John Madden is born into a poor working class family. He has an abusive father, who acts like a puppeteer, an expert in mind control, while his mother is timid and subservient. At school he is mocked and bullied. but later, as an apprentice mechanic at TAFE, John meets Helen with whom he falls in love and marries. The question is: Will John turn out to be like his father? And if he does how will Helen react? And will she be able to escape from the marriage if she finds it necessary, for to leave is the hardest thing anyone ever has to do?