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William Golding was born on September 19th 1911 in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England.
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When William was just 12 years old, he attempted, unsuccessfully, to write a novel. He started bullying people at 12 becuase of his frustration. Golding even described his childhood by saying "I enjoyed hurting people".
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Golding attended Brasenose College at Oxford in 1930 and studied science for 2 years. In his third year, however, he switched to the literature program, following his true interests.
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A year before he graduated, William published his first work, a book of poetry aptly entitled Poems
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In 1935, he graduated from Oxford with a Bachelor of Arts in English and a diploma in education.
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In 1935 Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury.
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Golding gave up his position of teaching in 1940 to join the Royal Navy and fight in World War II. Golding was involved in events such as the sinking of the Brismark and The invasion of Normany on D-Day
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In 1945, after World War II had ended, Golding went back to teaching and writing
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In 1954, after 21 rejections, Golding published his first and most acclaimed novel, Lord of the Flies.
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In 1963, the year after Golding retired from teaching, Peter Brook made a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel
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Golding was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature
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In 1988 he was knighted by England’s Queen Elizabeth II.
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On June 19, 1993, Golding died of a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. He was survived by his wife and their two children, David and Judith.
