Read this excerpt from chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter.

The founders of a new colony, whatever Utopia of human virtue and happiness they might originally project, have invariably recognized it among their earliest practical necessities to allot a portion of the virgin soil as a cemetery, and another portion as the site of a prison.

What part of the plot does this excerpt reveal?

This excerpt, which comes from Chapter 1 of The Scarlet Letter, is part of the exposition.

Remember that the exposition of a novel is intended to introduce the reader to the novel's main characters, themes, and setting.

This excerpt, taken from the exposition, introduces the reader to key themes that will have a great impact over the course of The Scarlet Letter. Thus, this novel must involve themes of sin (as illustrated by the prison) and death (as illustrated by the cemetery).

It probably foreshadows that someone will eventually end up both in prison and in the cemetery ground, which is exactly what happens. These types of foreshadowing are quite common among writers.