Before we were Free

Before we were Free by Julia Alvarez follows twelve year old Anita in the Dominican Republic in the 1960’s. After her uncle mysteriously disappears, Anita begins to question her father’s associations with various government agencies, including a conspiracy to murder the general, which causes her to question whether or not she is actually free. In addition to her family, Anita also interacts with a variety of classmates, including a couple of boys. Anita also talks about various cultural customs, like her sister’s quinceniera, and cultural values, like when and where to talk to boys, throughout. Another interesting aspect of the book is Anita’s relationships with foreigners, like her American friend Sam. Her interaction with Sam also causes her to question the political situation going on in her country, as well as her relation to her own culture. Alvarez uses authentic language, including some Spanish words sporadically in the novel, and follows the chronology of historical events occurring at this time. Given that this book follows a historical moment, the novel could be compared and contrasted with other historical accounts of the time, as well as with similar novels or diaries of people living in a turbulent political culture.

While the book is recommended for grades 7-12, I think this book would be most useful in the middle school setting. The book is written with simple but powerful language; however, I thought it was a little too simple for a high school student. There is authentic Spanish language, which is essential to understanding Anita’s cultural values. This book would be a great option to introduce students to the story of a girl who must also deal with a crumbling country on top of her developing independence as a woman. I found that this book was very teachable and could take a variety of different routes to be presented and discussed in a classroom.