# Nancy — Pollyanna character guide > Nancy in Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter. **Role:** supporting **Also known as:** Nancy **First appearance:** 0003-ii-old-tom-and-nancy ## Snapshot The Harringtons' young maid, homesick for her family at The Corners, who becomes Pollyanna's first ally and the household's most honest witness. ## Who they are Nancy works below stairs for a mistress she finds chilly and exacting, and she misses her mother and siblings with an ache she talks about freely. She is the first person in the house to treat Pollyanna as a person rather than a duty, trading stories on the back porch and nearly betraying Miss Polly's early reluctance. Her loyalty gives Pollyanna a confidante and gives readers a grounded, unpolished view of what the child is actually changing inside that house. ## Relationships ### [Pollyanna Whittier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/pollyanna_whittier) _friendship_ Nancy is Pollyanna's devoted maid and first friend in Beldingsville, acting as a loyal confidante and supporter. ### [Aunt Polly Harrington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/aunt_polly_harrington) _professional_ Aunt Polly is Nancy's employer, and their relationship is formal but becomes warmer as Nancy proves her loyalty. ### [Old Tom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/old_tom) _friendship_ Nancy and Old Tom are fellow servants in the Harrington household who share a friendly, cooperative working relationship. ### [John Pendleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/john_pendleton) _social_ John Pendleton and Nancy are acquaintances who interact occasionally due to Pollyanna's visits to his house. ### [Timothy Durgin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/timothy_durgin) _romantic_ Nancy and Timothy Durgin are sweethearts who eventually marry, with Timothy being a kind and reliable young man. ### [Pollyanna Whittier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/pollyanna_whittier) _friendship_ Nancy is Pollyanna's devoted maid and first friend in Beldingsville, acting as a loyal confidante and supporter. ### [Pollyanna Whittier](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/pollyanna_whittier) _friendship_ Nancy is Pollyanna's devoted maid and first friend in Beldingsville, acting as a loyal confidante and supporter. ### [Aunt Polly Harrington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/aunt_polly_harrington) _professional_ Aunt Polly is Nancy's employer, and their relationship is formal but becomes warmer as Nancy proves her loyalty. ### [Old Tom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/old_tom) _friendship_ Nancy and Old Tom are fellow servants in the Harrington household who share a friendly, cooperative working relationship. ### [Old Tom](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/old_tom) _friendship_ Nancy and Old Tom are fellow servants in the Harrington household who share a friendly, cooperative working relationship. ### [John Pendleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/john_pendleton) _social_ John Pendleton and Nancy are acquaintances who interact occasionally due to Pollyanna's visits to his house. ### [Timothy Durgin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/timothy_durgin) _romantic_ Nancy and Timothy Durgin are sweethearts who eventually marry, with Timothy being a kind and reliable young man. ## In the story ### [Pollyanna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/pollyanna) The maid who welcomes Pollyanna and is immediately charmed by her; learns about the glad game. ### [Miss Polly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/i-miss-polly) Nancy is the maid working in Miss Polly's kitchen. She is cheerful and sympathetic, hoping the little girl might brighten things up, but is quickly rebuked by her mistress. ### [Old Tom and Nancy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/ii-old-tom-and-nancy) Nancy cleans the attic room resentfully, muttering about Miss Polly's harshness, and later questions Old Tom about the family history. ### [The Coming of Pollyanna](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/iii-the-coming-of-pollyanna) The hired girl who meets Pollyanna at the station. Initially nervous, she is charmed by Pollyanna's warmth and decides to stay on to support the child. ### [The Little Attic Room](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/iv-the-little-attic-room) Comforts Pollyanna after she is left alone in the attic, helps unpack, and later panics when Pollyanna disappears. ### [The Game](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/v-the-game) Listens to Pollyanna's explanation of the Glad Game, agrees to play, and finds Pollyanna after she sneaks out. ### [A Question of Duty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/vi-a-question-of-duty) Hurries Pollyanna to breakfast and later is sent to close windows and search for flies after Pollyanna opened them without screens. ### [Pollyanna and Punishments](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/vii-pollyanna-and-punishments) Talks with Pollyanna on the back porch, shares her dislike of her name, and is cheered by Pollyanna's story about Mrs. White's name. ### [Pollyanna Pays a Visit](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/viii-pollyanna-pays-a-visit) Describes Mrs. Snow's difficult nature and gives Pollyanna the errand to deliver jelly. ### [Which Tells of the Man](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/ix-which-tells-of-the-man) Explains to Pollyanna that the Man is John Pendleton, a wealthy recluse who speaks to no one, and shares local gossip about his mysterious life. ### [X: A Surprise for Mrs. Snow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/x-a-surprise-for-mrs-snow) Helps move Pollyanna's things and celebrates the room change. ### [XI: Introducing Jimmy](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xi-introducing-jimmy) Nancy is mentioned as the one Pollyanna calls to show the kitten, and she is noted as expecting surprises and changes since Pollyanna's arrival. ### [Just a Matter of Jelly](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xiv-just-a-matter-of-jelly) Meets Pollyanna at the door, relieved she is safe; explains Aunt Polly's sudden departure; listens to the accident story. ### [Dr. Chilton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xv-dr-chilton) Sweeps the porch, talks with Pollyanna about the glad game and the doctor, and is described as getting better at playing the game. ### [A Red Rose and a Lace Shawl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xvi-a-red-rose-and-a-lace-shawl) Helped regulate the attic where Pollyanna found the lace shawl. ### [Just Like a Book](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xvii-just-like-a-book) Listens to Pollyanna's account of the visit and excitedly deduces that John Pendleton was Aunt Polly's former lover. ### [Prisms](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xviii-prisms) Mentioned as the elderly maid (Nora) who brings the candlestick and helps hang the prisms. ### [XX: Which Is More Surprising](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xx-which-is-more-surprising) Nancy is mentioned as the source of Pollyanna's mistaken belief that Mr. Pendleton and Aunt Polly were once lovers. ### [A Question Answered](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxi-a-question-answered) Reassures Pollyanna that Aunt Polly cares for her deeply, citing the umbrella-sending as evidence. ### [An Accident](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxiii-an-accident) Weeps and expresses anguish over Pollyanna's accident, noting Aunt Polly's genuine fear and love. ### [John Pendleton](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxiv-john-pendleton) Informs Old Tom about John Pendleton's unexpected visit and discusses the past gossip linking him to Miss Polly. ### [Two Visits](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxvii-two-visits) Sent to tell John Pendleton the doctor's verdict; she reports Pollyanna's despair and her inability to play the glad game, and mentions Pollyanna's wish to show Jimmy Bean to Pendleton. ### [XXVIII: The Game and Its Players](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxviii-the-game-and-its-players) Explains the Glad Game to Aunt Polly, recounting how Pollyanna taught her to be glad about Monday mornings. ### [Jimmy Takes the Helm](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/chapters/xxx-jimmy-takes-the-helm) Announces Jimmy's arrival to Miss Polly. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters/nancy - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/pollyanna_se/characters