ThestorybeginswhenPollyannaarrivesinBeldingsvilletolivewithherAuntPolly,astrictanddutifulmiddleagedwoman.Pollyannaimmediatelybeginstobrightenupeveryone'slifebythe"GladGame."Tryingtofindsomethingtobegladaboutineverysituation,Pollyannaishappy,joyful,lively,andsoontransformsthewholetown.Onedaysomethingsoterriblehappens,evenPollyannadoesn'tknowhowtobegladaboutit.
《波利安娜》几乎是在一夜之间畅销全美的——第一次发行就超过百万册!而且,它不仅影响了美国民众的生活,它也影响了世界各国民众的生活(国为它几乎有各种文字的翻译版本)。它带来的不只是一些关于波莉安娜这个小姑娘的小故事,更重要的是它向我们展示了一种非常乐观的人生观——正像作者埃莉诺所说:“我从不否认自己所经历的挫折和灾难,我只是不气馁,我想比起那些未知的不幸,这些肯定好得多!
Pollyanna,nowcuredofhercripplingspinalinjury,andabletowalkagain,goestoliveinBostonwithMrs.Carew,aheart-brokenwomansearchingforherlostnephew.HerAuntPollygoesabroadwithhernewUncle,Dr.Chilton.WhileinBoston,Pollyannameetsnewfriendsandhasseveralinterestingadventures...
PollyannatellsthestoryofPollyannaWhittier,ayounggirlwhogoestolivewithherwealthyAuntPollyafterherfather’sdeath.Pollyanna’sphilosophyoflifecentersaroundwhatshecalls“TheGladGame”:shealwaystriestofindsomethingtobegladaboutineverysituation,andtoalwaysdowithoutdelaywhatevershethinksisright.Withthisphilosophy,andherownsunnypersonality,shebringssomuchgladnesstoheraunt’sdispiritedNewEnglandtownthatshetransformsitintoapleasant,healthyplacetolive.Eventually,however,evenPollyanna’srobustoptimismisputtothetestwhenshelosestheuseofherlegsinanaccident.