In which a young wife navigates the shrill scrutiny and veiled mockery of small-town life with a poignant mixture of defiance and vulnerability, her spirit buffeted by the gossipy youths and the stifling conventions of Gopher Prairie. She finds fleeting refuge in the simple camaraderie of her servant and the steady support of her husband’s family, even as she contemplates the elusive possibility of belonging and comfort away from the relentless watchful eyes.