What is the main theme of Before We Were Free?

Overview

Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez is a story about a twelve-year-old girl named Anita de la Torre who lives in the Dominican Republic in the 1060s during the Trujillo dictatorship. The story begins with her cousins leaving the Dominican to move to the United States and we eventually discover that her family is involved in trying to remove the dictator from power. Anita's experiences teach her about courage and sacrifice as well as relatable teen topics of first love, friendship, and family.

Socratic Seminar Questions

Chapter 1

"Just staring at El Jefe keeps my tears from flowing. I want to be brave and strong, so that someday if I ever meet the leader of our country, he'll congratulate me. 'So, you are the girl who never cries?' he'll say, smiling down at me." p. 4

• What do you think of people who cry? Are people who do not cry or show how they feel strong? 

"That's my nickname in the family because sometimes I talk too much, like a lttle parrot, Mami says. But then at school, I'm the total opposite and Mrs. Brown complains that I need to speak up more." p 4.

• Why might Anita act differently at home vs school?
• Are there places where you are very different? How are you different and why?

Chapter 2

"'Anita, por favor,' Mami pleads, collapsing in a hall chair. She leans forward and whispers in my ear, 'Please, please, you must stop asking questions.' p. 18

• How do you feel when adults don't tell you what is happening? Why do you think adults do that? Is it worse or better not to know?

"That night, I replay his compliment over and over in my head. It's the nicest thing that has happened to me in weeks." p. 22

• How do you feel when you receive a compliment? How often do you compliment others? How do you think they feel?

"...we promise not to tell our parents about our discovery just yet or they won't let us explore the compound anymore." p. 25

• Is this a good decision not to tell? Why? What might be happening that maybe their parents should know about? When is it a good idea to keep things to yourself rather than tell? When is it not? How do you decide?

Emozi® Lessons that Connect to Before We Were Free

Grade 6

Unit 1

• Lesson 2: Understanding and Building Self-confidence and Self-esteem
• Lesson 10: Decision-Making
• Lesson 12: Responsibility and Accountability

Unit 2

• Lesson 1: Self-perception
• Lesson 2: Optimism
• Lesson 3: Grief
• Lesson 6: Diversity

Unit 3 

• Lesson 1: Resilience
• Lesson 3: Fear Less
• Lesson 8: Cultural Competence
• Lesson 12: Perseverance and Hope

Grade 7

Unit 1

• Lesson 3: Strengths and Weaknesses
• Lesson 7: Morals
• Lesson 12: Self-perception

Unit 2

• Lesson 5: Fear
• Lesson 7: Overcoming Obstacles
• Lesson 11: Cultural Competency
• Lesson 12: Empathy

Unit 3

• Lesson 1: Dealing with Disappointment
• Lesson 2: Stress Reduction
• Lesson 7: Resilience
• Lesson 9: Being Responsible

Grade 8

Unit 1 

• Lesson 4: Problem Solving
• Lesson 5: Cultural Competency
• Lesson 7: Belonging and Rejection
• Lesson 10: Ethics and Integrity

Unit 2

• Lesson 9: Conflict
• Lesson 10: Apologies and Forgiveness
• Lesson 12: Loss

Unit 3

• Lesson 2: Happiness
• Lesson 11: Standing Up for Yourself
• Lesson 12: Transitions

For the Socratic Seminar for this novel and full lesson plans for the topics listed, please check out our website for more details on how to get Emozi® Middle School for your classroom!

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 Plot Summary

+Chapters Summary and Analysis

 Chapters 1-3

 Chapters 4-5

 Summary and Analysis For Chapters 6-8

 Summary and Analysis For Chapters 9-11

 Free Quiz

 Characters

 Objects/Places

 Themes

 Style

 Quotes

 Topics for Discussion

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Before We Were Free Summary & Study Guide Description

Before We Were Free Summary & Study Guide includes comprehensive information and analysis to help you understand the book. This study guide contains the following sections:

• Plot Summary
• Chapters
• Characters
• Objects/Places

• Themes
• Style
• Quotes

This detailed literature summary also contains Topics for Discussion and a Free Quiz on Before We Were Free by Julia Álvarez.

"Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez tells the story of a young girl named Anita. She lives during a period of political unrest. Her father and uncle are involved in a plot to assassinate the dictator.

When the story begins, Anita is eleven years old and she lives in the Dominican Republic. Anita attends an American school and she is friends with the children of American Ambassadors and consulates. She lives on a compound with her parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and her former nanny. While she is looking forward to turning twelve and becoming more grown up, there are other changes occurring in her life that make her twelfth birthday somewhat insignificant.

Her cousins suddenly leave for the United States of America and another uncle is missing. The secret police invade her family's compound and the children are restricted from their regular activities. Americans move in to an empty house on the compound, making things a bit better and the Americans hold a big party for their daughter's fifteenth birthday. Meanwhile, men gather and hold secret meetings. El Jefe shows up at the birthday party and shows interest in Anita's sister so her parents send her sister to the United States to keep her safe.

Everybody seems to have secrets and Anita's life keeps changing. Her school closes and Anita discovers that she has a hard time finding words to say what she thinks so she becomes more withdrawn. One evening she comes home to find her house swarming with men on a mission. They are planning to assassinate El Jefe that night.

They succeed in killing El Jefe, but the man who is supposed to announce that the dictator is dead never shows up so the general public isn't aware of their newfound freedom. This gives El Jefe's son time to rise in power, and he is even more cruel than his father. He is determined to seek revenge on those who killed his father, and his men tear through the compound, taking Anita's father and uncle away as prisoners.

Anita and her mother go into hiding in the home of their friend who works in the Italian Embassy. Anita's brother had left the compound earlier and he was at greater risk. He sought refuge in the Italian Embassy itself. Anita and her mother lived in a closet for several months, hiding from the secret police. During this time, Anita keeps a journal chronicling her experience.

One day, after months in the closet, she and her mother are rescued by paratroopers and helicopter. They leave the country and join their relatives in New York City, where they have to adapt to a very different culture. While she is in New York, she learns that her father and uncle were killed. Anita has to come to terms with the idea of what freedom really means. Her father told her that he wanted her to be free and to fly. As she thinks over all her family has been through, Anita discovers that freedom and the ability to fly lives within her.

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Why did Julia Alvarez write Before We Were Free?

Is Before We Were Free a true story?