Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Night Watchman, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Power, Solidarity, and Community Action
Oppression and Supposed Good Intentions
Humor and Pain
Sex, Violence, and Gender
Agency and Exploitation
Summary
Analysis
Back at work, they’ve signed a petition to try and get coffee breaks reinstated. Patrice is working extra hard because she wants to ask for a raise. She’s now supporting four people at home instead of two. Though Wood Mountain had recently gotten a federal job driving school buses. And Millie had decided to become an anthropologist. She wanted to study with Zhaanat and had applied for money to make sure Zhaanat got paid as well.
The workers at the jewel bearing plant use the same strategies to fight for their rights that the community used to oppose the Termination Bill. They unite as a community and act in solidarity to try and counter the people in power who would be able to easily defeat them if they acted as individuals. Similarly, when Millie decides to study with Zhaanat, it’s important to her that Zhaanat is paid for her work.
Themes
