William Golding was born today in writing history, September 19. Celebrate the occasion by learning more about the writer’s life and contributions to literature. Aspiring writers should look for inspiration while reading and practice their writing with a Today in Writing exercise.

Today in Writing: September 19: William Golding’s Birthday

Sir William Golding was born on September 19, 1911. Golding is best known for his novel Lord of the Flies. Its examination of human nature and society paints a lasting image, rightfully placing Golding’s masterpiece among the greatest stories ever written.

Additional Facts About William Golding

Take this opportunity to learn more about William Golding’s life and contributions to literature. Lord of the Flies, Golding’s first novel, was initially rejected by publishers. However, he was able to refine his manuscript, which eventually became one of the most well-known and popular novels in the English language. Find inspiration and learn more details about the author.

William Golding Biography

William Gerald Golding was born in Newquay, Cornwall, England, on September 19, 1911. He would grow up in nearby Marlborough, where his father Alec taught science at Marlborough Grammar School. William would attend the school alongside his brother Joseph. His mother, Mildred, fostered a love of storytelling in him by retelling the ghost stories of her youth. 

Golding would enroll at Brasenose College, Oxford, for Natural Sciences. However, he switched to English literature in his final two years and earned his BA in 1934. While he did publish a book of poems the same year, Lord of the Flies and dedicated work as an author would not come for another two decades.

Schoolmaster William Golding

In 1935, Golding began working as an educator at a series of schools. After returning to Oxford to study for his teaching degree, Golding would eventually land at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury in April of 1940. He would teach English, Philosophy, Greek, and drama until 1961. William Golding took a brief break from teaching from December 1940 to 1945.

Outbreak of World War II

In December 1940, Golding joined the Royal Navy to serve England during World War II. He was stationed on the HMS Raleigh, which was briefly involved in the famous sinking of the German battleship Bismarck. William Golding also served during D-Day, commanding a landing craft during the Invasion of Normandy.

William Golding’s Writing Career

Golding began writing the manuscript for Strangers from Within in 1951. After initial rejections and revisions, the manuscript was retitled Lord of the Flies and published in 1954. William Golding continued to write throughout the rest of his life, publishing four more novels as a teacher. He could focus entirely on writing after leaving his role as a schoolmaster. 

Golding also was a severe alcoholic. This problem worsened in the 1960s due to anxiety and the reception of his publications. William Golding would take steps to recover from what became a reliance on alcohol. 

The Journal of William Golding

In 1971, Golding began keeping a journal. Initially started recording his dreams, it evolved into a more traditional diary. William Golding wrote in his journal every day. From the inception of the text in 1971 to the day before his death in 1993, Golding’s notes would grow to be thousands of pages long and contain over 2 million words.

The pages of Golding’s journal provided a private look into the life of the English author. While this writing was not meant for publication, John Carey, the emeritus professor of English literature at Oxford University, was given access to the texts. He completed a biography, William Golding: The Man Who Wrote Lord of the Flies, in 2009. One revelation from Golding’s journals is that a classroom activity, which involved pitting two teams of boys against each other, helped birth the idea for Lord of the Flies.

Golding’s Later Life and Death

Golding continued to write into the later part of his life and received recognition for his literary works. In 1983, Golding received the Nobel Peace Prize in Literature. In 1988, Sir William Golding was knighted. Lord of the Flies would be adapted to film three times within his lifetime.

William Golding died of heart failure on June 19, 1993, at his home in Perranarworthal, Cornwall. He was buried in Bowerchalke. A draft of a novel, The Double Tongue, was found after his death and published posthumously in 1995. It was the author’s final novel. 

William Golding, Lord of the Flies

William Golding began writing Lord of the Flies in 1951 while still a schoolmaster. Initially titled Strangers from Within, Golding’s manuscript was rejected several times by a handful of publishers. The text was called an ‘absurd and uninteresting fantasy,’ ‘rubbish and dull,’ and ‘pointless.’ However, an editor, Charles Monteith, took an interest in Golding’s manuscript and helped him with revisions.

