Hester refuses to answer Pearl’s question about the meaning of the "A." Why does Hester not confide in Pearl? In Chapter 15.

Hester's refusal to tell Pearl the true meaning of the letter is symbolic of Pearl's role in the novel. Pearl has often been compared to a living version of the scarlet letter. Telling Pearl about the "A" would reveal something that Hester is afraid Pearl can not fully comprehend. I think Hester also doesn't want to, at this point, accept Pearl as her precious symbol of the "A".