Man leaves his family behind and moves to Nova Iguaçu, a poor and violent city in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. He tries to rebuild his life, but falls in love with a woman who despises him, which drives him mad.

In Bahia, an educated black man returns to his home fishing village to try and free people from mysticism, in particular the Candomblé religion, which he considers a factor of political and social oppression, with tragic outcome.