The Morning Watch explores the thoughts and feelings of 12-year-old Richard, a student at an unnamed Episcopal boarding school (based on Agee's schooling at St. Andrew's-Sewanee School in Sewanee, Tennessee), over the course of a few hours in the early morning of Good Friday in 1923.

Part I opens with Richard waking up to participate in the 4 AM shift of a nightlong prayer vigil in the school's chapel;

Part II he goes to the chapel, prays, and decides to attend the 4:30 shift as well;

Part III he leaves the chapel at 5 AM with two other boys, and they all run off to swim in the lake rather than go straight back to their dormitory, knowing they will be punished for this infraction. On their way to the lake, Richard discovers the intact shed skin of a locust, clinging to a tree; at the lake, the boys swim and then kill a snake; as they head back to school, Richard takes the locust shell with him.--Wickipedia