Summary In the novel, “A Series of Unfortunate Events, The Bad Beginning,” the author, Lemony Snicket, explains the unfortunate lives of the Baudelaire children, Violet, Klaus, and Sunny. The story starts off at the beach where Mr. Poe, a friend of theirs, comes to tell them that their mansion was burned down with their parents. The children are then forced to live with Count Olaf, a cousin of their parents. Count Olaf has a large house, however he crams the children into a small, filthy room, with one small bed and a box for a closet. Count Olaf is horrible to them. He gives them a list of chores and hangs them from towers. He even makes them cook dinner for him and his theater group. However Mr. Poe is no help to the situation, he says