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Pollyanna

by Eleanor H. Porter · 1913

Pollyanna's eternal optimism has made her one of the most beloved characters in American literature. First published in 1913, her story spawned the formation of "Glad" clubs all over the country, devoted to playing… more

24 quotes ★ 4.02 (92,496) Classics

Quotes from the Book

What men and women need is encouragement. Their natural resisting powers should be strengthened, not weakened ... Instead of always harping on a man's faults, tell him of his virtues. Try to pull him out of his rut ... Hold up to him his better self, his real self that can dare and do and win out! ... People radiate what is in their minds and in their hearts.
143
... there is something about everything that you can be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.
85
Oh, yes; the game was to just find something about everything to be glad about—no matter what 'twas
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... if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it—SOME.
48
Oh, yes," nodded Pollyanna, emphatically. He [her father] said he felt better right away, that first day he thought to count 'em. He said if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times [in the Bible] to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it - SOME.
28
When you look for the bad, expecting it, you will get it. When you know you will find the good—you will get that....
18
And most generally there is something about everything that you can be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.
17
It'll be just lovely for you to play -- it'll be so hard. And there's so much more fun when it is hard!
16
Oh, but Aunt Polly, Aunt Polly, you haven't left me any time at all just to- to live.
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...she had been too busy wishing things were different to find much time to enjoy things as they were.
13
Miss Polly actually stamped her foot in irritation. "There you go like the rest," she shouted. "What game?" At last Nancy told her all about the story of how the crutches arrived instead of a doll, and how Pollyanna's father had taught her that there was always something to be glad about. Miss Polly couldn't believe it. "how can someone ever be glad of crutches?" she demanded to know. "Simple" said Nancy. "In Pollyanna's case, she could be glad she didn't need them!
11
Oh, of course I'd be BREATHING all the time I was doing those things, Aunt Polly, but I wouldn't be living. You breathe all the time you're asleep, but you aren't living. I mean living—doing the things you want to do: playing outdoors, reading (to myself, of course), climbing hills, talking to Mr. Tom in the garden, and Nancy, and finding out all about the houses and the people and everything everywhere all through the perfectly lovely streets I came through yesterday. That's what I call living, Aunt Polly. Just breathing isn't living!
9
I was growlin' one day 'cause I was so bent up and crooked; an'what do ye s'pose the little thing said? ... She said I could be glad, anyhow, that I didn't have ter stoop so far ter do my weedin' - 'cause I was already bent part way over.
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if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to be glad and rejoice, He must want us to do it—SOME.
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there is something about everything that you can be glad about, if you keep hunting long enough to find it.
6
Then you--weren't lovers?" Pollyanna's voice was tragic with dismay. "Never!" "And it isn't all coming out like a book? . . . Oh dear! And it was all going so splendidly," almost sobbed Pollyanna. "I'd have been so glad to come--with Aunt Polly." "And you won't--now?" The man asked the question without turning his head. "Of course not! I'm Aunt Polly's!
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It's funny how dogs and cats know the insides of folks better than other folks do, isn't it?
5
In fact, I know that a 'nice live little boy' would be far better than - my skeleton in the closet; only - we aren't always willing to make the exchange. We are apt to still cling to - our skeletons, Pollyanna.
4
You see, when you’re hunting for the glad things, you sort of forget the other kind—like
4
I wish I could prescribe her--and buy her--as I would a box of pills;--though if there gets to be many of her in the world, you and I might as well go to ribbon-selling and ditch-digging for all the money we'd get out of nursing and doctoring
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...only- we aren't always willing to make the exchange. We are apt to still cling to- our skeletons.
2
O que a gente não conhece é sempre mais atraente do que aquilo que temos.
2
Miss Polly Harrington did not rise to meet her niece. She looked up from her book, it is true, as Nancy and the little girl appeared in the sitting-room doorway,
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But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.' "'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.' "'Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
1

About Eleanor H. Porter

We have collected 24 quotes from 1 book by Eleanor H. Porter on BookQuoters.

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About the book

Pollyanna's eternal optimism has made her one of the most beloved characters in American literature. First published in 1913, her story spawned the formation of "Glad" clubs all over the country, devoted to playing Pollyanna's famous game. Pollyanna has since sold over one million copies, been translated into several languages, and has become both a Broadway play and a Disney motion picture.

Book details

First published
1913
Goodreads rating
4.02 (92k ratings)

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