William Golding

  • Birth

    Birth
    William Golding was born on this day in Cornwall, England. He was born to Alex and Mildred Golding. Alex was a school master and Mildred was a women's right activist.
  • First Publish

    First Publish
    A year before William graduated, he published a book of poetry called Poems. This work was overlooked by many critics.
  • Teacher

    Teacher
    After graduation, William followed his dad footsteps. He became a teacher, teaching English and philosophy. His experiences with misbehaving boys were an inspiration for his novel Lord of the Flies.
  • Royal Navy

    Royal Navy
    He left teaching to join the Royal Navy. The years he spent in the navy, showed him the cruelty that human cause. The fighting aspect became of big part of his novels, most notably Lord of the Flies.
  • First Novel

    First Novel
    Lord of the Flies was published after 21 rejections. This would go on to be William Golding's most acclaimed novel.
  • Retirement

    Retirement
    William decided to retire from teaching so that he could be a teacher full time. This led to his career as an author to progress.
  • Nobel Prize

    Nobel Prize
    William received a Nobel Prize in Literature for his first novel, Lord of the Flies. He was awarded for "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".
  • Knighted

    Knighted
    In the summer of 1988, William Golding was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. The knighthood gave William great satifaction.
  • Death

    Death
    William died of a heart attack in Cornwall, England. He is survived by his wife and his two children.