In George Eliot's "Silas Marner," the protagonist grapples with his deep-seated fears and anxieties. Rather than suppressing these fears, he embraces them, suggesting that acknowledging and confronting apprehensions can alter their power over us. This reflects a common human tendency to hold superstitions that control our expectations and reactions to perceived threats.

The idea that anticipating harm might actually reduce its likelihood points to a broader theme of the novel: the interplay between belief and reality. By facing fears rather than hiding from them, Silas demonstrates a path towards resilience, indicating that confronting one's worries may help diminish their hold on one's life.