Introduces a cast of characters, including returning World War I soldiers like Donald Mahon, disfigured and blind, and Cadet Lowe, along with their companions Yaphank and Gilligan. It also features Januarius Jones, a cynical and manipulative scholar, and the Saunders family, particularly Cecily and her parents. The narrative explores themes of post-war readjustment, physical and emotional trauma, societal expectations, and the complexities of human relationships, as these individuals interact in various settings, grappling with their pasts and uncertain futures in a changing world.