🎧 Emma's Library Audiobook cover: Pollyanna

Pollyanna

Classic Fiction · No. 39 — Finding gladness in the shadows of a rigid New England town..

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About this audiobook

Following the death of her impoverished missionary father, eleven-year-old Pollyanna Whittier is sent to live with her wealthy, stern Aunt Polly in Beldingsville, Vermont. Aunt Polly takes her in solely out of a cold sense of duty, relegating her to a stifling attic room. To cope, Pollyanna relies on the 'Glad Game'—a method taught by her father to find something to rejoice in, no matter how bleak the circumstances. She quickly transforms the lives of the town's most miserable residents, including the bedridden Mrs. Snow, the reclusive millionaire John Pendleton, and the orphaned street urchin Jimmy Bean. She even softens her aunt's rigid exterior, though Aunt Polly refuses to acknowledge the game. The narrative takes a tragic turn when Pollyanna is struck by an automobile, losing the use of her legs and, consequently, her ability to find gladness. Realizing how much Pollyanna has given them, the townspeople rally to her bedside, sharing how her game changed their lives. Aunt Polly finally embraces the game and reconciles with her former lover, Dr. Chilton, who helps secure a specialist. Pollyanna is sent to a clinic where she eventually learns to walk again.

Why it's worth a listen

Follow the journey of an orphaned girl who disarms a cold, duty-bound town with a simple game of finding something to be glad about in every situation. As her infectious perspective chips away at decades of bitterness, the narrative reveals the deep-seated griefs of the adults around her. When tragedy strikes Pollyanna herself, the town must decide whether to return her hard-won hope or let her sink into the darkness.

A question to keep

Is optimism a courageous act of survival, or is it a form of denial that avoids confronting real pain?

Based on the book by Retold from Eleanor H. Porter, published by Emma's Library original retelling

Chapters

  1. The Duty of Miss Polly Harrington
  2. The Rules of the Game
  3. The Hermit and the Mother's Ghost
  4. A Home for Jimmy Bean
  5. The Silence of the Wheels
  6. A Question to Keep