In which a weary train clatters across the sweep of the Minnesota prairie, carrying an array of tired travellers whose lives are quietly etched by hardship and routine, while Carol and Will Kennicott embark on a home-coming journey to the modest town of Gopher Prairie. The arrival unfolds with a blend of hope and apprehension as Carol confronts the unadorned reality of small-town life, seeking resolve and comfort in the steadfastness of her new husband and the promise of shaping their humble house into a home.