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In this satire, set in the Victorian era, John Higgs, a young Canadian, discovers a mysterious Utopian island of Erewhon (an anagram of "Nowhere"), somewhere in the Pacific. He first finds love with one of the inhabitants, Yram ("Mary"), who instructs him in the country's language. He also learns of its quaint customs, which include regarding illness as a sign of criminal behaviour. Seeking to flee the island, Higgs and his new love, Arowhena, construct a hot-air balloon and escape.
Twenty years later, following the death of Arowhena, Higgs returns to Erewhon and becomes the object of a heated controversy. The theologian Hanky and his followers regard Higgs as a god, while the anthropologist Panky and his disciples see Higgs as a mere mortal. Once again Higgs is forced to flee to his homeland.
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