The story is set after World War II in the still rural Roman suburbs. Clelia is a young teacher who teaches the children of Italian emigrants who every day, to escape the misery of a difficult post-war period, leave their countries of the South and Central Italy in search of a better future. The school, courageously founded by an old priest, is the only sign of civilization in a closed world made of superstitions and resignation. The courageous teacher will try to stir consciences even if she will be faced with a hostile environment. Even her mother will disapprove of her behaviour. Only Olindo, the hunchback shoemaker of the village, that the taunts of the people have made rancorous and gruff, will try to protect her from the malicious tongues of the gossipy women of the village.
The problem of immigration, the value of culture that makes us free, the birth control, the incommunicability: there are a lot of themes in this book that the writer deals with because, today as yesterday, there is always a border wall to break down.
