The enduring popularity of horror fiction is largely due to its ability to tap into universal fears and anxieties. Horror stories provide a safe space for readers to confront their darkest fears while allowing for a cathartic release. In the Foreword of Night Shift, King asserts that “the great appeal of horror fiction through the ages is that it serves as a rehearsal for our own deaths” (14). The author suggests that all human fear stems from the comprehension of our own mortality. He explains, “Horror fiction is like a central subway station in the human psyche between the blue line of what we can safely internalize and the red line of what we need to get rid of in some way or another” (16). The genre allows readers to confront their mortality at a safe distance.

The roots of horror literature can be traced back to ancient folklore and mythologies. The concept of the “boogeyman” (originally the bogeyman) used in King’s story dates back at least as far as 15th-century England. The author highlights how this monstrous entity is used to embody our darkest fears, as Lester’s increasing terror of the Boogeyman demonstrates how the monster feeds on the power of the imagination.