Lie Down in Darkness

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Lie Down in Darkness is a 1951 novel by American novelist William Styron. It was his first novel, written when he was 25 years old, and received a great deal of critical acclaim.

Among the honors bestowed on Lie Down in Darkness was the prestigious Rome Prize, awarded by the American Academy in Rome and the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Styron was unable to immediately accept the award because he was recalled into the military because of the Korean War.

The story is about a young, psychologically vulnerable woman, Peyton Loftis, who experiences her family as emotionally remote and oppressive, and who ultimately kills herself. The story is told partly in a stream-of-consciousness narrative.