Through the use of religious extremism, Joseph Strorm is guilty of putting innocent lives at risk. Joseph has a tough stance against deviations and wants them to be destroyed or to leave his community. David is influenced by the negative actions that his father does by saying, ‘’...my father slaughtered the two-headed calf's, four legged chickens or whatever other kind of Offence it happened to be’’ (Wyndham 19). He is watching the brutal behaviour in his daily life and notices that it is not right. Joseph burns livestock and crops due to their abnormality. Lives are being destroyed because Joseph cannot accept a difference. As well, Sophie is living in danger because she is scared that someone will find out about her secret: has six toes.