The idea of ​​fear is a simple enough concept, but it has the power to consume and control lives. Fears arise from an involuntary psychological response to situations deemed dangerous to one's personal safety, but have evolved into a complex network of often illogical misconceptions that are capable of clouding a person's judgment and leading to situations that are often worse than expected. originally planned. Fears can be difficult to repress, but it has been proven that the best way to overcome them is often to face them, as author James Baldwin stated when he wrote: “To defend oneself from fear is simply to ensure that, one day, one will be conquered by it; fears must be faced." Baldwin makes a highly qualified statement, and his ideational fears must be faced to ensure that one is not conquered by them, is evident frequently and is especially visible in Nathaniel Hawthorne's classic novel, The Scarlet Letter. In The Scarlet Letter, two characters are placed in situations where they are directly confronted with their fears, but react very differently, leading to contrasting and different consequences. Baldwin's statement is qualified by the journeys of Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter, which show how facing one's fears can have a positive outcome while defending oneself from one's fears can have harmful consequences. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne's evidence describes the same conclusion about the fears stated by Baldwin. Hester was put in a situation that she was tremendously afraid of, but by directly addressing her fears, Hester was able to largely overcome them and create a positive outcome. After Hester was imprisoned for having a child out of wedlock, she was forced to stand on a platform wearing a sign of shame by... means of paper... conquered by it; fears must be faced." Baldwin's words rang true in the case of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, where the characters of Hester Prynne and the revered Arthur Dimmesdale personified different ends of the spectrum of conquering fear. By facing her fears, Hester was able to overcome them and turn them into something positive, while Dimmesdale suppressed his, and they ultimately consumed and conquered him. Fears are something that can never be completely suppressed. Fear is a powerful force that demands to be felt. One can conquer it or fall upon it, but by avoiding it, one is cementing one's destiny in which one will ultimately be consumed by it. The Scarlet Letter is one of many works that support Baldwin's ideas on fear, but the consensus is unanimous: facing your fears is the only way to ensure a peaceful and purposeful life..