# The Stand

> 1978 novel by Stephen King

**Wikidata**: [Q149552](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q149552)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Stand)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/the-stand

## Summary
The Stand is a 1978 novel written by American author Stephen King. It is a literary work classified within the genres of post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, horror literature, and science fiction. The book was published by Doubleday and is notable for featuring the "magical negro" stock character archetype.

## Key Facts
- **Inception:** 1978
- **Publication Date:** September 1978
- **Author:** Stephen King (American novelist and writer, born 1947)
- **Publisher:** Doubleday (American publishing company)
- **Genres:** Post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, horror literature, science fiction
- **Literary Predecessor:** Preceded by *The Shining* (1977)
- **Literary Successor:** Succeeded by *The Dead Zone* (1979)
- **Character Archetype:** Features the "magical negro" stock character
- **Sitelink Count:** 38
- **Country of Origin:** United States

## FAQs
**What is The Stand and when was it published?**
The Stand is a novel by Stephen King that was first published in September 1978. It is recognized as a significant work of horror and science fiction literature.

**What genres does The Stand belong to?**
The novel is classified as a work of post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, horror literature, and science fiction.

**Who published The Stand?**
The Stand was published by Doubleday, an American publishing company that was founded in 1897.

**What works did Stephen King write before and after The Stand?**
Stephen King wrote *The Shining* in 1977 before writing *The Stand*, and he wrote *The Dead Zone* in 1979 following its publication.

**What specific character archetype is associated with The Stand?**
The novel is associated with the "magical negro" stock character, defined as a black person with special insight or mystical powers who comes to the aid of the white protagonist.

## Why It Matters
The Stand holds a significant place in Stephen King's bibliography as a major work released between two of his other well-known novels, *The Shining* and *The Dead Zone*. Its classification across multiple genres—including post-apocalyptic fiction, fantasy, horror, and science fiction—demonstrates its crossover appeal and complex narrative structure. The novel serves as a key example of the "magical negro" trope in literary analysis, making it a frequent subject of discussion in critical studies regarding race representation in speculative fiction. As a product of Doubleday, it contributes to the legacy of one of America's longstanding publishing houses.

## Notable For
- Being a multi-genre work that spans post-apocalyptic, fantasy, horror, and science fiction categories.
- Serving as a primary example of the "magical negro" stock character in literature.
- Marking a specific timeline in Stephen King's career, occurring between the publication of *The Shining* and *The Dead Zone*.
- Being part of the Doubleday publishing catalog.

## Body

### Authorship and Creation
The Stand is a literary work written by Stephen King, an American novelist and writer born in 1947. King is a citizen of the United States, and his occupation spans various writing disciplines including novelist, writer, and author. The inception of the novel is recorded as 1978, with a specific publication date of September 1978.

### Publishing Context
The novel was published by Doubleday, an American publishing company. Doubleday, which has its headquarters in New York and Bantam, was founded on January 1, 1897. The company operates within the publishing industry and is based in the United States. The Stand stands as one of the literary works associated with this publisher, which maintains a sitelink count of 31.

### Genre and Classification
The Stand is distinct for its classification across four major literary genres:
- **Post-apocalyptic fiction:** A genre of fiction dealing with the aftermath of catastrophic events.
- **Fantasy:** A genre of speculative fiction set in a fictional universe, often inspired by real-world myth and folklore.
- **Horror literature:** A literary genre intended to frighten or disgust.
- **Science fiction:** A genre of fiction dealing with futuristic concepts and technology.

### Literary Trope Analysis
A specific thematic element of The Stand is its use of the "magical negro" stock character. This trope is defined as a black person with special insight or mystical powers who comes to the aid of the white protagonist. This character device is a notable aspect of the novel's narrative structure and has contributed to discussions regarding the sitelink count of 7 for this specific trope.

### Chronological Bibliography
In the timeline of Stephen King's published works, The Stand is positioned between two other significant novels. It was preceded by *The Shining*, a novel published in 1977 with an inception date of 1977. It was succeeded by *The Dead Zone*, a novel published in 1979. *The Shining* possesses a sitelink count of 43, while *The Dead Zone* has a sitelink count of 30.

### Geographic and Cultural Context
The novel originates from the United States, a country located primarily in North America. The United States declared independence on July 4, 1776, a fact documented in the United States Declaration of Independence. The country's independence was later recognized on May 12, 1784, following the Treaty of Paris (1783). The Stand contributes to the cultural output of this nation.

## References

1. Internet Speculative Fiction Database
2. Virtual International Authority File
3. MusicBrainz
4. [Source](https://lingualibre.fr/wiki/Q214875)
5. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
6. [The Stand by Stephen King | Open Library](https://openlibrary.org/works/OL81618W/The_Stand?edition=key%3A/books/OL28202057M)
7. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_1979)
8. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/World_Fantasy_Awards_1979)
9. [Source](https://www.sfadb.com/Locus_Awards_1991)