A working-class mother has held only one hope for her entire life: that one day, her daughter would marry well and wealthy, and take care of her in her old age. When her daughter reveals that the man she loves is not wealthy, her mother's dreams of rest are dashed and divided.

A Jewish mother wants her daughter to marry well and have a better life, but her husband doesn't seem to care. After her other daughter passes away, she realizes she should not hesitate to make bigger sacrifices.

An elderly woman prepares for her death, but is anxious for someone to listen to her precious memories and cherish them after her death.

A middle-aged man and his wife struggle to keep up with their teenage daughter who they just adopted six months ago, especially when she takes interest in a boy her age.

An alcoholic housewife struggles with her family obligations and her addiction.

A Black, southern house servant with internalized racism, joins her mistress on a visit to another region, where she observes Black people acting with something she abhors: autonomy.

A lonely maiden is constantly reminded of her single status, working as an advertiser for a baby bed in New York. Seeking to make something of herself, she takes on both work and love with a passion, but only succeeds in one.

Haunted by her father's death caused by cancer, a woman attempts to die by suicide. When her boyfriend's advisor finds out she has stolen cyanide from his lab, she must hide her will to die from her boyfriend.

A father facing mental and physical debilitations has his sights set on capturing a drop of sunlight to bring joy to everyone in his small hometown. Despite his good deed, the town finds it necessary to deliberate: is this man an alcoholic, mentally ill, or a criminal?

Seasonal changes and religious renewal spark melancholy in a teenage girl as she realizes the realities of womanhood by observing her mother.