Why didn't Pete just go to the police and explain to them how shabbily he was treated by the Gogans?
- Because the Gogans would claim "We got a bill of sale right here/That says he belongs to us/We bought him fair and square last year/And we own the little cuss".
- Turn of the century small town? He probably would've been ignored. Attitudes on child abuse and child labor were quite different over a century ago compared to today. Today, Pete's statement would've gotten the Gogans locked up the moment they showed their faces in town.
- Today, the only way the Gogans would be able to get away with their abuse is if they were a wealthy family with connections and even then they'd be one viral video away from exposure.
- Law enforcement might not have been sympathetic to him being beaten and worked hard pitching in on the farm, but if you pay attention to the Gogans' dialogue, they did nothing while Pete did all the work. Lena specifically tells Willie and Grover they will have to start working the farm if they don't find Pete. Laziness was not respected, from what I know.
Why did virtually everyone (except Pete and Lampie) think Elliott was imaginary, even with evidence to the contrary? Even when Elliott was invisible he caused mayhem in the town. He showed obvious hints at his existence, such as creating a dragon-shaped hole in the school wall and leaving dragon footprints in wet cement. What especially bugs me is Nora assumed Elliott was imaginary until she saw him in the lighthouse, even though he overturned the Gogans' boat and flung them in the air right in front of her and, even while invisible, made an impact that suggested he did exist.
Why did the teacher accuse Pete of ringing the bell when Elliot started ringing it? When the bell started ringing, Pete was sitting in the classroom, so it should be obvious he did not start it. Sure he was holding on to the bell rope when he tried to stop Elliot from ringing it and since Elliot was invisible it looked like he was ringing it, but Pete clearly was not the one who started it.
