So that "A"

The Scarlet Letter
Nathaniel Hawthorne

That "A" seems to play a pretty large part in this book. The letter is described briefly in the first section of the book. The "A" is scarlet with gold embroidering and all that fine and dandy detail in the first section. In this second section, the description of the letter revolves around how the letter affects Hester. Most of the description is found in chapter five. "When strangers looked curiously at the scarlet letter,-and none ever failed to do so,-they branded it afresh into Hester's soul..." (Hawthorne, 65). The pain from the letter became almost intolerable at times, but she accepted her punishment. The scarlet letter is even said to be present in Pearl, Hester's illegitimate child. The letter is a constant reminder of her sin, and she points out that this reminder allows her to learn from her mistake. I have a feeling there is even more to be learned about this  letter considering the title of the book, but that will be revealed in the future.