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Tío Toni
Oscar is the son of Mr. Mancini, an Italian diplomat in the Dominican Republic. His mother is Dominican, and he’s in Anita’s class at the American school. At school, Oscar isn’t well liked because he asks questions incessantly. Some of his questions initially seem silly to Anita, but as the novel progresses, she begins to understand that Oscar is a smart and curious person who seems to know more about what’s going on in the Dominican Republic than many of their other classmates. For instance, he’s the one to explain to Anita and Sam the significance of the American embassy turning into just a consulate, and he has the best explanation of what an embargo is. As time wears on, Anita finds Oscar less annoying and likes him more and more. Once the American school shuts down, several families start sending their students to the Mancinis’ house for lessons. By this point, Anita has stopped speaking, and she appreciates that Oscar doesn’t treat her any differently because of this. Indeed, Oscar has a crush on Anita and kisses her one day after school. The next day, following the assassination of Trujillo, Anita and Mami go into hiding in Oscar’s parents’ walk-in closet. Because he’s so curious and observant, Oscar puts it together that Anita is there, even though his parents don’t tell him. He keeps his romance with Anita alive by passing her a queen of hearts playing card in the books that she borrows from the Mancinis. Once Trujillo Junior steps down and Papi is killed, Oscar writes Anita and thanks her for Papi’s sacrifice—in Oscar’s understanding, Papi is the reason that the Dominican Republic is going to have free elections. Anita isn’t sure if she’s in love with Oscar anymore by the end of the novel.
Oscar Mancini Quotes in Before We Were Free
The Before We Were Free quotes below are all either spoken by Oscar Mancini or refer to Oscar Mancini. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter Four
Quotes
We are free! I want to cry out. But thinking about how the SIM raided our property, how Tío Toni had to disappear, how I have to erase everything in my diary, I know that Oscar is telling the truth. We’re not free—we’re trapped—the Garcías got away just in time! I feel the same panic as when the SIM came storming through our house.
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Chapter Six
Quotes
Not even the thought of falling in love with Sam is a consolation anymore. Overnight, all boys (except for Papi and Tío Toni and Mundín) have become totally gross. Here’s an old lech flirting with my sister. Here are Oscar and Sam drinking liquor and throwing up. If only I could be like Joan of Arc, cut off my hair and dress like a boy, just to be on the safe side. Or even better, if only I could go backward to eleven, instead of forward to thirteen!
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Chapter Eleven
Quotes
I guess I finally understand what [Chucha] and Papi meant by wanting me to fly. It was like the metaphors Mrs. Brown was always talking about. To be free inside, like an uncaged bird. Then nothing, not even a dictatorship, can take away your liberty.
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Oscar Mancini Quotes in Before We Were Free
The Before We Were Free quotes below are all either spoken by Oscar Mancini or refer to Oscar Mancini. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter Four
Quotes
We are free! I want to cry out. But thinking about how the SIM raided our property, how Tío Toni had to disappear, how I have to erase everything in my diary, I know that Oscar is telling the truth. We’re not free—we’re trapped—the Garcías got away just in time! I feel the same panic as when the SIM came storming through our house.
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Chapter Six
Quotes
Not even the thought of falling in love with Sam is a consolation anymore. Overnight, all boys (except for Papi and Tío Toni and Mundín) have become totally gross. Here’s an old lech flirting with my sister. Here are Oscar and Sam drinking liquor and throwing up. If only I could be like Joan of Arc, cut off my hair and dress like a boy, just to be on the safe side. Or even better, if only I could go backward to eleven, instead of forward to thirteen!
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Chapter Eleven
Quotes
I guess I finally understand what [Chucha] and Papi meant by wanting me to fly. It was like the metaphors Mrs. Brown was always talking about. To be free inside, like an uncaged bird. Then nothing, not even a dictatorship, can take away your liberty.
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