Manipulation is the basis of power in modern society. By using fear in societies, powerful people gain power. Gaining control and dominance can be done using societal anxiety. Similarly, readers see fear as a driver of authority in literature. Simangele from "The Test", Jack from Lord of the Flies, and the government from The Hunger Games all use the fear of their society or group to rise up and dominate power. The group of boys from "The Test" are afraid of Simangele's behavior. bloodthirsty attitude. When Simangele argues with Vusi, the argument intensifies but the boys do not choose sides: “Simangele received no response from the others. It would have been risky for them to take sides” (Ndebele 3). The boys in the group are afraid of taking sides in the arguments between Vusi and Simangele. They know that this argument can escalate enormously, causing arguments that can end badly for all the boys. People are afraid of the people on the farms: “So people say, 'watch out for those on the farms, they will stab with a big smile on their face'” (Ndebele 12). Because Simangele lived on a farm, he doesn't understand things in the city. Since people made fun of him, he fought back and did not back down from fighting. Simangele's friends are afraid of Simangele because he doesn't back down in fights. Lord of the Flies' tribe is afraid of certain aspects of the island. Ralph asks Jack why he hates him, causing the other boys to feel uneasy: “Why do you hate me? "The boys stirred uneasily, as if something indecent had been said" (Golding 130). The boys of the tribe want a true leader that everyone agrees on. However, due to the tension between Ralph and Jack, the boys are unsure of the outcome... middle of paper ... society determines the authority of many leaders. Using fear makes a leader strong and powerful. Many characters in literature exploit fear to campaign and gain respect within their groups. Simangele in "The Test", Jack in Lord of the Flies, and the government in The Hunger Games all use the public's fear to dominate them and gain respect. Works Cited Collins, Suzanne. The hunger games. New York: Scholastic, 2008. Print. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York: Coward-McCann, 1988 (1954). Print.Ndebele, Njabulo S. Fools and other stories. New York: Readers International, 1986. Print. Van Vuuren, Marijke. “Good Grief: Lord of the Flies as a Postwar Rewriting of Salvation History.” Literary: Journal of Literary Criticism, Comparative Linguistics and Literary Studies 25.2 (2004): 1. Literary Resource Center. Internet. May 10 2014.