William Golding is an English novelist, Nobel laureate, author of the famous novel Lord of the Flies. Like many great authors, fame did not come to him immediately. The novel, which later became a bestseller, was rejected by publishers for a long time. But, thanks to spiritual and ethical issues, the solution of which Golding devoted his work to, his books were on a par with the best works of English classical prose.
Childhood and youth
The future writer was born in the family of a teacher, champion of realistic philosophical views. Golding's mother supported, although not very actively, the British feminist movement. The family unanimously decided that the son must follow in the footsteps of his father. And William, at the insistence of his parents, took up natural science. But the author of The Lord of the Flies had an interest in literature and history since childhood. And so in the first year of college, Ulyam Golding focused on studying books on literary criticism and the history of the Ancient World.
His first works were poems. In his student years, poetry was a hobby rather than a serious work for a young man. However, several poetic works nevertheless hit the press.
Military service
After college, Golding continued his studies at Oxford. After graduating from the university, he taught philosophy and English. The years of the Second World War occupy a special place in the biography of the writer. Service in the naval forces radically changed the worldview of an English teacher. The desire of people to destroy his own kind, which he saw in these years, deprived him of any faith in the kindness of the human soul. Interest in modern social issues, as well as a deep knowledge of the culture and traditions of ancient tribes formed a unique style of storytelling.
Nobel Prize
In 1983, the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize. William Golding, whose biography was influenced by the most important events in the world and society, devoted his works to the problems of modern man, using allegories and mythical plots. Many critics considered his prose to be excessively pessimistic, to which the writer once said: "Science makes me a pessimist, spiritual values, on the contrary, inspire optimism."
Criticism
Despite the general success of readers, among critics were literary scholars who believed that in the novels of Golding there was no intellectual substantiation of the plot. One of the members of the Nobel jury refused to vote for Golding, considering his prose to be purely English. As for the famous novel "Lord of the Flies", among literary critics there is an opinion according to which allegorical tricks in the work only aggravate the main plot.
"Lord of the Flies"
William Golding, whose books became bestsellers, several times sent the manuscript of his first novel to various publishers. And only after twenty unsuccessful attempts he managed to publish a book. The novel reflects the problems of society that William Golding presented to readers in an allegorical form. “Lord of the Flies” is a fantastic story of children and adolescents who find themselves as a result of an atomic disaster on a desert island.
During the first days, children experience delight. There are no parents nearby. They are completely independent. But nobody is in a hurry to help them. Teenagers are forced to learn to survive in difficult conditions. As in every society, they have their own leader. At the beginning of the story, adolescents are ordinary modern children. But the more difficult their life becomes, the more immoral their behavior becomes. The novel is a symbolic parable that raises pressing political and religious issues.
Fame
The book was not immediately recognized. But as the interest of readers increased in her, so did the attention of the critic. Today, "Lord of the Flies" is part of the English literature course at colleges. According to an article in one of the respected and prestigious publications, Golding’s novel is the best work in English over the past century.
The huge love of readers was sought by Golding’s novel “Lord of the Flies” after the release of the film of the same name.
Other works
After recognition by readers and critics of his main novel, Golding left forever teaching. The first years after the publication of The Lord of the Flies, he worked on other works. The next book of the English writer was the novel "The Heirs." Herbert Wells's work exerted some influence on the author, in particular, his scientific journalistic essay, Essays on History. In The Heirs, Golding uses a historical plot, framing it in an adventure genre and, of course, adding fantastic motifs.
From the pen of William Golding, the novels The Thief Martin, Freefall, The Spire, also appeared. Among his later works - "Credentials", "In the immediate vicinity."
William Golding passed away in 1993. For more than a year, he suffered from cancer. But the cause of death was a heart attack.