On September 19, 1911, William Golding was born at his grandmother’s house in Newquay, Cornwall, where the family spent all the holidays. Grew up in Marlborough (Wiltshire). There, Father Alex taught at the gymnasium until his retirement. In the same educational institution, William and his older brother Joseph received their primary education. In 1930, William entered Brasenose College (Oxford), where he studied natural sciences. The father cherished the hope that his son would become a scientist. But William realized that he had made a mistake and took up the study of English and literature. In 1934, a year before graduation, Golding published his debut collection of poems. Having received his first fee in the mail, he was inspired and even more strengthened in his desire to become a writer. After college, William Golding wrote plays for some time and staged them in small theaters in London. He worked part-time in the counting chamber and a homeless shelter. In the end, he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. Since 1935 he has been teaching English and Philosophy at the School of Bishop Wordsworth (Salisbury). The experience gained here in raising naughty boys will serve as an inspiration for the creation of Lord of the Flies.
In 1940, at the beginning of the war, William temporarily left the teaching profession, which greatly fascinated him, and joined the Royal Navy. In 1945, Golding demobilized, returned to teaching, and did it until 1960. The old house in which the writer spent his childhood was located next to the cemetery. Golding associated this gloomy place with unfounded fears that haunt him all his life. William grew up as an introverted and uncommunicative child. He wrote about his childhood and that only family members were in his circle of contacts since he had no friends. A vulnerable, hypersensitive, fearful child who carried through his whole life resentment and failure. Subsequently, William said that he went so far that he liked to hurt people, and humiliate them. The war left its mark on the writer’s worldview. In his words, he became disillusioned with people and realized that they are capable of anything. William Golding met his future wife Anna Brookfield, a chemistry specialist at Maidstone School. They got married in 1939. In 1940, almost immediately after the birth of his son David, William left to serve in the Navy. Daughter Judy was born in 1945. She, like her father, became a writer.
The writer died in June 1983 of a heart attack, in his own home in Perranarworthal (Cornwall). It is not surprising that biographers pay attention to the personal lives of writers, their character, or their habits. Much of the life of writers, in one way or another, is reflected in their work.
Debut novel
In his first novel, Lord of the Flies, the writer took as a basis the situation traditional for the literature of that time. Having entered into polemics with his predecessors, who developed a similar plot, the writer was not going to develop a romantic “Robinsonade” and idealize the behavior of a person in extreme conditions. William Golding “swung” far above other authors in his novel. The summary of the work gives a clear understanding that the power of civilization over man is very strong. In the novel, Golding shows how representatives of a civilized nation, which gave the world great composers and poets, scientists, and writers, turn into elementary savages. The author, step by step, reveals the true human essence through the example of his teenage heroes. The novel caused a lot of criticism from critics and readers. It is very difficult to observe how gradually the “raid” of civilization is erased from the heroes of the world who have fallen on an uninhabited island, and the boys turn into barbarians. There are stages in the process of decomposition and savagery. This is clearly illustrated by the author William Golding.
Works that made the author world-famous
During World War II, Golding served in the navy, and after returning home, he took up writing. During this time, he wrote the famous novel Lord of the Flies, which was rejected by publishers 21 times before being published in 1954. Soon, new works appeared from the author’s pen:
- Swimming rituals;
- “Free fall”;
- “Scorpion God”.
Since 1962, having left his teaching career, the man devoted himself entirely to literature. In 1963, the film “Lord of the Flies” was shot, which brought the writer worldwide fame. A few months later, Golding published one of his major works, The Spire, which explores the nature of inspiration.
Writer Honorary Awards
All the works of the author are dramatic, filled with philosophical depth, and distinguished by the metaphorical nature of the language. The writer often expressed his pessimistic attitude towards nature and human evolution. For his contribution to literature, Golding was awarded the Nobel Prize, as well as the title of knight (1988). On June 19, 1993, the talented writer died of a heart attack while at home.
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