Homer Wells grows up in an orphanage in rural Maine, overseen by the kindly but unorthodox Dr. Wilbur Larch. Dr. Larch teaches Homer medical practices, including performing abortions, despite Homer never being formally trained. As a young man, Homer decides to leave the orphanage to carve out his own path. He is driven by a desire to see the world beyond the confines of the orphanage and gain experiences independent of Dr. Larch's influence. Homer eventually joins Wally Worthington and his girlfriend Candy Kendall on their apple farm, where he agrees to work in their cider house. Here, Homer begins to see the complexities and moral ambiguities of the world he was so eager to explore.

While working at the apple orchard, Homer develops close relationships with the other workers and becomes romantically involved with Candy. His time there is filled with emotional challenges and difficult decisions that force him to grapple with his beliefs about right and wrong. Homer starts to realize that life outside the orphanage also involves making tough choices, and these experiences gradually shape his understanding of moral responsibility and personal destiny. As events unfold, Homer must reconcile his upbringing with his newfound realities, shaping the man he will ultimately become.