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
Erdrich’s grandfather wrote a series of “extraordinary letters” to her parents between 1953 and 1954. The letters paint a portrait of reservation life and were later given to Erdrich. Erdrich also thanks several people and books who helped make her own book possible.
Erdrich notes here that the novel was inspired by actual letters her grandfather wrote, making it clear how much of a testament the character of Thomas, and the novel as a whole, is to him.
Themes
