In Burma, a man called John Flory lives on his own. He is unhappy with his life and misses his home in England but he has been in Burma so long, he does not feel like he can return home. Flory does not like the other English people in the town. He thinks they treat the local people very cruelly. Flory's best friend is an Indian doctor called Veraswami and some people make fun of him for being friendly with someone who is not white.