In 1936, aspiring writer Anders, along with his friend Sixten, is desperate to escape his working-class upbringing. Anders' father is an unemployed alcoholic and his mother slaves away at a laundry to support the family. A ray of hope comes Anders' way when he finishes his first novel and submits it to a publisher. But after his girlfriend gets pregnant, his future dims before his eyes once more.

In 1936, aspiring writer Anders, along with his friend Sixten, is desperate to escape his working-class upbringing. Anders' father is an unemployed alcoholic and his mother slaves away at a laundry to support the family. A ray of hope comes Anders' way when he finishes his first novel and submits it to a publisher. But after his girlfriend gets pregnant, his future dims before his eyes once more.