William Golding Timeline

By denoraguevara

  • Birth

    Birth
    William Golding born on September 19, 1911. Born in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England.
  • Period: to

    Childhood

    Attempted to write his first unsuccessful novel at the age of 12. As a frustrated child, he found his relief in bullying others. Described himself as a brat and someone who enjoyed hurting others.

  • Publication of First Work

    Publication of First Work
    Published his first work, a book of poetry which he named Poems, a year before he graduated. This collection was overlooked by critics. (no specific date is given for the publication of Poems but sometime in 1934)

  • Became a Teacher

    Became a Teacher
    As his father did, Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. From his teaching experience came his inspiration for his later novel Lord of the Flies. (no specific date found, just the year)

  • Joins the Royal Navy

    Joins the Royal Navy
    Temporarily abandons his love for teaching to join the Royal Navy and fight in World War ll. His experience in the war would turn out to also inspire him for his future fiction works.Began to see what people were capable of and the ugly truth about the world. (no specific fate found, just the year)

  • Lord of the Flies

    Lord of the Flies
    Published first and most acclaimed work, the Lord of the Flies, after 21 rejections. Novel tells the story of a group of school boys stranded on a deserted island after their plane crashed. Explores the examination of man's internal struggle between good and evil.

  • Publication of The Inheritors

    Publication of The Inheritors
    Depiction of how the violent Homo sapiens achieved victory over the gentler Neanderthals. Most readers had a difficult time understanding it, but remained the author's favorite throughout his life. (no specific date found, just the year)

  • Nobel Prize for Literature

    Nobel Prize for Literature
    William Golding is awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.
    "for his novels which, with the perspicuity of realistic narrative art and the diversity and universality of myth, illuminate the human condition in the world of today".
    (http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1983/)
    (no specific date found, just the year)

  • Death

    Death
    William Golding died June 19, 1993 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England. He died of congestive heart failure.