How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Sailmaker! This was my great chance. If I could become junior sailmaker, then maybe one day I could become head sailmaker, then rudder man, watch officer—and one day, just maybe, captain of a ship like the Aurora. (2.30)
This is Matt's ultimate ambition: to be captain of a great airship. Granted, it's a little out of his league, but there's nothing you can't achieve without hard work and some elbow grease, right?
Quote #2
I thought of the gold-stamped steering wheel the sailmakers wore on their collars; I had coveted that insignia for so long now. (3.18)
Matt could be dreaming about being rich, or famous, or discovering Velcro, but all he wants is to gradually work his way through the ranks to someday earn the title of Captain of an airship. If life were fair, this would be a very attainable goal.
Quote #3
"I've done nothing you don't deserve," he said impatiently. "It's all changed since I started out. Forty years ago, if you didn't have money—and my family had none—you began as a cabin boy. I did it, just like you. But then you could rise by dint of hard work and honesty and skill. Now there is the Air Ship Academy—and getting in takes not just skill but money or connections, or both. And they think they can train people in musty classrooms. To be sure, they can teach them certain things. But not character. Not hard work, and not the mettle it takes to sail a ship aloft across continents and oceans. Lunardi and the other owners like Academy training. It comes with letterhead, with fancy seals and certificates, and that makes them feel they're getting their money's worth! Makes them feel they can sleep easy!" (3.19)
The captain is definitely a fan of what a little hard work and perseverance can get you. He (rightly so) believes that positions should be granted based on merit, not who you know or how much money your dad has. It's reassuring that he's frustrated about thwarting Matt's dreams—even if it won't help Matt.