Marjatta lives in poor conditions in Tampere with her widowed father Arttu who works as a factory worker. Marjatta gets to know engineering student Pauli whose constantly worsening mental health problems and jealousy become a threat to Marjatta and her close circle.
Aging professor of mathematics completes his life's work, a research project that has taken him decades, and climbs up from the boiler room (his study) and back to real life. He can hardly recognize his rebellious teenage kids and materialistic wife who hardly seem to notice his existence. The only person who is interested in the professor's work is Marja, his son's girlfriend and freshman at the university. An innocent infatuation flares up between the old man and the young girl, while the professor's family is only interested in the prize money awarded to the professor by an international jury for his academic achievements.
Irma has been sent to the front immediately after her marriage to Erik Vuori. Irma and her new "Lotta" companions find themselves in many dangerous situations during the fighting of the Continuation War. Irma is also concerned about Erik's loyalty.
Schoolboy Klaus is convicted of theft and sent to prison. At his release Klaus feels that his life has changed a lot. Despite all his hardship and difficulties he keeps up his studies under the supervision of the grim Master Kahari.
