Synopsis of first section, Chapters 1-5

In Chapter One not a whole lot happens in terms of action. The chapter is sets up the scene for the rest of the book. It describes the jail as very dark and dreary, but then talks about a rosebush next to the prison that is the one good thing among a bunch of bad.
In Chapter Two a young, beautiful woman, Hester Prynne emerges from the prison onto the scaffolding. She has a young child in her arms, but the most striking thing about her is the letter "A" that is embriodered onto her dress. After awhile we find that the letter stands for Adultress, and that the child, Pearl, was had out of wedlock. The entire town is watching Hester, and publicly shaming her.
In Chapter Three Hester sees a white man dressed as an indian in the crowd. She recognizes this man as her husband, the man she cheated on. Then Hester is asked in front of everybody who is the father of the baby. She refuses to answer though.
In Chapter Four Hester is back in the jail. In the jail she meets up with her husband who she cheated on. His name is Chillingworth. He asks Hester to tell him who the father of the baby is, but she refuses again. Chillingworth tells her that she cannot tell anybody in the town his true identity, and that he plans to find out who the real father is and get revenge on him.
In Chapter Five Hester is released from prison. She is made to live in seclusion with just her daughter Pearl. Everybody in the town looks down upon her because she has to wear the scarlet letter at all times. She is an outcast from society. She still has her job though, and she does it well. She sews things, but she is now no longer allowed to sew wedding dresses.