Wardell Holland, the mayor of Wheatfield, Minnesota, was sitting in the double-wide he was renting from his mother, a Daisy Match Grade pellet rifle in his hands, shooting flies.
-- The Narrator (chapter 1)

Importance: This quote characterizes both the town and Holland. Holland is the mayor, but he is a typical politician as shown by the fact that he lives in a trailer that he rents from his mother as opposed to a place that represents the fact that he is the mayor. In addition, it shows his dependency on others as he rents from his mother as opposed to having his own, independent place to live. The quote shows that the town is dying as the image reminds one of a Western in which men sit around outside shooting at flies because they have nothing better to do with their time. This situation describes Holland’s life as the mayor. He is only mayor...