Governor Bellingham had planned his new habitation after the residences of gentlemen of fair estate in his native land.

This quote shows that the Governor wants to carry on with English customs in the New World. He builds an elaborate mansion that showcases his family legacy and signals his power and influence. The Governor wants to be perceived as an important and powerful man by anyone who visits his home.

The exigencies of this new country had transformed Governor Bellingham into a soldier, as well as a statesman and ruler.

This quote describes the complex position Governor Bellingham occupies as a government official in a colony that is still very young and unsettled. In addition to making complex decisions about how to run the community, he has to be prepared to defend it at all times. The tension and possible danger that surrounds the community of Boston hints at why Puritan rules are so strict. It is important to keep the community well-organized and orderly so that it can also be secure.

It is because of the stain which that letter indicates, that we would transfer thy child to other hands. (Chapter 8)

Governor Bellingham speaks these lines to Hester when he explains why he is considering taking Pearl away from her. He thinks that because she has engaged in sinful behavior she might be likely to encourage similar behaviors in her daughter, or fail in her moral responsibility to raise the child appropriately. The quote shows that the Governor is quite a harsh and strict man who is more interested in punishing Hester than in reflecting on how she might have learned from her past experiences.

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