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William Golding was born on September 19, 1911, in Saint Columb Minor, Cornwall. He grew up in a medieval house by a graveyard. His mother, Mildred, was a suffragette, and his father, Alex, was a schoolmaster.
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At 12, William Golding tried and failed to write a novel. A frustrated child, he took out his anger on his peers. Later, he called himself a brat and admitted, “I enjoyed hurting people.” -
In 1930, Golding enrolled at Brasenose College, Oxford, initially studying science to respect his father’s wishes. However, in his third year, he switched to literature, pursuing his real passion. -
In 1934, a year before he graduated, William published his first work, a book of poetry aptly entitled Poems. The collection was largely overlooked by critics. -
In 1935, Golding started teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. His experience with rowdy boys later inspired Lord of the Flies.
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William Golding married Ann Brookfield at their house near Falmouth, Cornwall. They had two children: David (born 1940) and Judith (born 1945) -
Although passionate about teaching from day one, in 1940 Golding temporarily abandoned the profession to join the Royal Navy and fight in World War II.
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After Golding bravely served throughout World War II, he went back to his profession of teaching. He finally went back to his other calling. -
After 21 rejections, Golding got his first and most criticallly acclaimed book, "Lord of the Flies" published. His book was full of symbolism and still is taught in classrooms around the world today. -
Golding describes how the violent and deceitful people triumphed over the kinder ones. Even though this novel is the hardest for readers to understand, it was Golding’s favorite for his whole life. -
Pincher Martin was published -
Free fall was published -
Golding stopped teaching, but then Peter Brook turned Lord of the Flies into a movie. Since it was published, people have seen the book as a classic, often studied and discussed in schools worldwide.
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This is the year after Golding retired from teaching. Peter Brook made a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed novel, Lord of the flies.
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He was winner of the 1980 Booker McConnell Prize. It was one the most successful novels of Golding’s writing career, Rites of Passage.
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At 73, Golding won the Nobel Prize for Literature. The prize changed his life a lot more reporters came, and he became better known. -
Golding passed away from a heart attack in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. His wife and their two children, David and Judith, outlived him. In his final years, he lived a quiet life with his wife, Ann Brookfield, while continuing to work on his writing.