The Night Watchman

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of racism, death, and sexual content.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overarching impressions of and reactions to reading The Night Watchman? Discuss which portions of the novel were the most emotionally affecting and why.

2. How did your experience reading The Night Watchman compare to your experience reading Erdrich’s other novels? For example, how do you see The Night Watchman relating to novels like The Sentence or The Mighty Red? If this is your first time reading Erdrich, are you interested in reading more?

3. Discuss similarities and differences between The Night Watchman and other contemporary novels about the Indigenous experience. Consider texts like Tommy Orange’s There There and Wandering Stars, Morgan Talty’s Fire Exit, and Oscar Hokeah’s Calling for a Blanket Dance.

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. How did you respond to Patrice “Pixie” Paranteau’s search for her sister Vera Paranteau? Did Pixie’s desperation to find Vera resonate with your sibling or family experiences?