Pollyanna

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. The late 19th and early 20th centuries are often referred to as the “Golden Age of Children’s Literature.” What were some of the popular books published during this period? Why do you think that period might have facilitated this literary epoch for children’s books?

Teaching Suggestion: The “Golden Age of Children’s Literature,” as defined in this NYU Press Keywords entry, generally begins with Alice in Wonderland, published in 1865, and ends with Winnie-the-Pooh, published in 1926. For many of these titles, the theme of being A Child in an Adults’ World is a popular one. During this period, cultural anxieties about politics, war, and the rise of consumerism all influenced the nature of many of these stories. In Pollyanna, these anxieties manifest especially in Pollyanna’s optimism in the face of trauma: Her childish, optimistic views offer a fresh perspective on old, long-standing issues of the adult characters that surround her.

• The Independent’s “Why This Is a Golden Age for Children’s Literature: ‘Children’s Books Are One of the Most Important Forms of Writing We Have’“ explores the enduring value of works like Peter Pan and Treasure Island.