Lone is a 16-year old girl who runs away from an institution for wayward girls. Determined to strike out on her own, Lone succeeds only in compounding her problems.

The theme of the film is escape. Whenever Lone faces a problem, she runs. She escapes from home after an encounter with step-parents, from the boy who gives her the love she needs, and finally from the responsibilities of womanhood.

The film poses the question of whether Lone is a victim of heredity or environment. A difficult personality, she cannot fit into the general routine of a modern welfare state. She does not know who her father is, and her mother sleeps around a lot.

Is her tragedy an individual one, or does it lie in the welfare state's inability to handle individuals?