Lie Down in Darkness

E796376

Lie Down in Darkness is William Styron’s acclaimed 1951 debut novel, a Southern Gothic tragedy exploring the psychological disintegration of a dysfunctional Virginia family.

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Statements (46)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Southern Gothic novel
novel
adaptationStatus optioned for film multiple times
author William Styron NERFINISHED
awarded Prix de Rome in Literature (helped Styron win) NERFINISHED
containsMotif decay
guilt
memory
religious imagery
countryOfOrigin United States of America
surface form: United States
criticalReception acclaimed
firstEditionFormat hardcover
genre Southern Gothic
tragedy
hasForeshadowingOf themes in Styron’s later works
hasInfluenceOn reputation of William Styron as major American novelist
hasSubject class and status in the American South
father–daughter relationship
marital conflict
religious fanaticism
literaryMovement Southern literature NERFINISHED
literaryPeriod post-World War II American literature
mainCharacter Helen Loftis NERFINISHED
Maudie Loftis NERFINISHED
Milton Loftis NERFINISHED
Peyton Loftis NERFINISHED
narrativeForm third-person narration
notableFor dark portrayal of Southern family life
lyrical prose style
psychological depth
originalLanguage English
originalTitleLanguage English
pageCountApproximate 400
publicationYear 1951
publisher Bobbs-Merrill Company NERFINISHED
setIn Virginia NERFINISHED
setInRegion American South NERFINISHED
structure nonlinear narrative
theme Southern social mores
alcoholism
family dysfunction
mental illness
psychological disintegration
religious hypocrisy
suicide
timePeriodOfSetting 20th century

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

William Styron notableWork Lie Down in Darkness
William Styron title Lie Down in Darkness