Chapter 11 - Introducing Jimmy

Summary

In August, Pollyanna finds a stray kitten and, despite Miss Polly's aversion to cats, declares the aunt glad to keep it. She subsequently encounters a ragged ten-year-old boy named Jimmy Bean by the roadside who has left the Orphans' Home and is seeking work. Pollyanna cheerfully persuades him to come home with her, confidently insisting that Miss Polly will take him in as she took in the animals. At the house, Jimmy Bean is offended by Miss Polly's suspicion that he is a beggar and storms out, but Pollyanna promises to bring his case before the Ladies' Aid the next day. Miss Polly, observing the boy's departure, is left with a lingering sense of desolation after the boy's sharp retort about her kindness.

Characters

• Pollyanna / Pollyanna Whittier — Pollyanna brings home a stray kitten, claiming Miss Polly is glad to keep it, and later finds a stray boy named Jimmy Bean. She introduces him to her aunt with enthusiasm, and when he rejects the label of beggar, she seeks to find him a home by speaking to the Ladies' Aid.
• Miss Polly / Miss Polly Harrington (Aunt Polly) — Miss Polly abhors the stray kitten and is shocked when Pollyanna brings home a dirty boy. She rebukes Pollyanna for the absurdity of the situation and yells at the child to stop using the word 'glad'. Later, she watches the boy leave with a sense of desolation.
• Jimmy Bean / Jimmy — A ten-year-old boy who has left the Orphans' Home without notice, living on the streets. He is cynical, strong, and rejects the label of beggar when Pollyanna's aunt questions his presence.