William Golding

  • Birth

    Golding was born in St, Climb Minor, Cornwall, England, UK.
  • Education

    Golding attended college at Brasenose College at Oxford and studied science for two years. However, during his third year, he switched to literature in order to pursue his dreams of writing poetry, although his ultimate medium was fiction.
  • Career

    Golding took a position teaching English and philosophy at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury in 1935. This experience served as his inspiration for Lord of the Flies.
  • Period: to

    Military career

    Golding's time in the war greatly impacted his viewpoint on life and his storytelling. It had exposed him to the cruelty of mankind and the horrors of life that lead his to his distorted viewpoint of humanity.
  • Lord of the Flies

    After 21 rejections, Lord of the flies, Golding's first novel, is published. It was a revolutionary novel that explained the process of young boys stranded on an island.
  • Nobel Prize for Literature

    Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983 for his novel, Lord of the Flies. This was his first and only Nobel Prize within his lifespan
  • Knighted by the Queen

    Golding was knighted by the Queen on England for his outstanding work in literature. This was a particular high point in his career besides winning the Nobel Prize.
  • Death

    Golding died in Perranarworthal, Cornwall, England, UK because of a heart attack.