In 1860s Indiana, the members of a poor Quaker family are forced to put their opposition to violence and war to the test and confront their own consciences.
A young recruit from New York City endures the rigors of a Mississippi boot camp and the abuse from his drill sergeant during the waning years of World War II.
A Jewish teenager in the 1930s suffers with the angst of his burgeoning sexual self-awareness, financial hard times and a home full of extended family members.
A single mother, her daughter and a fickle Broadway actor share a New York apartment and a great deal of animosity until they learn to love each other.