Auto mode focus selection sometimes not logical

Question

I just purchased a refurbrished ELPH 330 and am trying its many settings.  In auto mode the camera sometimes seems to select objects (no people in scene) to focus on that aren't logical.  For example, if I have a plant on a table with a piece of paper in the foreground or background, it seems to select the paper rather than the plant even if the camera is centered on the plant.  I also don't understand why sometimes it has a white focus frame around an object that turns green when the shutter is half presses, and sometimes it doesn't have a white fucus frame and when I press the shutter half way a single or multiple green frames will appear.  Without the white focus frame there doesn't appear to be any point or points of focus. 
It appears to me that auto mode works best for people and not other objects.  Am I correct?

Answer 1

In my opinion AUTO is pretty much designed for those you hand the camera to so they can take YOUR photo. They obviously wouldn't know how to use it properly, have read the manual nor necessarily know ANYTHING about photography. It isn't the setting a photographer would use when trying to capture a specific scene unless it was as basic as it gets..
"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."