In 1905, Eva Renaldi is giving birth to her first child on a steamer bound for America. Her anger and fear are fueled by the filth, stench, and noise of their overcrowded steerage cabin. Gasping between labor pains, she curses the naive enthusiasm of her husband. Men were all too eager to risk everything for an elusive 'better life, ' but Eva knew through bitter experience that it was usually women who had to pay the price."