The novel is set in the society after the "May 4th" Movement, focusing on the thoughts and life dilemmas of the generation of "modern youth" at that time. The protagonists have accepted the influence of new education and ideological trends, and pursue the liberation of personality and freedom of love. However, when faced with the constraints of the old family, old ethics and the cruelty of social reality, they are full of confusion, struggle and compromise. The work profoundly reflects the anguish and exploration of young intellectuals in the transition period between the old and new eras. It is an artistic response to the contemporary proposition "What happens after Nora leaves?" And has distinctive characteristics of the times.
