The novel is based in Montreal, Canada of the early twentieth century, where teachers believed in strapping and immigrants travelling to Canada to start a new life. Duddy Kravitz, a student of Fletcher Field High in the class of Mr. Macpherson, one of the few teachers who are against strapping. Many students took advantage of him, and even gambled with Jerry Dingleman to win tickets, which were given by Mr. Macpherson to good students. Duddy …showed first 75 words of 503 total…

…showed last 75 words of 503 total…u have done to me, Duddel. You'll be good to me. You'd give me everything I wanted. And that would settle your conscience when you went out to swindle others." Jerry Dingleman, is a successful person, always flattered by Max Kravitz, gets his wealth through gambling, nightclubs and trafficking drugs. Mr. Calder describes Duddy and Mr. Cohen gets their wealth by being the "... self-made men betraying all of the anxiety and restlessness of their kind."