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The plot of the novel, set primarily in 1967, revolves around high school student Scherbaum, who plans to publicly set his dachshund on fire in front of the Kempinski hotel in Berlin to shock a consumer society he believes has dulled its conscience. His teacher Starusch, the narrator and the author's alter ego, attempts to dissuade Scherbaum, although he fundamentally sympathizes with his views. The grotesque and humorous narrative structure unfolds through Starusch's painful dental therapy, during which he recalls personal failures and memories of war and the economic miracle. These reminiscences reveal critical issues in German society during the Adenauer era, including unpunished war criminals. Among the characters is General Schörner, known for his cruelty in the war's final days. Grass, as one of the first leftist intellectuals, provides an ironic and balanced analysis of the mentalities and ideologies that led to the radical "student movement" of 1968, acknowledging its motivations and goals while distancing himself from the means that often resulted in blind terrorism.