In the aftermath of the Great Depression, two year old Molly Whittaker's mother dies and leaves her in the care of her father, Truman, and her two brothers. Truman is desperate to keep his family together but when World War 2 begins, his older son joins and his younger son takes residence with his uncle. Truman and Molly roam the banks of the Mississippi river, he works clearing new ground and picking cotton until he gets a job operating a ferry. But, after a steamer collides with his vessel he fears for Molly's life and tries to find work elsewhere. Truman meets with a farm couple and they persuaded him to leave Molly with them. After a few years, Truman returns with a gypsy wife and her three adolescent sons. Molly is torn from a caring home and thrust into the clutches of this strange family. The Whittaker's take to the road as migrant field workers. A tent provides the only roof over their heads. Periodically, they miscalculate the harvest seasons and fine themselves destitute and near starvation. Truman soon discovers Manita ,his wife, is a soliciting prostitute and chooses to ignore the fact due to the much needed money. During a harrowing drunken episode, Manita pins Truman to the floor with a knife though his chest. Molly witnesses the event. At eight she is orphaned. Molly suffers bells palsy, leaving her face distorted. She refuses to speak. A mute, her teacher labels her incapable of learning and sends her home. Molly grows up illiterate. After the war is over, she comes to live with her brother and his wife, in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains. There, Molly triumphs over her years of adversity and becomes a prominent southern artist. She acquires an education and finds romance, love and stability..