What are the authors of "The Lottery" and The Hunger Games trying to make clear about society and people in general?

Suzanne Collins and Shirley Jackson are simply showing how cruel society can be and how much they rely on tradition.

In the Hunger Games, Each district in Panem must sacrifice two tributes to the annual Hunger Games. Once in the games, the tributes will face brutal attacks from the other participants until there is only one tribute remaining. The Capital residents watch the Hunger Games as if it were a sporting event. The president tries to justify the Hunger Games as a reminder to all of the districts what happens when districts try to rebel. Here, Suzanne Collins shows the society's comfort with watching and participating in violence. Even thought these people know that the Hunger Games are wrong, they are being brainwashed into thinking that it's okay.
In The Lottery, each family places a slip of paper into a box and then a household is chose. In the second lottery, a member of that family is chosen and the community rallies and stones that particular family member. Shirley Jackson demonstrates how cruel society can be and how violent they can be in the masses.

Both authors are able to demonstrate how violent and cruel a society can be when they are led by the wrong leader. Even in the Hunger Games, President Coin starts her term, she suggests another game where children of residents of the Capital would be tributes. Under the wrong leadership, this is the result, a society riddled with violence and cruelness. Both titles can relate to society today.

Both Suzanne Collins and Shirley Jackson illustrate society's propensity for violence and cruelty, as well as humanity's inherent desire to carry on outdated traditions and customs. In Suzanne Collins's novel The Hunger Games, the Capitol of Panem requires each district to send two tributes to participate in the nationally televised Hunger Games. The annual Hunger Games have been a tradition in Panem since the First Rebellion and the authoritarian regime uses the games to oppress and threaten the masses. The Hunger Games is a violent competition, where twenty-four children between the ages of 12-18 fight to the death in various environments while their home districts root for their hometown tributes. Weapons are given to the contestants and brutality reigns supreme in the Hunger Games arena. The majority of Panem's citizens enjoy watching the savage contest, but Katniss opposes the senseless violence. Suzanne Collins explores society's capacity to carry on savage traditions like the Hunger Games and humanity's affinity for violence and brutality throughout her novel.
Similarly, Shirley Jackson examines society's affinity for brutality and traditions. In Jackson's short story "The Lottery," residents of a small New England village place their names into a black box, where Mr. Summers, the lottery's official, randomly draws a slip of paper with each citizen's name on it. A second lottery is then conducted from the randomly selected household and the slip with the black dot on it indicates the specific family member that will be stoned by the community. The stoning of an innocent community member is both startling and deeply disturbing. The fact that friendly neighbors can casually throw stones at their defenseless neighbor illustrates society's affinity for violence and brutality. The annual lottery also reflects humanity's desire to create and follow traditions and customs. In both of their celebrated works, Suzanne Collins and Shirley Jackson depict humanity's inherently violent nature as well as people's capacity to follow outdated, brutal traditions.