William Golding

He's born :]

Sep 19, 1911

Born in Cornwall, England to a suffragette and a school teacher, William attended his school, Marlborough Grammar School, his father ran. When he couldn't write a decent novel at 12 years old, he bullied others in frustration.

College

1932

William studies science as per his father's, Alex, request at Oxford University. He switches to English literature 2 years later in 1932.

First published work

1934

His first published work called 'Poems' is released in 1934 without much feedback. It's 33 pages with not much information about its contents.

Teaching

1935

In 1935, William begins teaching English and Philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. He claimed this was inspiration for Lord of the Flies, having experience with obnoxious boys.

Royal Navy

1940

After teaching for several years, William enlists in the Navy for 6 years. He's put in control of a rocket-launching craft during France's invasion in 1944 and helped sink the German ship, Bismarck.

First child

1940

David Golding is born to William and his wife Ann Brookfield while he's enlisted. His sister, born later, would recount William's resentment and jealousy towards him.

Return to teaching

1945

When World War II ended, William returned to his teaching job at Bishop Wordsmith's for 16 more years.

Second child

1945

Judy Golding is born. She says her mother would tell her if she were born first, they wouldn't have had another child because she was such tiring to take care of. Judy is the source of many statements that paint her parents, more so her mother, negatively.

Lord of the Flies is published

1954

After working on the novel for several years and being rejected nearly dozens of times, William publishes Lord of the Flies.

Retirement

1961

William is able to retire from his schoolmaster position at Bishop Wordsmith's School in 1961 because of his novel's success. He uses his free time to continue writing 12 more books.

Four years of awards

Period: 1979 to 1983

In 1979, William receives the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his novel 'Darkness Visible'. In 1980, he wins the Booker Prize for 'Rites of Passage'. He was also awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.

Death

Jun 19, 1993

William Golding died on June 19, 1993 of heart failure, and he was buried near his old home. His draft of the novel 'The Double Tongue' was published in 1995