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
Louis Pipestone works on the petition fastidiously, getting as many signatures as possible, while Juggie Blue types a copy onto mimeograph paper so they’ll have more than one copy. At work, Thomas writes a desperate letter to Senator Milton R. Young. He then carries on a conversation with Roderick, who says that he’s not there to see Thomas, but LaBatte, whose jail time he took on earlier by saying he did what LaBatte actually did. Roderick then talks about going to the sanatorium to be treated for the tuberculosis that he eventually died from.
In the morning, Thomas tells LaBatte that he saw Roderick last night and that Roderick was there to save LaBatte, who he said was planning on stealing the jewels from the plant. LaBatte doesn’t deny it. He says he had a string of bad luck and needs money. Thomas gives LaBatte some money and then finds LaBatte’s lunch box, full, waiting for him in his car.
Instead of reprimanding him or turning him in to the authorities, when Thomas finds out that LaBatte is planning to steal from the jewel bearing plant, he gives LaBatte money, an act of solidarity and looking out for another person. LaBatte, even though he doesn’t really have anything to give, responds by giving the food he has for lunch to Thomas.
Themes
