Daddy Long-Legs

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Daddy Long-Legs

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

A spirited orphan girl named Jerusha Abbott, raised in a strict asylum, receives a mysterious scholarship from an anonymous benefactor known only as "Daddy Long-Legs." Through a series of heartfelt letters, she navigates college life, discovers her own voice as a writer, and confronts the complexities of love, class, and identity while maintaining her unique correspondence with her enigmatic patron.

Summary up to 500 words

Jean Webster's *Daddy Long-Legs* chronicles the transformative journey of Jerusha Abbott, a seventeen-year-old orphan raised in the rigid, monotonous environment of the John Grier Home. Her life changes when a mysterious Trustee with unnaturally long legs offers her a college scholarship to Lock Willow College. The condition of this generous gift is simple yet profound: Jerusha must write monthly letters to him, never revealing his identity, detailing her studies and daily life. Adopting the pseudonym "Judy," she begins a correspondence with "Daddy Long-Legs," who remains a silent, distant figure. Through these letters, the narrative explores Judy's blossoming from a timid, rule-abiding girl into a confident young woman with a sharp wit and vivid imagination. She forms friendships, participates in sports, and eventually publishes her first story, proving her literary talent. Judy's world expands further when she meets Jervis Pendleton, a wealthy, unconventional young man whose socialist ideals challenge her sheltered worldview. Their relationship is complicated by Jervis's family pride and Judy's humble origins as an orphan. The story follows Judy's emotional struggle between her fear of disappointing her benefactor and her desire to pursue genuine love. When Jervis falls ill with pneumonia, the distance between them threatens to tear them apart, forcing Judy to confront her feelings and the reality of her situation. She grapples with the fear that her lack of family history makes her unworthy of his love, yet she realizes that true connection transcends social standing. The narrative culminates in a dramatic revelation where the anonymous benefactor reveals his true identity: he is Jervis Pendleton himself. This resolution resolves the central mystery, allowing Judy to choose her own path in life. She balances her enduring gratitude to Daddy Long-Legs with her commitment to Jervis, ultimately finding independence and happiness. The novel is a poignant exploration of gratitude, identity, and the power of imagination, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century social constraints.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/jean-webster_daddy-long-legs.epub

Local file path

data/epubs/url-4e32a7c05374b348.epub

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2026-06-30 11:54 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Children's Literature