Set in an urban community of the South Caucasus at the end of the nineteenth century, the story centers on the household of the prosperous contractor Agha Martin. His wife Anani and their children live comfortably, while their son Vanichka has grown used to freedom and constant parental indulgence. Everyday family tensions reveal the power of money, appearances, and social judgment, as paternal authority is tested by a spoiled son and inconsistent parenting.