William Golding
One's intelligence may march about and about a problem, but the solution does not come gradually into view. One moment it is not. The next it is there.Collection: Learning
I know there isn't no beast—not with claws and all that, I mean—but I know there isn't no fear, either." Piggy paused. "Unless—" Ralph moved restlessly. "Unless what?" "Unless we get frightened of people.Collection: Mean
I began to write when I was seven, and I have been writing off and on ever since. It is still off and on. You can say that when I am on, when I know I have a book which I am going to write, then I write two thousand words a day. That's so many pages longhand.Collection: Book
There is, they say, no fool like an old fool.Collection: Fool
One tries to tell a truth, and one hopes that the truth has a general application rather than just a specific one.Collection: Trying
They walked along, two continents of experience and feeling unable to communicate.Collection: Two
Nothing is so impenetrable as laughter in a language you don't understand.Collection: Laughter
If faces were different when lit from above or below -- what was a face? What was anything?Collection: Different
It may be -- I hope it is -- redemption to guess and perhaps perceive that the universe, the hell which we see for all its beauty, vastness, majesty, is only part of a whole which is quite unimaginable.Collection: Majesty
Roger stooped, picked up a stone, aimed and threw it at Henry-threw it to miss. The stone, that token of preposterous time, bounced five yards to Henry's right and fell in the water. Roger gathered a handful of stones and began to throw them. Yet there was a space round Henry, perhaps six yards in diameter, into which he dare not throw. Here, invisible yet strong, was the taboo of the old life. Round the squatting child was the protection of parents and school and policemen and the law. Roger was conditioned by a civilization that knew nothing of him and was in ruins.Collection: Strong
You'll get back to where you came from.Collection: Tall Trees
I mean, if we're concerned genuinely with writing, I think we probably get on with our work. I think this is very true of English writers, but perhaps not so true of French writers, who seem to read each other passionately, extensively, and endlessly, and who then talk about it to each other - which is splendid.Collection: Writing
This is our island. It’s a good island. Until the grownups come to fetch us we’ll have fun.Collection: Fun