Salvatore is a young orphan living in Sicily with his little sister and their grandmother; after losing his father in a tragic way, he quits school and starts working as a fisherman and farmer to support his little family. The Social Services soon discover the situation and resolve to put Salvatore in an orphanage, parting him from his family. Only a young, idealistic teacher (Enrico Lo Verso) tries to help him, going to his house after school every day to teach him the lessons he misses in the morning and to work with him in his greenhouse or on his fishing boat.