Ludvík Kopecky is a czech boy in the 1940s. He is 16, and lives with his mother and father in poverty. His mother is extremely sick and because of that he has to stay home, take care of the house and his mother. His father works all day and he rarely sees him. He is close to his mother and fears her death. From all this stress he is emotionally detached. Yet he is a very strong person, and eventhough he had to give up on school since his mother fell sick he is very world-smart and philosophical.