Fears must be faced

Fears must be faced, argues Jason Reynolds in his novel Ghost. Fears plague everyone’s lives, but they cannot be allowed to weigh one down. Instead, they must be confronted and must be dealt with by each person.

This is said as much by Mr. Charles, who explains his own family makes fun of him for owning a store. Mr. Charles was fearful his store would not last, but it has. Instead of folding and quitting, Mr. Charles has endured to have a successful store, having successfully faced his fears both of failing and his family’s mockery.

Ghost takes Mr. Charles’s lesson and example to heart by confronting his own worst fears. After being made fun of for his shoes and fearing he may fail at his dreams, Ghost returns to track practice with his head held high, determined to run...