Thorvald's a typical high school kid finding his way, and he's pretty impressed with his classmate, Ida, who seems to have already found her's. Taking a cue from Ida's energetic campaign to ban a competing school's football team, the Redskins, until they change their oppressive name - Thorvald initiates an effort to change their own school's mascot, the Viking, to something less offensive to Scandinavians. And he enlists the assistance of an elusive community organizer, a mischievously alert...

Returning from Navy service in World War II, Freddie Quell drifts through a series of PTSD-driven breakdowns. Finally he stumbles upon a cult which engages in exercises to clear emotions and he becomes deeply involved with them.