Pollyanna, Chapter 1 summary
Chapter 1 of 32 · 6 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, Miss Polly Harrington orders Nancy to prepare an attic room for her eleven-year-old niece, Pollyanna Whittier, whose father has died. A letter and Miss Polly’s memories explain the family’s estrangement, while her reluctant agreement to take the child places duty against her preference for solitude.
What happens
- Miss Polly interrupts Nancy’s work and scolds her for continuing to dry dishes while listening.
- She orders Nancy to clear an attic room for Pollyanna, treating the child’s arrival as a duty rather than a pleasure.
- Miss Polly rereads Jeremiah O. White’s letter reporting John Whittier’s death and requesting a home for his daughter.
- She recalls Jennie’s marriage against the family’s wishes, their estrangement, and the deaths that leave Pollyanna without parents.
- Alone and wealthy at forty, Miss Polly resents the disturbance but insists that she knows her duty.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Pollyanna, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
In this chapter
What to notice
Miss Polly frames taking in her niece as a moral obligation. Her language contrasts with Nancy’s warm response to the child’s expected arrival.
Quick check
Why does Pollyanna need a home with Miss Polly?
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Pollyanna, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
Start freeNothing to pay today. USD 0.14 a day in the first year, then USD 0.27 a day.
200,000+ classics to read, hear and hold
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
Try 3 months free
