The Night Watchman

The Night Watchman

by

Louise Erdrich

The Night Watchman: U.S.I.S. Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Juggie hands Barnes a cigarette as they sit at the kitchen table. Juggie tells him to give up, and he says that’s easier for her to say, since her son is the one who took Patrice from him. Barnes feels sorry for himself, and Juggie feels sorry for him too. She offers to ask out Valentine, her half-niece, for him. When he doesn’t say no, Juggie takes that as a yes. Juggie talks to Valentine, and Valentine then comes over and asks Barnes out.
With a nudge from Juggie, Barnes begins to finally give up on pursuing Patrice, though he still seems to have a skewed view of the situation, saying that Wood Mountain “took” her from him, as if Patrice had “belonged” to him to begin with.
Themes
Sex, Violence, and Gender Theme Icon