Arnold's life is profoundly affected by his mother's protective nature and the abrupt events surrounding them. At the start of the novel, we see the Ansorge estate and learn about Frau Ansorge's tragic past, having lost her husband in a train accident. Following her husband's death, she moves to Podolin, determined to restore the dilapidated estate and shield her son from the world’s turbulence. Arnold grows up under his mother's strict and peculiar rules, which deeply influence his character. He displays a blend of introversion and a yearning for something beyond his immediate environment, instigated by his encounters with others in their small community. As Arnold enters adulthood, the intricacies of relationships, societal expectations, and his own inner turmoil begin to surface, setting the stage for the complexities that will unfold throughout the narrative. (This is an automatically generated summary.)