Analysis of The Good Thief

Although I'm only about half way through The Good Thief,  there were some parts that I had to reread, so I could understand it better. I thought I would share my analysis of certain lines and passages I had to reread.

"A few minutes later Brother Joseph came to gather the children, and said, 'Get to the statue.'" (Tinti 4) At this point in the story, all you know is the main character is in a Catholic orphanage and some man is there to adopted a child. I got really confused when he told the boys to go to the statue even though the man was out front. I read it again and I finally realized they were going to the statue to pray. I infer this by knowing that the orphanage was a Catholic orphanage.

"He stared past the farmer at a maple tree just beyond the stone wall, it's fall leaves beginning to turn. Soon those leaves would be a different color, and then the wind come, and the tree would look like something else completely." (Tinti 9) This is after the head of the orphanage tells the man not to adopted Ten because he's missing a hand. I think what the author is trying to show with the passage is the things around him will keep on changing, but Ren will always stay at the orphanage because nobody wants to adopted a child with out a hand.

"'All right.' Benjamin let go. 'Is that what you wanted to hear?'
'No.'
The man reached over, took hold of the lantern, and blew it out. Night enveloped the barn 'Well,' he said at last to the darkness in between them, 'that's when you know it's the truth.'" (Tinti 48) I was very confused when I first read this passage. Benjamin had told two completely different stories about how Ren's parents died. I infered here thought Benjamin didn't really know what happened. But, if he did, he wouldn't tell him because it was  horrible.