Who Pollyanna Whittier is
Pollyanna Whittier arrives at her aunt's house ready to offer affection, although Miss Polly takes her in only from duty. Her bare attic room disappoints Nancy, the maid, but Pollyanna finds pleasure in its view over rooftops and trees.
Her cheerfulness does not mean that she knows nothing of sorrow. She has lost both parents, and the glad game helps her face what she cannot change.
What Pollyanna Whittier wants
Pollyanna wants to make a home with her aunt and reaches toward her with open affection. She also takes an interest in Jimmy Bean, an orphan boy, and tries to help him find a family.
The glad game asks her to notice something genuinely good, rather than pretend that nothing is wrong. That habit shapes both her response to discomfort and her attention to lonely people.
Pollyanna Whittier and the others in the story
Nancy quickly becomes Pollyanna's friend and helper, responding warmly to the child her mistress keeps at a distance. Pollyanna also visits Mrs. Snow, whose complaints gradually soften under her steady friendship.
With Mr. John Pendleton, she looks beyond the town's gossip and treats a solitary man as someone worth knowing. Her aunt resists that warmth, yet begins to catch herself waiting for Pollyanna to come home.
Questions
Who is Pollyanna Whittier?
Pollyanna Whittier is an orphan girl who moves to Vermont to live with her mother's sister, Miss Polly Harrington.
What is Pollyanna Whittier's glad game?
It is the practice of finding something to be glad about in any situation. Her father teaches it when she hopes for a doll but receives crutches instead.
How does Pollyanna Whittier help other people?
She offers company, listens, and treats lonely people as friends rather than lecturing them. Her visits give people such as Mrs. Snow a reason to look beyond their unhappiness.