"I was born just barely south of the Mason Dixon line"

This quote by Ned Beatty talks to the importance of the Mason Dixon line in American history. The Mason Dixon line was the boundary between the northern and southern states in the United States, and it was a symbol of the divide between the two areas. By stating he was born simply barely south of the Mason Dixon line, Beatty is suggesting that he was born in the southern states, and that he was raised in a culture that was greatly affected by the history of the Mason Dixon line. This quote speaks with the value of the Mason Dixon line in American history, and how it has actually formed the culture of the southern states. It also talks to the idea that the Mason Dixon line is still a powerful sign of the divide in between the northern and southern states, even today.