People are observed and tested from the hour of birth to find the job they are most suited for, that will make them happy. Christian is a Maker, composing music with no other inspiration than nature, forbidden to hear any music but his own. A man smuggles him a recording of Bach, and Christian listens to it, so his compositions are irrevocably tainted--derivative. A Watcher comes for him and takes away his instrument, sending him off to other jobs, forbidden to compose or perform music. When he breaks this law, his fingers are cut off so that he cannot play a piano, and at last his voice removed so he cannot sing. Finally, he is made a Watcher, too, protecting the system that made him miserable, but makes so many others happy.