Golding began writing ‘ Lord of the Flies’ in 1951. He returned 5 years later and embarked on his writing career. In 1940, he joined the navy to aid with the war effort. However, in a private memoir to his wife, he claims he once attempted to rape an underage girl.Īfter finishing his time at Oxford, Golding promptly published a poetry collection and began working as a teacher. Golding’s mother was an avid campaigner for female rights, and it seems at first glance that she had an impact on Golding’s views. Interestingly, the house name was Karenza which is the Cornish word for “love.” He grew up in Wiltshire, where his father worked as a science teacher, although the family often took their holidays in Cornwall.

Golding was born in his Grandmother’s house in the seaside town of Newquay in Cornwall. It is about choosing to follow free will instead of the will of God. ‘The Spire’ – This book was written in a stream of consciousness with an increasingly unreliable narrator. ‘Free Fall’ – Continuing the theme of people dealing with tough circumstances, this novel looks at a character held in a prisoner of war camp. ‘Pincher Martin’ – This is one of Golding’s better-known novels and deals with a character who believes he is the sole survivor of a torpedo strike and is floating at sea. ‘The Inheritors’ – A work of prehistoric fiction, the novel looks at the extension of a group of ancient men at the hand of homo sapiens. ‘Lord of the Flies’ – His most famous work is an allegorical tale of a group of boys who find themselves trapped on an island and descend into savagery.

Golding has admitted to being a “brat” as a child and once claimed he enjoyed hurting people.

He was given a knighthood by the Queen.

While in the navy he was present at the D-Day landings and the sinking of the Bismarck.His first novel was rejected 21 times before it was finally published, albeit with a new title and the beginning removed.

Lord of the flies william golding book