Vera, a young anarchist, falls in love with a boy who has the same political views as her: Joe, her third cousin. They agree to get married to please their families despite the fact that they don't want their love on a government record. They move to the city together and meet another couple with similar political leanings. Vera works as a sign painter, but her boss mistreats and demeans her. Vera is surprised at how much work she has done to fit into conventional society, only to be treated so poorly.

She spends time with another friend, Forster, and in the middle of a deep discussion, the two discover a homeless man who has frozen to death on a bench. Forster is angry because no one cared for the man. A few days later, another friend, Dorothy Day (Forster's lover), tells Vera that she has been praying for the man's soul. Vera is surprised because Dorothy did not grow up Christian and has expressed radical political beliefs in the past. Dorothy reveals to Vera and Joe that she is pregnant.

Dorothy and Forster move out of their home by the coast and transition to a life in the city. When the baby is born, Dorothy baptizes it and Forster is very upset, as he is opposed to religion. Forster continues to leave her and come back in a repetitive cycle. Vera has a dream in which she and Forster are intimate.

Joe and Vera stumble upon Forster out in the city and he reflects on how nuns are always present in his household because of Dorothy's faith. Vera tries too hard to get on Forster's good side, as she feels attracted to him, but Joe ruins it by telling him that Vera prays sometimes.

Two criminals are executed for a crime they may not have committed and Forster is devastated; he and Dorothy fight again and she locks him out of the house. Dorothy accuses Vera of being in love with Forster but ends up resigning to this idea.

Joe and Vera stay together and continue to be anarchists as another one of their friends writes a book about their friend group's experiences living in New York as Bohemians. Vera runs into Forster years later and her child meets his.