Hitty is a doll carved out of Irish mountain-ash wood in 1820s Maine. The book follows her throughout her first century of life as she passes from owner to owner and travels the world.
Hitty, Her First Hundred Years contains examples of:
- And I Must Scream: Little Thankful takes Hitty to a party, where the other girls, who all have expensive wax and china dolls, make fun of her and Hitty's shabby appearance. Humiliated, Little Thankful shoves Hitty deep into the corner of the sofa and leaves her there. Shortly afterwards, the sofa is moved to the attic, and Hitty remains trapped in the tiny space for about fifteen or twenty years, with no company besides the occasional moth or mouse. She's finally rescued when a bunch of children pile onto the sofa to play train, and one of them accidentally shoves her hand into Hitty's hiding place.
- Auction: Late in the book, Hitty is acquired by an elderly antiques collector. She dies a few years later, and her collection is auctioned off. A woman and an elderly man compete to buy Hitty, with the woman making higher and higher bids and the man adding just one dollar to her bids. In the end, he buys her for $51.
- Cargo Cult: Hitty and her original owner, Phoebe Preble, are shipwrecked on a tropical island with Phoebe's family. Hitty is taken away by natives, who build a shrine for her and smear berry juice on her face. After Hitty spends a few days as an idol, the Prebles prepare to leave the island in a boat, and Andy steals Hitty back right before they set out.
- Dead Guy Junior: Clarissa Pryce was named after her grandfather's sister, who died young. Her grandfather is fond of her because she physically resembles her namesake.
- I Should Write a Book About This: Hitty writes her memoirs while living in an antique shop in the 1920s, using a quill and ink that sit next to her on the table where the owner puts her at night.
- Living Toys: Not only is Hitty sentient, she can even move her arms and legs up and down. She wasn't made with enough joints to walk, and she never moves in front of humans.
- Loophole Abuse: Clarissa Pryce hears her older sister Ruth asking permission to see Adelina Patti
in concert, but their parents, who are strict Quakers, refuse to let her attend such an extravagant and worldly event. When Clarissa sneaks off to the concert, taking Hitty with her, she justifies it to herself by saying that since she never asked for permission, she isn't technically disobeying. - The Missionary: Hitty is purchased from the snake charmer by a missionary couple for their young daughter Little Thankful. Hitty lives with her in India for a few years until her parents send her to her grandparents in Philadelphia because they don't think the Indian climate is healthy for her.
- The Mutiny: Hitty and Phoebe go on a whaling voyage with Captain Preble, Phoebe's father. Captain Preble suspects that his first mate Patch is trying to turn the other sailors against him. His suspicions turn out to be correct when the ship catches fire, Patch and Captain Preble disagree on what islands they should try to reach in their lifeboats, and Patch takes off on his own with almost the entire crew, leaving two lifeboats for the Prebles and a few loyal crew members.
- Only Known by Their Nickname: Hitty's original name was Mehitabel, but Phoebe shortens it to make it easier to pronounce. Phoebe embroiders "HITTY" on her chemise so all her future owners will know what to call her.
- Perpetual Smiler: Hitty has a pleasant expression painted on her face, and is unable to frown no matter how miserable she is.
- Security Blanket: Hitty serves this role for many children over the years.
- Snake Charmer: After Phoebe accidentally drops Hitty in India, she's picked up by a snake charmer, who uses her as a prop for his cobra to slither around while he plays the flageolet.
- Tears of Joy: The Prebles cry from relief when they're picked up by a ship heading to India.
