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Birth
William Golding was born on September 19th, 1911 in Newquay, United Kingdom. His parents were Mildred Golding, and Alec Golding. -
Childhood
In William's childhood, he described himself as a brat, and he said that he enjoyed bullying people. For primary school, he attended Marlborough Grammar School which his father ran. Also when he was 12 he attempted to write a novel, unsuccessfully. William had an older brother named Joseph Golding and he also attended Marlborough Grammar School. -
Education
William went to college at Brasenose College in Oxford, and went for natural science for two years and got a degree, Then for his last two years he studied English and got a degree in English. This helped him later when he decided to be a teacher. He graduated in the year 1934. -
Teaching
William taught at Marlborough Grammar School, where his father taught, and then at Brasenose College, Oxford where he had attended and graduated in 1935. William taught English, Philosophy, Greek, and drama He left temporarily to join the Royal Navy in 1940, until 1945 when he returned to teach the same subjects. -
World War 2
William served in the Royal Navy during World War II, in 1939 when he was 28 years old. This war had a big impact on his writing and the exploration of the dark side of human nature in his novels. -
Marriage
Golding was engaged to Molly Evans, a woman from Marlborough, who was well liked by both of his parents, but he broke off the engagement and married Ann Brookfield in 1939. William and Ann met at a book club in London. They had two children Judy Carver and David Golding. -
Books
William wrote many books but some of his most famous were, Lord of the Flies, Pincher Martian, Rites of Passage, Darkness Visible, and The Inheritors. His first novel was published in 1954 and it was Lord of the Flies, he was 43 when he published this book. -
Books
William Golding's second most famous book was "The Inheritors", and this book was published in 1955 when William was 44 years old. -
Awards
William Golding won two awards they are the Nobel Prize in Literature and the Booker Prize. He won the Nobel in 1983 when he was 73 and he won the Booker Prize in 1980 when he was 69. -
Death
William Golding died at the age of 81 in his home in Perranarworthal, England. His wife died two years later in 1995. His body was buried in the parish churchyard of Bowerchalke near his former home, and his wife is buried beside him.