About
William Golding was a British writer born in 1911 in Cornwall. After studying at Oxford, he taught English and philosophy. During World War II, he served in the Royal Navy. His first novel, Lord of the Flies (1954), explores human nature through children stranded on an island. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983 for his novels that illuminate the human condition. He was knighted in 1988. He died in 1993.
* 1911-09-19 — † 1993-06-19
Major works
- Lord of the Flies (1954)novel
- The Inheritors (1955)novel
- Pincher Martin (1956)novel
- The Spire (1964)novel
- Rites of Passage (1980)novel
Key milestones
- 1954Publication of his first novel, Lord of the Flies, after 21 rejections.
- 1983Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.
- 1988Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.
Themes
human naturecivilization and savageryevilmyth and allegoryisolation and survival
Sources: nobelprize.org · nobelprize.org · loc.gov
