Pollyanna

Pollyanna has ascended her status as a fictional character to become an archetypal personality type in general, popular culture. In fact, in 1921, the term “Pollyanna” entered the Merriam-Webster dictionary accompanied by the following definition: “a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything.”

How have you heard the term “Pollyanna” used in everyday conversation? Do you feel like it’s a positive term or a negative one? Is it a “good” thing to be a Pollyanna? Why or why not? Now that you’ve read the book, reflect upon whether the colloquial term “Pollyanna” is true to Porter’s original book or not, and speculate on if you think the term will have continued popularity in the decades ahead.

Teaching Suggestion: Guide students toward an understanding of how the term “Pollyanna” has evolved to have more negative connotations over time. While Porter’s original heroine protagonist saw the world through rose-tinted glasses, with practical good deeds that enhanced the lives of others, over time, the term “Pollyanna” has gained pejorative connotations, as it has come to mean an impractical, passive, and often naive character who ignores the harsh truth in favor of the reality they would prefer.