It was burning red in the night sky, it appeared to be glowing, it was the letter A. In Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel The Scarlet Letter, the letter A symbolizes a number of things. It can be seen as something wonderful, something amazing, something terrible, or a symbol of confusion.

The scarlet letter itself is a piece of red cloth with a capital A embroidered onto the cloth. It was made by Hester Prynne, who is also the wearer of the A. The A is made because Hester Prynne committed the crime of adultery, and must wear it as punishment. As time goes on the letter A symbolizes different things. For example, adultery, able, angel, and finally accomplished. The most impressive form of symbolism the letter A assumes is able. The A symbolized as able is impressive because it is true, a woman is able to overcome something awful...