The novel opens with a family's questions about their son's education. The parents are concerned about the health of their son, who is in the first grade. The father has been hospitalized for a stroke, and the mother wants to visit him. The mother is worried that her son will not be able to concentrate in school because of his illness, and she is concerned that he will not develop a hobby or learn to read. She is also worried that his education will not improve because of the lack of attention he receives from his teachers