In "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding and "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, callous authority and blind obedience to that authority combine to create a brutal society. In William Golding's Lord of the Flies, an older boy, Jack, leads the way to murder by a group of marooned children. Similarly, in Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery," Mr. Summers rallies the townspeople to random killing based on tradition. In both cases, the leaders create a mob mentality, in which drowning out all who disagree is the name of the game. Death and devastation result in both microcosms of our world.

Authority is the spark that starts out small but later incites group murder. In both stories, the leaders seize power and control of an insecure population. In Lord of the Flies, Jack and his henchman (for example, Maurice and Robert) take advantage of the moment of sorrow and disbelief...