Kade Goldberg’s Reviews > Before We Were Free > Status Update

This chapter was concluded by Anita finding out the hard truth about Tio Tony and Papi being killed by Trujillo Junior. Did she know that these deaths were bound to happen at some point. Throughout the chapter she shows signs of knowing that this might happen. Does she think the US provides more opportunity for her? How will she move on without her father?

This chapter saddened me because of Papi and Tio Tony's arrest. Anita knowing her father would be killed is the biggest step in her maturity all book so far because she knew she would have to become a big girl and accept her father being killed. She knew what the plan in the backyard at night was starting to become and when the policeman found the body she knew it was over for her family.

Wow. Chapter 8 was insane. The adrenaline rush I got from reading this chapter. Terrifying and suspenseful all at the same time. They finally, put their plan into action to assassinate Trujillo and shot him ensuring his family a safer life. Will this change the country for the better or worse? Another sign of Anitas maturity shows when she has her first kiss. This is a big sign of her growing as a young women.

It is really becoming evident that Before We Were Free and Montana 1948 are both books in telling the maturity in both of the protagonists. We see this in Montana when a childhood role model goes to a evil malicious uncle. In this book she is starting to notice that El Jefe is not on her family's side and that the Dominican Republic is a corrupt place when she notices the cops ignore the weapons the Washburns own.

This chapter was refreshing knowing that Anita is finally starting to see the real truth about what actually is happening in her life. She was subject to starting to notice what her "tio" or uncle is starting to do within her house. He has been in her house more openly and often now which she is starting to get suspicious about. I am wondering, is this another attempt on the assassination of El Jefe. Why again?

This chapter is now making Anita starting to grow out of her young innocent faze and grow into a state where she begins to realize the REAL horrors in the real world. She figures out that the dictator tortures people based on what Oscar says, she figures out that her uncle is hiding out, and her mom breaks the truth to her that she can not write in her journal, something that she loves to do. Big problems surfacing.

The suspicion of what El Jefe will do next has everyone on edge. The teacher stopped secret santa at school which made me upset because this is a holiday that everyone loves. This is also around the time of Anita's birthday and she talks to her family from New York. Will El Jefe continue to scare the people of the Dominican Republic? The vibe amongst the town is fear and sadness.

This book has taken a terrible twist for the very reason that Anita's dad has tried to murder the dictator. This is ironic due to the fact when Anita was leaving school she mentioned how she wished she could be the fearless little girl that the dictator that would want her to be. What will happen to her and her family now? Will the dictator try to kill her family? How does this effect her social life at school?

Anita is still under the suspense of why she is leaving school. Her whole family has come to pick up her up, which leads me with the question, how serious is this problem? Did Anita contribute? I do not think she has done anything and the problem lies within the family, but the first chapter has been suspenseful and I am still trying to put the dots together. I can only hope for Anita that she can return and be a kid