The film operates within a strictly heteronormative framework. There are no depictions of non-cisnormative identities or queer subtext, focusing entirely on traditional familial structures.

Pollyanna exerts significant psychological influence over the dominant Aunt Polly, disrupting traditional hierarchies. However, the film lacks a broader critique of gendered power dynamics.

The cast is highly homogeneous, reflecting the socio-historical constraints of a small New England town. There is an absence of color-blind casting or intersectional representation.

The narrative emphasizes social cohesion and Western institutional stability. It promotes a singular moral code centered on optimism and social decorum.

The film touches on emotional rigidity and embittered temperaments. These are treated as character flaws to be corrected rather than nuanced lived experiences of disability.