Antônio loves Terezinha and his goal is to leave Atafona, a small fishing town, that offers no greater prospects of life. He works at a gas station, while she spends sells crabs to the few tourists along the side of the road. They put money together, he takes a course in mechanics by correspondence. They want to go to Rio. One day, Clarisse, a wealthy woman from the big city arrives the town. Knowing Antonio, little by little Clarisse is interested in that poor and rough man. The relationship that begins to emerge between the two does not shake Terezinha, who sees it as the great chance to leave the village and carry out his social ascension plans. To do so, she stimulates their meetings, whatsmore suggests him to impregnate her to beget a mulatto child.