Pollyanna

Pollyanna is considered a classic of children's literature. A sequel, Pollyanna Grows Up is the follow up on this successful novel. The term "Pollyanna" (along with the adjective "pollyannaish" and the noun "Pollyannaism") are now part of the English language to describe someone who seems always to be able to find something to be "glad" about no matter what circumstances arise. The title character is named Pollyanna Whittier, a young orphan who goes to live in Beldingsville, Vermont, with her wealthy but stern and cold spinster Aunt Polly, who does not want to take in Pollyanna, but feels it is her duty to her late sister. Pollyanna's philosophy of life centers on what she calls "The Glad Game," an optimistic attitude she learned from her father. The game consists of finding something to be glad about in every situation. It originated in an incident one Christmas when Pollyanna, who was hoping for a doll in the missionary barrel, found only a pair of crutches inside. Making the game up on the spot, Pollyanna's father taught her to look at the good side of things-in this case, to be glad about the crutches because "we didn't need to use them!"