In Freak the Mighty's Chapters 17-20, Max lies repeatedly to his father. What inferences can you draw from his lies? ***Using the ACE format, anwer the question and provide a qoute(textual evidence) and an explanation.***

Using the ACE format, you first answer the question. Then, you cite evidence to explain your answer, and, finally, you expand on the evidence you have cited by explaining it.
In Chapters 17-20, Max is being held hostage by his father, a felon, Kenny "Killer" Kane. While they are in Iggy and Loretta's apartment, Max repeatedly lies to his father. The inferences the reader can draw from Max's lies are that Max understands that his father killed his mother and that Max knows he has to play dumb to avoid being hurt by his father. The reader can also infer that Max is a very astute observer of his father and understands exactly what his father is like.
For example, even when Max's father is telling him a sob story about how Max's mother's parents had him unfairly imprisoned for years, Max can tell his father is lying. Though Killer Kane is crying and seems genuine, Max thinks, "There’s no crying in his voice, you can’t hear it there, but sure enough the tears are all over his face" (124). This is evidence you can cite to show that Max understands that is father is lying and sees through the falseness of his father's tears. When Max's father swears on a Bible that he did not kill Max's mother, Killer Kane asks Max if he is satisfied. Max replies, telling a lie, that he is satisfied and believes that his father did not kill his mother. Max thinks to himself, "I keep thinking about how heavy his hand was on that Bible" (125). Max tells his father these lies because he is scared, but he really knows that his father killed his mother. 
Later, as Max sees his father choking Loretta, he tells his father, “I saw you kill her! I saw you kill Mom! I never forgot, not ever! I know you did it! I know!” (142). What Max says to his father proves that Max knows what really happened to his mother. He is a smart person who does not fall for his father's lies. Even though he tells his father he believes him at first to protect himself from his father's wrath, Max later blurts out that he knows his father killed his mother. Max is clearly a smart boy who understands what his father did.