WILLIAM GOLDING AND LORD OF THE FLIES BACKGROUND NOTES

I. William Golding Basics A. Full Name: William Gerald Golding B. Born: September 19, 1911 C. Born in Cornwall, England

D. Father Alec worked as a science teacher; He had strong political and scientific notions E. Mother Mildred worked on the suffragist movement F. Died: June 19, 1993 of heart failure I. William Golding Basics Continued

II. Golding’s Education A. Went to the grammar school his father taught at B. Began study at Oxford (Brasenose College) in 1930 C. Original field of study was in the natural sciences D. In 1932, he changed his field of study to English Literature. E. Later in 1937, Golding returns to Oxford for a Diploma in Education

III. Influences on Golding’s Work A. Teaching 1. taught English and philosophy at a number of grammar schools 2. where he met his wife Ann 3. studied how young children interacted with one another

B. World War II 1. Joined the Royal Navy 2. Helped sink Germany’s Bismarck 3. Was part of D-Day in France 4. Changed his view of man – came to believe that everyone had an evil side

C. Literary Influences 1. Classical literature 2. Mythology 3. Christian symbolism

IV. Lord of the Flies Background A. Started from an idea he had while reading The Coral Island to his kids 1. Golding believed that this idyllic setting/plot was anything but realistic B. Began working on it in 1952 C. Originally called “Strangers from Within”

D. In 1953, he begins sending it to publishers, where it was turned down by more than 20 of them 1. sensitive subject matter 2. no one wanted something so pessimistic to be published E. Finally accepted after changes to the text, and it was published in 1954 as The Lord of the Flies

V. Other Life Events A – resigned from teaching and focused on writing full time B – Brook’s film Lord of the Flies was shown at Cannes C – Awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature D – knighted