Eleanor H. Porter's classic children's novel of 1913, Pollyanna, tells the story of a plucky orphan who makes a game out of finding the silver lining in any situation no matter how bad. "The Glad Game," as she calls her practice, helps her melt the heart and win the affection of the stern aunt she is sent to live with in Vermont.
The most well-known word associated with the book was not one Porter used, but one coined by readers and fans, or possibly even detractors. To be a pollyanna, or behave in a pollyannaish manner refers to people who try hard to think positively, even unrealistically so.
Learn other words from the book with three new vocabulary lists: Pollyanna Vocabulary from Chapters 1-10, Chapters 11-20, Chapters 21-32. If you get discouraged as you go, remember to treasure each new word you learn as if it is the ray of cerebral sunshine you've been waiting for all your life. (That's a rather pollyannaish statement, wouldn't you say?)
Teachers: Find more literature-based Vocabulary Lists, as well as news, historical, and speech-based Vocabulary Lists in our featured lists. And check back often! Our curriculum development team adds new lists every week.
