Amory Blaine leaves his mother and friend behind to go to a good American university. At university he falls in love with a girl called Isabelle, but she is not interested in Amory. Amory then goes to fight in the First World War. When he returns from the war, he falls in love with Rosalind. Because Amory is poor, Rosalind is not interested in him and decides to marry someone else. Amory then learns that his friend from home has died.