However, the main motif of the story is the theme of love. Twenty-four-year-old Joseph Marti enjoys the comforts of the Tobler family and work as an assistant. Although he soon discovers that he is not being paid and that the Tobler family is falling into financial ruin, he remains by their side despite the difficulties. As Carl Tobler ruins his life with more and more debt, we watch the impact this has on members of the Tobler family and Joseph Marti. First published in German, the novel describes the story of Joseph Marti as “The