# XXIII: “Tied to Two Sticks” explained — Pollyanna Grows Up

> Chapter companion for Pollyanna Grows Up by Eleanor H. Porter.

## What happens

On the last day of camp, Pollyanna, Jimmy, and Jamie go on a hike to 'the Basin' for a final fish dinner. Pollyanna falls behind to help Jamie over obstacles, then climbs a stone wall to pick goldenrod. A bull charges her, and Jimmy rescues her just in time. Afterward, Jamie, who could not help due to his crutches, breaks down in anguish over his helplessness. Pollyanna and Jimmy console him and persuade him to return.

## Themes in this chapter

### Loss, Grief, and Healing

Jamie's anguished cry over his physical limitations reveals deep-seated grief and frustration, highlighting the emotional pain of disability.

### Personal Growth and Maturity

Pollyanna learns to consider others' feelings, as she immediately regrets praising Jimmy in front of Jamie and takes action to comfort Jamie.

## Character check-ins

### Pollyanna Whittier

Shows compassion by staying back to help Jamie; is nearly gored by a bull but rescued by Jimmy; then feels remorse for praising Jimmy in front of Jamie.

### Jimmy Pendleton

Leads the hike; heroically rescues Pollyanna from the bull by snatching her up and flinging them both aside; shows concern for Jamie's distress.

### Jamie Kent

Struggles physically on the hike; is devastated by his inability to help Pollyanna during the bull attack, expressing his pain through a bitter outburst about being 'tied to two sticks.'

## Key lines

> I wish we’d gone home day before yesterday; then it wouldn’t have happened.

Pollyanna regrets not leaving camp earlier to avoid the incident.

_Reflects her wish to escape the painful event._

> Don’t you suppose it hurts to see a thing like that and not be able to do anything? To be tied, helpless, to a pair of sticks? I tell you there’s no hurt in all the world to equal it!

Jamie expresses the agony of being unable to act due to his crutches.

_Reveals Jamie's deep frustration and sense of powerlessness._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/pollyanna_grows_up_se/chapters/xxiii-tied-to-two-sticks
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- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/pollyanna_grows_up_se/chapters