Although there is a lack of light imagery in Lord of the Flies by William Golding, because of the frequent use of dark imagery to give an impending sense of despair, both light and dark imagery are still crucial to this novel. Light and dark imagery is an archetype that is used to give readers a better understanding of a story in some writer’s works. In the case of light vs. darkness, light usually suggests hope, renewal, or intellectual illumination; darkness implies the unknown, ignorance, or despair. Light can also be associated with the color white, which can represent the following: “innocence”, “goodness”, and “morality,” (Archetypes). Darkness can be associated with the color black, allowing darkness to represent the following: “the unknown”, “death”, “the unconscious”, or “evil” (Archetypes). All of these things can also be linked to morality- the id, ego, and superego. The id can be classified as “the primitive and instinctive component of personality”; ego can be classified as the part of the personality that “develops in order to mediate between the unrealistic id and the external real world”, and superego can be classified as the part of the personality that incorporates the values and morals of society which are learned from one's parents and others.” (McLeod).
In Lord of the Flies, Many of the evil deeds in the story are committed at night, representing darkness. A perfect example of an evil deed that is committed at night would be the murder of Simon by all of the other boys (Golding 151-153). The obvious use of the darkness is death because Simon dies; however, this event also embodies the unknown because an excuse that is used by Ralph and Piggy for partaking in the murder of Simon was that it was dark, and they could not see well. Piggy even says, “It was dark. There was that- that bloody dance. There was lightning and thunder and rain. We was scared!” (156). This quote can also represent the id in all of the boys, because they let the dance and a sort of mob mentality take over their personalities, bringing them to think and behave irrationally, killing Simon. In chapter six of the story, Samneric were tending a signal fire alone, and from a distance they saw what they thought was a beast. This was not actually a beast, but merely a dead airplane pilot who parachuted down to the island. Terrified, the boys run back to camp where the other boys were, woke up ralph and said, “We saw-the beast- plain!” (Golding 98). This event took place at night, so there is once again the representation of the unknown through darkness. This event can also intend for the representation of the id within the twins. The id is the impulsivity within individuals, and is shown in the twins per the fact that instead of further investigating the site of the dead body, they jump to conclusions and immediately believe that there is a savage beast on the island. One of the events in the story that did not take place at night was Simon’s encounter with The Lord of the Flies. In this encounter in chapter 9 of the story, Simon is enlightened about who and what the beast really is. The fact that the event happens during the day, and Simon’s enlightenment can be associated with one another. During this encounter, the beast says, “Fancy thinking the beast was something you could hunt and kill! [...] You knew, didn’t you? I’m part of you? Close, close, close! I’m the reason why it’s no go? Why things are what they are?” (143) The beast is literally telling Simon that he cannot be killed or defeated, and that he is within everybody. The beast is saying that he is the evil within all people everywhere. As well as representing light imagery and Simon’s enlightenment, it also represents the id in all of the boys. Since the beast is saying that he is part of everybody, it must mean that all of the boys have id in them. This encounter is unbelievable to Simon, and he passes out.
Although there is a large absence of light imagery in Lord of the Flies, it is not completely ignored in the story. After Simon is murdered and his body belongs to the beast,-being The Lord of the Flies- got the better of Simon, causing his death. When he is being washed out to sea, the narrator says in the text: Along the shoreward edge of the shallows the advancing clearness was full of strange, moonbeam-bodied creatures with fiery eyes. Here and there a larger pebble clung to its own air and was covered with a coat of pearls. The tide swelled in over the rain-pitted sand and smoothed everything with a layer of silver. Now it touched the first of the stains that seeped from the broken body and the creatures made a moving patch of light as they gathered at the edge. (154)

This quote is very light and calm because of the language that is used. It symbolizes the only hope for the boys being washed out to sea, never to be seen again, as well.. The strange light creatures surrounding the body being washed out to sea represent the remaining hope, and the fact that the body is slowly drifting out to sea represents the disappearance of that hope. This scene also represents the superego in the story. All of the light imagery shows that Simon was truly a good-hearted character, and had a superego personality. His body being dragged out to sea gently, and the fact that these light creatures are there can also symbolize Simon going to heaven. Light and dark imagery is an extremely important archetype that is a crucial part of the novel Lord of the Flies. This type of imagery definitely allows the reader to gain further insight into the story, its characters, and how the environment is relatable to these characters. although there is a lack of light imagery, it is still crucial to the story. The moral personalities of id, ego, and superego also help with gaining this insight. Without these archetypes and elements, the novel would not at all be what it is with them.