The original manuscript had significant changes made. The original text contains an introductory section that describes the evacuation of the children in Lord of the Flies from a nuclear war. Simon also has conversations with a mysterious figure on the island, which is implied to be God. The original manuscripts are housed at the University of Exeter library.

Golding was not pleased with the changes he had to make, commenting: “I’ve lost any kind of objectivity I ever had over this novel and can hardly bear to look at it.” The Lord of the Flies was published in 1954. Although the novel initially sold slowly, sales would eventually pick up. As of 2015, William Golding’s Lord of the Flies has sold over 10 million copies.

Lord of the Flies Themes

William Golding wrote Lord of the Flies in response to books like The Coral Island, which depicts a group of stranded boys as well-behaved and upholding the values of Christianity and leadership. Golding found this depiction unrealistic and set out to create a story that showed how boys would actually behave in this situation. He heavily utilized his experiences in the Navy and as a schoolmaster.

The novel’s themes explore topics about society and human nature. Groupthink and the desire for power are also central pillars of Golding’s narrative. Religion is also present- ‘Lord of the Flies’ is a direct reference to Beelzebub, referenced in the bible as the Lord of the Flies. The novel serves as an allegory.

While the boys begin the novel as behaved, English Schoolchildren, order quickly dissolves. They revert to savagry and animal-like qualities which turn the novel into a type of horror-story. Lord of the Flies is a classic that provides deep insight into the human psyche. 

Notable William Golding Books In Order

Poems (1934)

Lord of the Flies (1954)

The Inheritors (1955)

Pincher Martin (1956)

The Brass Butterfly (1958)

Free Fall (1959)

The Spire (1964)

The Pyramid (1967)

Darkness Visible (1979)

Rites of Passage (1980)

Close Quarters (1987)

Fire Down Below (1989)

The Paper Men (1984)

The Double Tongue (1995)

Today in Writing: September 19 – 15 William Golding Quotes

William Golding was a talented writer and respected educator. His literary contributions take a close look at human nature and evil. Golding’s Lord of the Flies remains one of the most popular books in English schools. Its subject matter is still relevant over 50 years later. William Golding’s legacy is one of realism and introspection. Aspiring writers should take note of the author’s initial struggles with getting published, the real-life experiences he called on for inspiration, and Golding’s dedication to write every day.

15 Quotes From William Golding

Maybe there is a beast… maybe it’s only us.

Man produces evil as a bee produces honey.

The journey of life is like a man riding a bicycle. We know he got on the bicycle and started to move. We know that at some point he will stop and get off. We know that if he stops moving and does not get off he will fall off.

We’ve got to have rules and obey them. After all, we’re not savages. We’re English, and the English are best at everything.

Childhood is a disease – a sickness that you grow out of.

Novelists do not write as birds sing, by the push of nature. It is part of the job that there should be much routine and some daily stuff on the level of carpentry.

I think women are foolish to pretend they are equal to men; they are far superior and always have been.

When I wrote ‘Lord of the Flies‘ – I had no idea it would even get published.

My yesterdays walk with me. They keep step, they are gray faces that peer over my shoulder.

Utopias are presented for our inspection as a critique of the human state.

The writer probably knows what he meant when he wrote a book, but he should immediately forget what he meant when he’s written it.

The thing is – fear can’t hurt you any more than a dream.

At the moment of vision, the eyes see nothing.

Language fits over experience like a straight jacket.

I’m frightened. Of us.

Today in Writing: September 19 – Aspiring Writers Daily Writing Exercise

Do any of the stories from William Golding’s life inspire you? Do any of Golding’s contributions to English literature give you an idea of your own? Do any of his quotes inspire or make you think? 

Find a topic from Today in Writing: September 19 and freewrite about it for at least 10 minutes. Don’t let any opportunity to write go to waste. Aspiring writers: Practice your writing today! Celebrate Today in Writing History September 19.