On the Fourth of July holiday in 1906, the Miller family prepares to celebrate in their New England home. Young Richard, 16, is a thoughtful and poetic youth in love with a neighbor girl, Muriel. When Richard's messages of poetry to Muriel upset her prudish father, Muriel is forbidden to see him and forced to write a letter saying she wishes no more to do with him. Richard, devastated, sets out to learn the evil ways of the world and put his broken heart behind him. 1906年的七月四日假期，米勒一家准备在新英格兰的家中庆祝。 16岁的年轻理查德（Richard）是一个沉思而富有诗意的青年，她爱上了邻居女孩穆里尔（Muriel）。 当理查德给穆里尔（Muriel）的诗歌讯息使她这个虔诚的父亲不安时，穆里尔（Muriel）被禁止见他，并被迫写信说她不想再与他有任何关系。 理查德（Richard）饱受摧残，他开始学习世界上的邪恶之路，并将破碎的心放在自己身后。