Before We Were Free

by

Julia Alvarez

Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith Character Analysis

Rafael Trujillo is the antagonist of the novel; he was the dictator of the Dominican Republic from 1930 to 1961, serving two terms as president and ruling from behind the scenes the rest of the time. Many in the Dominican Republic refer to him as El Jefe—“the boss”—while the underground resistance group refers to him by the code name “Mr. Smith.” At the beginning of the novel, before Anita understands what a dictatorship is, she idolizes Trujillo. To her, he’s benevolent, strong, and fatherly—an idea that she mostly formed in school. But Anita’s thoughts on Trujillo begin to change as she discovers that her parents are involved in the resistance movement and as she learns that Trujillo’s secret police, the SIM, want to imprison and possibly hurt her family. Then, when she learns that Trujillo has a tendency to rape underage girls, she begins to find him truly evil and nightmarish. The only time Anita sees Trujillo in person is at Susie Washburn’s quinceañera party, during which Trujillo sets his sights on raping Lucinda. Though the adults in the novel try to shield Anita from the full reality of the situation, Anita is aware that Trujillo regularly kidnaps and rapes young girls—and Anita’s fears that she and her sister might become his victims intensify once she starts her period. Throughout the rest of the novel, Trujillo remains a distant but ominous presence. Ultimately, Papi and the resistance assassinate Trujillo. Not long after, associates discover Trujillo’s body in the trunk of Papi’s car.

Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith Quotes in Before We Were Free

The Before We Were Free quotes below are all either spoken by Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith or refer to Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith. 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:
Coming of Age and Political Consciousness Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

I look up at the portrait of our Benefactor, El Jefe, which hangs above the classroom, his eyes watching over us. [...]

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.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

Now I’m really confused. I thought we liked El Jefe. His picture hangs in the front entryway with the saying below it: IN THIS HOUSE, TRUJILLO RULES. “But if he’s so bad, why does Mrs. Brown hang his picture in our classroom next to George Washington?”

“We have to do that. Everyone has to do. He’s a dictator.”

I’m not really sure what a dictator does. But this is probably not a good time to ask.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Lucinda (speaker), Papi, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Mrs. Brown
Page Number: 16-17
Explanation and Analysis:

“That’s where I’m from,” Sammy says, puffing out his chest, as if someone is going to pin a medal on it. “Greatest country in the world.”

I want to contradict him and say that my own country is the greatest. But I’m not sure anymore after what Lucinda told me about us having a dictator who makes everybody hang his picture on their walls.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Sam Washburn (speaker), Lucinda, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 23
Explanation and Analysis:
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!

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Sam Washburn, Lucinda, Mundín, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Oscar Mancini, Susie Washburn
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

I lift the sheet and she looks down with a questioning expression. Then a knowing smile spreads on her lips. “Congratulations,” she says, leaning over and kissing me. “My baby sister’s a señorita.”

I don’t feel like a señorita. I feel more like a baby in wet diapers. And I don’t want to be a señorita now that I know what El Jefe does to señoritas.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Lucinda (speaker), Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

I admit I feel mean participating in this scheme—but I also understand that our lives are in danger. A tip from Lorena could wipe us out. It’s so unfair to have to live in a country where you have to do stuff you feel bad about in order to save your life. It’s like Papi and Tío Toni planning to assassinate Mr. Smith when they know that murder is wrong. But what if your leader is evil and rapes young girls and kills loads of innocent people and makes your country a place where not even butterflies are safe?

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Chucha, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Lorena
Related Symbols: Butterflies and Flight
Page Number: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
Anita’s Diary Quotes

Actually, Mr. Mancini says that people are secretly calling it an ajusticiámiento, which means bringing to justice, the way criminals have to face the consequences of their evil deeds.

I feel so much better thinking that Papi and Tío Toni were doing justice, not really murdering killing hurting someone. But still...just the thought of my own father—

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Mr. Mancini/Tío Pepe
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis:
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Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith Quotes in Before We Were Free

The Before We Were Free quotes below are all either spoken by Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith or refer to Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith. 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:
Coming of Age and Political Consciousness Theme Icon
).
Chapter One Quotes

I look up at the portrait of our Benefactor, El Jefe, which hangs above the classroom, his eyes watching over us. [...]

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.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 4
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter Two Quotes

Now I’m really confused. I thought we liked El Jefe. His picture hangs in the front entryway with the saying below it: IN THIS HOUSE, TRUJILLO RULES. “But if he’s so bad, why does Mrs. Brown hang his picture in our classroom next to George Washington?”

“We have to do that. Everyone has to do. He’s a dictator.”

I’m not really sure what a dictator does. But this is probably not a good time to ask.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Lucinda (speaker), Papi, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Mrs. Brown
Page Number: 16-17
Explanation and Analysis:

“That’s where I’m from,” Sammy says, puffing out his chest, as if someone is going to pin a medal on it. “Greatest country in the world.”

I want to contradict him and say that my own country is the greatest. But I’m not sure anymore after what Lucinda told me about us having a dictator who makes everybody hang his picture on their walls.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Sam Washburn (speaker), Lucinda, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 23
Explanation and Analysis:
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!

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Sam Washburn, Lucinda, Mundín, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Oscar Mancini, Susie Washburn
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

I lift the sheet and she looks down with a questioning expression. Then a knowing smile spreads on her lips. “Congratulations,” she says, leaning over and kissing me. “My baby sister’s a señorita.”

I don’t feel like a señorita. I feel more like a baby in wet diapers. And I don’t want to be a señorita now that I know what El Jefe does to señoritas.

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Lucinda (speaker), Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith
Page Number: 71
Explanation and Analysis:

I admit I feel mean participating in this scheme—but I also understand that our lives are in danger. A tip from Lorena could wipe us out. It’s so unfair to have to live in a country where you have to do stuff you feel bad about in order to save your life. It’s like Papi and Tío Toni planning to assassinate Mr. Smith when they know that murder is wrong. But what if your leader is evil and rapes young girls and kills loads of innocent people and makes your country a place where not even butterflies are safe?

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Chucha, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Lorena
Related Symbols: Butterflies and Flight
Page Number: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
Anita’s Diary Quotes

Actually, Mr. Mancini says that people are secretly calling it an ajusticiámiento, which means bringing to justice, the way criminals have to face the consequences of their evil deeds.

I feel so much better thinking that Papi and Tío Toni were doing justice, not really murdering killing hurting someone. But still...just the thought of my own father—

Related Characters: Anita (speaker), Papi, Trujillo/El Jefe/Mr. Smith, Tío Toni, Mr. Mancini/Tío Pepe
Page Number: 109
Explanation and Analysis: