying other children. -
College
Golding began attending Brasenose College at Oxford and spent two years studying science. In his third year, however, he switched to the literature program, following his true interests (CliffNotes). -
First publication
This was a year before William Golding graduated from Brasenose College at Oxford University, he wrote a work called "Poems". This was a collection of poems and it was mostly overlooked by critics in that time period (Bio.). -
Teaching career
William Golding decided to take up the position of teaching and follow in his fathers footsteps. Before this he had worked in settlement houses and the theater. He taught at English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. -
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Theatre
Golding worked as a writer, actor, and producer with a small theater in London, paying his bills with a job as a social worker. He considered the theater his strongest literary influence, citing Greek tragedians and Shakespeare, rather than other novelists, as his primary influences (CliffNotes). -
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Royal Navy
Although William was very passionate about teaching, once World War ll began, he joined the Royal Navy. He developed a lifelong love for sailing and the sea while in the navy. After the war ended, he went back to teaching and writing. -
Lord of the Flies
After 21 rejections, William published his first and most widely acclaimed novel, "Lord of the Flies". This is considered a classic in literature. -
Death
William Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. After he died, his finished manuscript for The Double Tongue was published posthumously (Bio.).
