character
Pollyanna
Someone whose optimism is so relentless it borders on willful denial.
Origin
The young heroine of Eleanor H. Porter's 1913 novel Pollyanna. Orphaned and taken in by a cold aunt, she practices the 'glad game' — finding something to be glad about in every situation, no matter how grim. The book was wildly popular and the name became a noun within a decade.
Modern usage
Almost always mildly pejorative. 'A Pollyanna view' = an analysis that refuses to acknowledge anything going wrong. Common in business, political, and economic commentary as an accusation.
In the wild
The forecast was pure Pollyanna — no mention of the obvious downside risks.— financial commentary
Tags
optimism
denial