Comparing Slaughterhouse-Five And The Night Watchman

Braydon Montez ENGL -102 03/12/2024 A Comparative Analysis of Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut and The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich. Louise Erdrich's The Night Watchman and Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five—while entirely and utterly unrelated by nature of setting and plot—both provide insight and understanding about community, its evolution, and its transformative power in the face of resistance. Through the portrayal of community in both novels, we will compare and contrast the harsh, traumatic, and isolated representation of Slaughterhouse Five with the unbreakable resilience of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa community in The Night Watchman. Ultimately, the conclusion reached through this analysis is that Erdrich's portrayal …show more content…

However, none represents the power of communal solidarity better than Thomas Wazhushk, a tribal chairman who bravely led his community in the fight against the U.S. Congress’ deplorable Termination Bill. Thomas’s strength and commitment to his community largely serve as a radiant beacon of hope for the people, many of whom have come to their wit’s …show more content…

The “grass” and the “rivers running” are in reference to the language used when treaties like the ones being persecuted in the Termination Bill were signed. They were to be recognized ‘as long as the grass grows and the rivers run’. The most striking line to me is the final line of the excerpt. The bitterness referred to is likely in reference to all of the bad news that has been coming to the community in recent times. However, Thomas recognizes that he can use this negligence and abuse in their favor when it comes to stopping the Termination Bill from passing Congress. This could also be interpreted as Thomas getting used to all of the pressure and figuring out what to do moving forward. Tea is considered an ‘acquired taste’, requiring one to move past the bitterness to unlock more nuanced and appreciable flavors that you may not have tasted before. By becoming more exposed to harsh realities, one can learn to appreciate the opportunities that may come from them. This is tightly weaved into the themes of community present in The Night Watchman. Throughout the novel, as Thomas grows stronger and more equipped to battle Congress, the community grows stronger in tandem. Through the lens of Thomas as a leader, Erdrich shoves the power of community and collective action into the reader's face by giving us an amazing example of how they can be used to fight for what you believe