The Fight Against Serfdom

Abdi Agha has imposed a sort of slavery on Deyimenoluk and the five villages. The people are enslaved to their landlord and are tied to the land. Ali Safa Bey has a similar intention to get ownership of many villages and turns the villagers into tenant farmers. Even at the age of eleven, Memed wants to escape this type of slavery. He runs away to a nearby village where he is sheltered by Suleyman. It seems that Suleyman owns his own home and is not subjected to an Agha or landlord in his village. The idea is implanted in Memed's head that it is possible to escape slavery.

When Memed is eighteen, he elopes with Hatche because otherwise Hatche would be forced to marry Abdi's nephew. Perhaps Memed and Hatche would find a place to live, but then Abdi follows them and Memed ends up...