“You can learn to be happy!”

Pollyanna is XNUMX years old. In terms of language and style, this is a sound reading adapted for children in the spirit of British literature of the late XNUMXth century, with numerous literary clichés. Why does it continue to be read and republished, why are we talking about it today? The name of the heroine of the book, at least in the English-speaking world, became a household word in the middle of the last century, the adjective “Pollyanna” (for example, behavior) was even formed from it, and in professional literature they started talking in all seriousness about the “Pollyanna syndrome”.

Pollyanna, or rather her father (who died at the beginning of the story), and more precisely, Eleanor Porter, the author of the story, discovered what psychologists today describe as one of the most effective and developing strategies for coping with adverse circumstances – the strategy of positive rethinking . One of the modern psychotherapeutic schools, “positive psychotherapy”, is even built on this idea (for the most part).

The game that 11-year-old Pollyanna was taught by her father and gradually became her way of life is to find a reason for joy in everything and rejoice in spite of everything. As modern research clearly shows, the emotions that we experience about different situations are determined not by the situations themselves, but by their perception.

You can learn to enjoy everything in the world. And vice versa, to meet any events with a sour face – too. For some reason, we learn the latter much more successfully. We sometimes recognize children’s need for joy, but when it comes to adults, other clichés apply. “One must live not for joy, but for conscience” – like Aunt Pollyanna, concerned solely with doing her duty to the best of her ability.

If they continue to argue about happiness, to what extent it depends on ourselves, and to what extent – on circumstances, then joy is really born in us without outside help. Pollyanna is right. Joy without a reason itself becomes the cause of positive events in life. This is a great book – if not in a literary sense, but in a psychological and educational one. Adults, be sure to read it to your children! Children, be sure to read it to your parents!”