Chapter 10 - A Surprise for Mrs. Snow

Summary

Pollyanna visits Mrs. Snow again, bringing a selection of foods and applying her 'just being glad' game to the woman's complaints about noise and illness, which leaves Mrs. Snow visibly emotional while Pollyanna remains cheerfully oblivious to the severity of her impact. Back at the Harrington house, a tense exchange occurs when Miss Polly discovers Pollyanna had been imagining having nice carpets and curtains; this leads Miss Polly to abruptly move Pollyanna's bed downstairs to her own floor, a decision that leaves Miss Polly feeling vaguely disturbed while Pollyanna celebrates the luxury of her new room with a door-banging frenzy.

Characters

• Pollyanna — Pollyanna visits Mrs. Snow with food, explains the 'just being glad' game by citing Mrs. White's story about hearing music, and leaves the invalid weeping. She later endures Miss Polly's coldness regarding her daydreams, receives orders to move downstairs, and rushes to report the news with exuberant physical displays of joy.
• Mrs. Snow — The sick woman complains about the music from next door and her lost nap, then listens to Pollyanna's story about a deaf woman as the basis for gratitude. She is left staring with tears on her cheeks after Pollyanna leaves, having been challenged to find something to be glad about.
• Milly — The pale-faced daughter answers Pollyanna's knock and later enters the room to announce that Pollyanna is needed for piano lessons, witnessing her mother's tears with surprise.
• Polly / Miss Polly (Aunt Polly) — Miss Polly confronts Pollyanna in her attic room about her inappropriate daydreams of luxury items, then abruptly orders Nancy to move Pollyanna's belongings downstairs to a room directly beneath Miss Polly's. She leaves the encounter feeling confused and vaguely disturbed, insisting to herself that she has felt glad over things.
• Nancy — Nancy moves Pollyanna's things from the attic and delivers the news of the move to the downstairs room, exulting in the change. She then goes to help Pollyanna bring the items down, allowing the girl to rush to Aunt Polly with her joy.