The Winged Watchman

Because of their vital role in preserving the land and safeguarding the Dutch people, windmills become a broader symbol of protection in the novel. When rain falls relentlessly and there is an electricity shortage, the newer windmills are inoperable, and the resulting floods jeopardize crops, livestock, and homes. Father’s traditional windmill, the Watchman, is the community’s only viable method of pumping out the excess water and saving the area. The titular Watchman’s role as a protective symbol is evident as the narrative states, “The results of the Watchman’s success were soon apparent. […] Their polder had been drained in time, and the crops had been saved” (171). In this critical moment, the Watchman prevents disaster and saves both the crops and people’s livelihoods. 

Additionally, windmills provide safety in a more specific sense. The Verhagens make their home within the broad-winged Watchman, and the abandoned Giant harbors the British airman Charles King. On the night when the Verhagens help Charles relocate, Joris flees from Leendert, and his sentiments upon beholding his home aptly illustrate his family’s regard for the structure: “The Watchman…the Watchman […] Winged Watchman…guardian angel” (71). Because Joris’s only chance of escape lies in the windmill, the edifice literally serves as his “guardian angel” when he jumps onto its moving wing and clings to it as Leendert runs past, unsuspecting.