William Golding

By Ethan sarak

  • Birth of William Golding

    William Golding was born on September 19, 1911, in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He was raised in a 14th-century house next door to a graveyard. His mother, Mildred, was an active suffragette who fought for women’s right to vote. His father, Alex, worked as a schoolmaster.

  • Attended Brasenose College

    After primary school, William went on to attend Brasenose College at Oxford University. His father hoped he would become a scientist, but William opted to study English literature instead.

  • Started teaching in Salisbury

    In 1935 Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. Golding’s experience teaching unruly young boys would later serve as inspiration for his novel Lord of the Flies.

  • Joined the Royal Navy

    Golding spent the better part of the next six years on a boat, except for a seven-month stint in New York, where he assisted Lord Cherwell at the Naval Research Establishment. While in the Royal Navy, Golding developed a lifelong romance with sailing and the sea.

  • Went back to teaching

    After World War II had ended, Golding went back to his passion of teaching and writing.

  • Lord of the flies was published

    after 21 rejections, Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies. The novel told the gripping story of a group of adolescent boys stranded on a deserted island after a plane wreck.

  • Film adaptation of "Lord of the Flies" was made

    The first film adaptation of Golding's book, "Lord of the Flies" is made by Peter Brook. This happened a year after Golding had retired from teaching.

  • Won the Nobel Prize for Literature

    In 1983, at the age of 73, Golding won the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. This showed just how influential his novel was.

  • Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II

    In the summer of 1988, William Golding was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. He was the age of 78 when this happened.

  • Death of William Golding

    Golding spent the last few years of his life quietly living with his wife, Ann Brookfield. Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. After Golding died, his completed manuscript for The Double Tongue was published posthumously.