Paul Easton is a Kent State draft dodger and opposed to the Viet Nam war, as many intellectuals were during the sixties. He takes refuge in Canada. While on his way to a teaching job in the interior of British Columbia, his train derails, so he takes a shortcut through the woods to the town of Castlegar. While resting beside a pond, a beautiful creature named Tanya, appears from nowhere - surfacing in the water. The two fall in love. Soon grim realities take over. Ideologically, these two lovers are miles apart. Tanya is a member of a religious cult known as the Sons of Freedom, who live on nearby communal farms. Then there is Gregor, a Freedomite boy, betrothed to Tanya, and jealous of Paul's interest in her. Yet he admires Paul's ideology. Paul takes up his teaching position in Castlegar. It's a small school close to where the Sons of Freedom are encamped. When Tanya finds out that Paul is a school teacher, her perception of him changes. The Freedomites have always taught their own children, and it's mainly religion. The relationship between Tanya and Paul disintegrates. Gregor's jealousy turns into rage. He beats up on Paul, and then gets into a nightclub brawl, finally ending up in jail, and disgracing himself before his elders. Tanya is ordered by the elders to marry Gregor. Later a split occurs within the Freedomite camp. Some decide to return to Russia, others, the zealots, remain. Tanya is one of them. Gregor and his friend Michael Kirov, foil a government plan to auction off vacated Freedomite homes by torching them just before they depart for Russia. The few remaining Freedomites take refuge in the hills, living in tents. Several months later, Tanya gives birth to a son, Vassya, but only Tanya and her sister Natasha know that the real father is Paul. Paul begins to realize he is dealing with fanatics - people who have lost touch with reality. Winter sets in. Conditions at the camp become intolerable. There are food shortages and a lack of medical supplies.