The Night Watchman Summary
Louise Erdrich

The Night Watchman Overview

In Louise Erdrich’s novel The Night Watchman, members of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa fight to retain their Indian status, their homes, their land, and their families in the face of the U.S. federal government’s proposed 1953 termination bill. Along the way, the tribal chairman, a jewel bearing plant employee, a young boxer, a cook, a horse trainer, a white schoolteacher, a ghost, and many others all struggle to find their place and identity in a world determined to limit them. The Night Watchman provides a stunning tapestry of stories as it explores one community’s experiences with themes of race, class, memory, identity, gender, power, faith, and language.