Irrational Thinking in Literature

For example, the boys attacked and killed Simon thinking that he was the beast. Golding states,"The beast was on its knees in the center, its arms folded over its face. It was crying out against the abominable noise, something about a body on the hillAt once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws." Everyone instantly went after whom they thought was the beast, to simply rid themselves of fear. Yet, no one stopped to make sure that it was actually the beast, and no one thought their actions through. The Lord of the Flies demonstrates this idea of how fear takes control to a great extent. Golding shows how when a large enough fear is present in the human mind it dominates over every other sense the the body. The fear of the "beast" led the boys into the arms of whom they believed was their leader and savior. Yet, that same leader, Jack, caused the destruction of their society and turned them all into a savage pack of murderers.
             "The Monsters are Due on Maple Street", also conveys the underlying theme that fear leads to mob mentality. The once peaceful neighborhood became a place of havoc and chaos. Once the power went out, so did all the rational thinking. Moreover, instead of acting like civilized adults, these characters decided to listen to an imaginative little boy's story. Following that, they proceeded to actually believe him. Thus, everything went downhill from here. .
             As tension and bickering over the culprit continues to build, a figure begins to approach from the distance. Rather than waiting for a clear view of who or what was approaching, people begin imagining the worst and start to grab their children and cry out in fear. Before Charlie grabs his shotgun, he says, "No more talk, Steve. You're going to talk us into a grave! You'd let whatever's out there walk right over us, wouldn't you? Well some of us won't!" Charlie actually shoots the "dark, unknown figure," who is assumed to be a monstrous outsider, but turns out to be a neighbor: Pete Van Horn.