I am the owner and skipper of a 42-foot deep-sea fishing boat called The Maine, named for my home state - not for the American battleship that blew up in Havana Harbor, though some people think that.
-- Mac (chapter 1)

Importance: This quote represents the symbol and setting of The Maine. This quote on the third paragraph of the first page of the novel demonstrates its significance to the story and to Mac. Mac is a war veteran, and though he denies the connection to the battleship, the links between his character and his boat are clear. The Maine is the setting for several chapters of the novel, and is a symbol of the long standing conflict and history between Cuba and the United States. The USS Maine blew up in Havana Harbor in 1898 and ignited the Spanish American war and the U.S.’s involvement in fighting for Cuban independence. Carlos buys The...