39 pages 1 hour read

Elvira Woodruff

The Orphan of Ellis Island

Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 1997

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Chapters 9-16Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapter 9 Summary

The boys tell Dominic that the year is 1908. They figure the recent earthquake must have shaken Dominic because they can’t comprehend why he doesn’t know where he is or what year it is.

Chapter 10 Summary

Dominic cries out about being caught in Francesco’s dream. The Candiano brothers worry that Dominic has been caught by the evil eye. When Dominic realizes his key is gone, he is upset that he’s lost the only connection to his family. The Candianos understand because they are orphans, too. Dominic has never met another orphan before. The Candianos’ goat, Violetta, tackles Dominic.

Chapter 11 Summary

Dominic has always wanted a pet, and the Candianos love Violetta. They show Dominic how to drink milk from Violetta’s teat.

The Candiano brothers live with constant poverty and hunger. They sleep in a landowner’s barn in exchange for helping him tend his fields. Their local priest, Father Tomaso, helps feed them when he can.

Dominic tries to explain to the Candianos that he is not only from America but also from 100 years in the future.