Lord of the Flies: Context. William Golding was born on September 19, 1911, in Cornwall, England. Although he tried to write a novel as early as age twelve, his parents urged him to study the natural sciences. Golding followed his parents’ wishes until his second year at Oxford, when he changed his focus to English literature. After graduating from Oxford, he worked briefly as a theater actor and director, wrote poetry, and then became a schoolteacher. In 1940, a year after England entered World War II, Golding joined the Royal Navy, where he served in command of a rocket-launcher and participated in the invasion of Normandy.
Golding’s experience in World War II had a profound effect on his view of humanity and the evils of which it was capable. After the war, Golding resumed teaching and started to write novels. Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of English schoolboys marooned on a tropical island after their plane is shot down during a war. ESLvideo.com. Breaking News English Lessons: ESL Plans Teaching Current Events. Newsy | Multisource Video News. CAE Practice tests for the EFL Exams. English Tests - Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English - CAE.