Night Watch
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3: A Private Transaction – A Fracas Part 3: A Chance Encounter – Names Part 4 Epilogue
Themes
All Themes Family and Identity Trauma The Aftermath of the Civil War Violence vs. Nonviolent Resistance Home, Safety, and Autonomy
Quotes
Characters
All Characters ConaLee Eliza (Mama/Miss Janet/Mrs. Story) Ephraim Connolly (Night Watch/The Sharpshooter/John O’Shea) Papa Dearbhla Dr. Story Dr. O’Shea Dr. Kirkbride Weed Mrs. Hexum Mrs. Bowman Leena Eira
Symbols
All Symbols ConaLee’s Mirror Robin’s Egg
Download PDF
Download Teacher Edition
The LitCharts.com logo.
Sign In Sign up for A+
The LitCharts.com logo.
AI Tools
  • Ask LitCharts AI
  • Discussion Question Generator
  • Essay Prompt Generator
  • Quiz Question Generator
Guides Guides
  • Literature Guides
  • Poetry Guides
  • Shakespeare Translations
  • Literary Terms
Sign In Sign up for A+ Sign up

Night Watch

by Jayne Anne Phillips
Upgrade to A+
Introduction Intro
Plot Summary Plot
Summary & Analysis
  • Part 1
  • Part 2
  • Part 3: A Private Transaction – A Fracas
  • Part 3: A Chance Encounter – Names
  • Part 4
  • Epilogue
Themes
  • All Themes
  • Family and Identity  Theme Icon
    Family and Identity
  • Trauma Theme Icon
    Trauma
  • The Aftermath of the Civil War Theme Icon
    The Aftermath of the Civil War
  • Violence vs. Nonviolent Resistance Theme Icon
    Violence vs. Nonviolent Resistance
  • Home, Safety, and Autonomy Theme Icon
    Home, Safety, and Autonomy
Quotes
Characters
  • All Characters
  • ConaLee
  • Eliza (Mama/Miss Janet/Mrs. Story)
  • Ephraim Connolly (Night Watch/The Sharpshooter/John O’Shea)
  • Papa
  • Dearbhla
  • Dr. Story
  • Dr. O’Shea
  • Dr. Kirkbride
  • Weed
  • Mrs. Hexum
  • Mrs. Bowman
  • Leena
  • Eira
Symbols
  • All Symbols
  • ConaLee’s Mirror Symbol Icon
    ConaLee’s Mirror
  • Robin’s Egg Symbol Icon
    Robin’s Egg
Theme Wheel Theme Viz
Download this Chart (PDF)
Download the Teacher Edition
Download this Chart (PDF)
Previous
Eira

Night Watch Symbols

Next
ConaLee’s Mirror

ConaLee’s Mirror

ConaLee’s mirror symbolizes the loss of identity that accompanies a loss of agency. Throughout the novel, ConaLee uses the mirror to reflect herself and Eliza. When Papa arrives, he steals the mirror, effectively…

read analysis of ConaLee’s Mirror

ConaLee’s Mirror Symbol Icon

Robin’s Egg

Weed’s robin egg symbolizes the journey that various characters take to reach self-actualization, empowerment and the sense of belonging that come from finding one’s chosen family. One day when ConaLee crosses paths with Weed…

read analysis of Robin’s Egg

Robin’s Egg Symbol Icon
Previous
Eira
Previous
Eira
Next
ConaLee’s Mirror
Next
ConaLee’s Mirror

Company
About Us Our Story
Support
Help Center Contact Us
Connect
Facebook Twitter
Legal
Terms of Service Privacy Policy Privacy Request
Home About Contact Help
LitCharts, a Learneo, Inc. business
Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved
Terms Privacy Privacy Request
The LitCharts.com logo.
Save time. Stress less.
Sign up!
  • AI Tools for on-demand study help and teaching prep.
  • Quote explanations, with page numbers, for over 50,213 quotes.
  • PDF downloads of all 2,252 LitCharts guides.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
  • Expert analysis to take your reading to the next level.
  • Advanced search to help you find exactly what you're looking for.
  • Quizzes, saving guides, requests, plus so much more.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.
The LitCharts.com logo.