So it's a slow process and painted with great detail. So in a simple example and a poor one - Let's say that the letter A represents a Hand Controlled Pivot- you're really not going to fully understand A until you grasp B-Z, and the sounds they make, and the words that they compose, etc. etc. But all along the way - if you understand that A is a letter and that the fact that B is a letter doesn't nullify A from being a letter - then you eventually can get to where you want to be (no pun intended!)
So you finally listened to those Hooked On Phonics tapes you boosted from the library? Is y a vowel or a continent? A E I O U and sometimes Mike wears women's underwear.