This satirical and burlesque novel tells the story of Thomas Myrbråten – the son of a smallholder from humble beginnings who travels to the capital and becomes an intellectual. There, he spends much of his time pondering what it means to be a true man of letters, in harmony with the conditions of nature. At the same time, he is given a major assignment by the Ministry of Culture: to draft a report on our cultural heritage. The protagonist does not fare particularly well in this situation.