Later, when she and Papi arrive at the party, they salute El Jefe. Smith (a codename for El Jefe) is here, which makes Anita feel very grown up but also very afraid. Mami sends Anita to warn Tío Toni that Mr. On the night of the party, a line of Volkswagens comes up the drive. Around this time, Tío Toni begins eating meals with Anita’s family and hosting groups of men at his house. Meanwhile, Susie’s 15th birthday is coming up, and she talks her parents into throwing her a big quinceañera party. Finally, Mami asks Anita to stop writing in her diary they must be quiet and sneaky until they can escape. She also tells Anita that Tío Toni has returned, but Anita needs to avoid drawing attention to him for his safety. Soon after this, Mami finally talks to Anita like an adult, explaining that Papi is fighting for their freedom. Around this time, Anita finds out that some people are hiding from the SIM in embassies, and that others are being tortured in El Jefe’s prisons.

In January, school is postponed for several weeks because many of the American students are going home for President John F. When she gets a diary for Christmas and starts writing in it, she realizes that she’s in love with Sam. Mysterious things continue to happen-for instance, Anita and Sam see that someone is living in Tío Toni’s house.Īround Christmastime, Anita celebrates her 12th birthday. The children return to school, where Anita learns that other countries have instituted an embargo (trade ban) against the Dominican Republic her teacher won’t explain why. Washburn’s son, Sam, while Lucinda befriends his daughter, Susie. Anita is confused-she thought that everyone loved El Jefe.Ī few days later, the American consul, Mr. She finally tells Anita that they live under a dictator, El Jefe, whom nobody likes, and that the SIM are after their missing uncle, Tío Toni.

Nobody will tell Anita anything-Anita’s older sister Lucinda says that nobody will talk because the SIM might be listening. Over the next few days, the SIM agents’ cars stay parked outside. The next morning, SIM (the Dominican secret police) agents search Anita’s house for Carla’s family but they don’t find anything.

Lots of Anita’s family members have left recently-now, Anita’s nuclear family (and their Haitian maid, Chucha) are the only ones left at the family compound. Tía Laura, Carla, and the rest of Anita’s cousins flee from the Dominican Republic to New York. Just before Thanksgiving in 1960, 11-year-old Anita’s life turns upside down.

Before we were free by julia alvarez