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The Intersection of History, Identity, and Resistance in “The Night Watchman”

The novel “The Night Watchman” by Louise Erdrich is a beautifully woven story made with the themes of history, identity, and the resistance of Chippewa people in the 1950s termination era or era of termination. The story is based on the Turtle Mountain Reservation in North Dakota, where Erdrich gives details of her characters’ lives and shows the difficulties they face due to their culture and the fight to preserve it in an atmosphere where there are government policies aimed at assimilation and erasure of their way of life. This paper will showcase a threefold approach to Erdrich’s works, which reveal the stubbornness of the Native American communities in the midst of systemic oppression.

The most recurring topic in “The Night Watchman” is Native Americans fighting against the 1953 Termination Act, a policy that was to terminate federal services for Native American Tribes and force full assimilation into mainstream American society. The title character of the novel, Thomas Wazhushk, is the night watchman and a tribal council member. This is a person who embodies the never-ending desire of the Chippewa people to fight against the oppressive law. The protagonist, Thomas, now represents the community’s willpower, and he is not going to stop because he is going to fight in D.C. for their rights. Erdrich’s narration on the subject shows that ethical questions are linked to collective action and can be powerfully acted on by the community, which is against the government.

A third frame that appears throughout the book is that of the traditional Chippewa culture and spirituality. The challenges of assimilation notwithstanding, figures like Pixie and Patrice find comfort and power in nurturing their cultural heritage, with their root and tradition as their companions. Through the ceremonies, for example, the Jingle Dress Dance, she portrays them as acts of resistance against cultural erasure and stepping forward, preserving and enhancing Indigenous identity. The author, Erdrich, conveys this message through these depictions and thus highlights the importance of cultural inheritance as a shield and source of power against colonialism and subjugation.

Moreover, the author, Louise Erdrich, also weaves the actual historical events and the characters into the plotline, and in this way, she deepens the narrative with realistic aspects. Thomas becomes the very personification of Patrick Gourneau, the grandson whom Erdrich also loves very much. Gourneau was the main one who bravely opposed the Termination Act as the head of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. By placing her narrative in the era of a year when her ancestor was born, Erdrich not only commemorates the fight for freedom of the Native Americans but also brings to light the less-known history of the Indians. These powerful illustrations dispute the mainstream narrative. Therefore, the suppressed voices of the indigenous people were amplified as they were marginalized and silenced by colonizers. Such a way of teaching develops a greater degree of knowledge and sympathy with Indigenous peoples and their issues.

Erdrich’s choice of words has such an impact on the reader’s imagination but also acts as a reminder of the strength and the rich culture of the Native American people. She achieves this by merging history and fiction into a story that not only entertains but also educates and empowers and, through it, helps develop empathy and awareness of an Indigenous viewpoint.

Explanation of References

The first reference (Hever, 2019) is dedicated to the mercenary functions of the night watchman as a part of settler colonial studies. Perhaps Hever’s novel bears a resemblance to Thomas Wazhushk, the watchman in Erdrich’s book, and the collective history of Indigenous peoples who fought against colonialism. Through a representation of Thomas as an “all-night guard” who relentlessly guards his town against external threats, Erdrich symbolizes the endurance and determination of First peoples to maintain their heritage and sovereignty. Through his analysis, Hever most certainly provides the readers with a more detailed picture of the intricate nature and the complexity of the conflict in the story, explaining the multidimensional role that Thomas fulfilled as the guardian and protector of his community’s cultural identity and rights.

The report by Seaman in Booklist (2020) offers a review of the novel’s themes and narrative development. Seaman’s position as a renowned literary critic affords her the opportunity to offer astute discernments on the relative strengths and weaknesses of Erdrich’s storytelling and the novel’s reception among the literary community. The Seaman’s viewpoint may bring to the fore the importance of Erdrich’s representation of historical events and the Chippewa culture, as well as her skill in characterization, which allows her to create complex characters who are faced with the dilemma of acculturation and resistance. On top of that, Seaman’s commentary could cast a light on the book’s socio-cultural ramifications, which would add to the broader analysis of “The Night Watchman.”

The last reference by Zhang and Tang (2021) pays attention to the community conscience in “The Night Watchman.” In their research, they could emphasize the interconnectedness of humans, nature, and animals in Indigenous life, as Erdrich showed. By looking into the way characters of the novel achieve an attitude and sense of community consciousness, Zhang and Tang’s work can give us some tips about the importance of solidarity and collective action in fighting against colonial dominance. Moreover, her research may focus on how she depicts collectivism as being contrary to individualism in Western ideas, which Erdrich elevates the value of community life among the communities of Indigenous peoples.

In conclusion, Louise Erdrich’s Night Watchman artfully combines history, identity, and resistance that really light up the invincible figure of the Chippewa nation in the 1950s termination policies period. The novel portrays Thomas Wazhushk, Pixie, and Patrice standing strong and fighting to preserve their heritage and hold on to their sovereignty in the midst of attempts to assimilate them. In doing so, Erdrich sets her story in the historical reality and highlights the unfamiliar corners of Indigenous history to discredit the popular narratives and to give voice to marginalized communities. The research of Hever, Seaman, Zhang, and Tang complements our grasp of the motifs and the complicatedness of the novel’s themes, underscoring the role of group action, cultural persistence, and community awareness in the continuing resistance to the colonial powers. “The Night Watchman” is a tribute to the triumph of Indigenous resilience over colonial oppression and the strength that comes from togetherness in the hour of need.

References

Hever, S. (2019). The night watchman becomes a mercenary. Settler Colonial Studies9(1), 78-95.

Seaman, D. (2020). The Night Watchman. Booklist116(9-10), 48-49.

Zhang, Y., & Tang, Q. (2021). Nature· Animals· Non-Human: A Study of Community Consciousness in The Night Watchman. Scientific and Social Research3(6), 22-26.

 

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