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Birth and Early Life
Sir William Gerald Golding was born on the 19th of September, in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall, England. He was the only child to a mother who was an active member in the Women's Suffrage movement and a schoolmaster[a male teacher]. He studied at Marlborough Grammar School, the same place where his father taught(Biography.com) -
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Early Life cont.
Golding's first attempt at a novel was at the young age of twelve. He had failed, and became frustrated which resulted in him bullying his peers as an outlet to the frustration he had in his life.
Golding attended Brasenose College in Oxford University, studying English Literature much to his father's displeasure. A year before he graduated, Golding published his first work, a book of poetry that was overlooked by critics(Biography.com). -
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Teaching
He spent a few months working in settlement houses and theater before he finally decided in 1935 to follow his father's footsteps. William Golding became a teacher at Bishop Wordsworth's School in Salisbury, teaching English and philosophy(Biography.com). -
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World War 2
In 1940, Golding left his teaching position and joined the Royal Navy, and spent the next six years on a boat.
He fought battleships at Bismarck, fended off submarines and planes, placed in command of a rocket-launching craft, and earned the title Lieutenant.
After the war ended, he went back to teaching and writing(Biography.com). -
Family Life
Golding married Ann Brookfield in 1939, and had two children named David in1940 and Judith in 1945(Biography.com). -
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Career and Achivements
Golding published his first work, "Lord of the Flies" after being rejected twenty one times. He had inspiration for the novel while serving in the Royal Navy and when he taught unruly young boys. In the book, Golding explores the savage side of human nature. In his next works, he also explored the internal struggle of good versus evil(Biography.com). -
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Career and Achievements cont.
William Golding wrote about a total of twenty two novels, which gained him only two awards. Golding won the Booker McConnell Prize in 1980. And at the age of 73, he was awarded the 1983 Nobel Prize for Literature.
He was also dubbed knight by Queen Elizabeth II in 1988(Biography.com). -
Death
William Golding died at the age of 81 on June 19, 1993 in Perranarworthal, United Kingdom. His cause of death was a heart attack(Biography.com)