Weed Character Analysis in Night Watch

Weed is a young boy who lives at the asylum and is about six or seven years old. Mrs. Hexum acts as an adoptive mother to Weed until Weed leaves the asylum to live with ConaLee and Dearbhla in the Allegheny Mountains. At the end of the novel, ConaLee buys a house for her and Weed to share and refers to Weed as her brother, a detail that highlights the importance of chosen family in both Weed and ConaLee’s lives.

Weed Quotes in Night Watch

The Night Watch quotes below are all either spoken by Weed or refer to Weed. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Old Dr. O’Shea made me his son, near, in offering me his name. Hospital needed a name and I didn’t know mine. I was studied because I lived. They saw to my eye patch, gave me a hospital job. Moving patients, wharf to ambulance to hospital, once I was strong. My doctor watched over me near three year. Wrote me a reference when the War was over and I was civilized, back to strength, there to here. A secret for you, Weed.

Weed tilts his head, listening.

You can choose your own name when you want one.

Related Characters: Ephraim Connolly (Night Watch/The Sharpshooter/John O’Shea) (speaker), Weed, Dr. O’Shea

Page Number and Citation: 197

Explanation and Analysis:

ConaLee surveyed the house once more. It would be hers. Who lived there, came to stay—would be up to her. ConaLee, there is no forever. We are on our walk and the day is fine. Not so many families owned a house. Some owned more, this and that, houses, stores, railroads, vast lands. Others…died, or fled, or forgot who they were. Endurance was strength. The courage of the lost swelled and moved, a force separating the days, clearing the way.

Related Characters: ConaLee, Weed

Page Number and Citation: 278

Explanation and Analysis:

Weed Character Timeline in Night Watch

The timeline below shows where the character Weed appears in Night Watch. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Aftermath of the Civil War Theme Icon

Weed: Says and Knows. Weed, a young boy, runs and slides in the halls wearing wool... (full context)

...she saw when they first arrived at the asylum, and Eira says his name is Weed. Eira also says that Dr. Story is Dr. Kirkbride’s nephew and that Dr. Kirkbride is... (full context)

...return to the asylum for lunch. In the dining room, ConaLee asks Eira more about Weed. Eira says that sometimes women come to the asylum already pregnant or with an infant... (full context)

Weed: A Fracas. In the kitchen, Weed helps Mrs. Hexum prepare food for the various wards... (full context)

Weed goes with Mrs. Hexum when she checks on Mrs. Kasinski’s ankle, which she injured while... (full context)

ConaLee then sees Weed pass by and follows him. He reminds her of her younger brother back home. When... (full context)

Weed: Tiny Burst. Weed recalls the night the sheriff brought Papa to the asylum. The sheriff... (full context)

...carriage, she asks Mama if he usually drives. Mama says that he never has before. Weed watches them, perched in a tree overhead. While on the carriage ride, ConaLee sees Weed’s... (full context)

...his rifle, and John O’Shea tells everyone to be quiet. ConaLee tries to signal to Weed that he should get into the carriage. Weed gets into the carriage, and Dr. Story... (full context)

Weed: Higher. From a perch in a tree, Weed sees John O’Shea and Miss Janet have... (full context)

Weed: Leave the Rest. The cooks send Weed to find Mrs. Hexum at breakfast time. Weed... (full context)

...people: Dr. Story and Mama. ConaLee gets in the wagon. As they go, ConaLee sees Weed hanging from the lowest branch of a tree, and she reaches up to help him... (full context)

ConaLee: January 2, 1883. ConaLee and Weed go to a bank in Weston. ConaLee shows the clerk her father’s enlistment papers, which... (full context)

Weed now works on the farm crew at the asylum, and ConaLee works as an assistant... (full context)

When ConaLee goes outside, she explains to Weed what happened in the bank. She says that the clerk transferred Ephraim’s money to an... (full context)

Weed Character Analysis

Weed Quotes in Night Watch

Part 3: A Private Transaction – A Fracas Quotes

Epilogue Quotes

Weed Character Timeline in Night Watch