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Mr. Washburn
Mundín is Anita’s older brother; he’s 14 when the novel begins. He has a nervous habit of chewing his fingernails, and he’s often nervous these days because of the danger that the family is in. As the novel progresses, Mundín gets involved with the resistance movement. Papi allows this, but he makes it clear that Mundín’s primary responsibility is to his family—particularly since he would be the man of the house if something were to happen to Papi. Even with all the political turmoil, Mundín still finds the time to pine after girls; he takes a particular interest in Oscar’s older sister, María de los Santos. On the night of Trujillo’s assassination, Mundín is supposed to stay home with Mami and Anita—but when the opportunity presents itself, he sneaks off with Papi and the other men in the resistance. After the assassination, Mundín goes into hiding at the Italian embassy. Eventually, the Italian ambassador sneaks Mundín out of the country on an Italian cruise ship, dressed as a girl. He joins the rest of the extended family in New York. Months later, once Anita and her family receive the news that Papi died, family members say that Mundín takes the news the hardest. While Anita takes issue with this given her own all-consuming grief, she also thinks that Mundín’s bitten nails are proof that he’s having a hard time coping.
Mundín Quotes in Before We Were Free
The Before We Were Free quotes below are all either spoken by Mundín or refer to Mundín. 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:
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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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Anita’s Diary Quotes
Today’s note was just to me. I guess from his hiding place, Mundín caught a glimpse of María de los Santos sitting in the gallery with some young fellow, and he wants to know what I know.
I couldn’t believe that Mundín was thinking about a girlfriend at a time like this!
But then... I’m thinking a lot about Oscar! As Chucha would say, the hunchback laughing at the camel’s hump!
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Chapter Ten Quotes
Then one of them shook our hands and said, “Welcome to the United States of America,” and pointed us out of Immigration. And there was my answer to how I would survive in this strange, new world: my family was waiting for us—Mundín and Lucia, my grandparents, Carla, her sisters, and Tía Laura and Tío Carlos and Tía Mimí—all of them calling out, “Anita! Carmen!”
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Mundín Character Timeline in Before We Were Free
The timeline below shows where the character Mundín appears in Before We Were Free. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter One
Anita’s older siblings, Lucinda and Mundín, are already home. They stand with Mami and Chucha, the nanny, who holds Carla’s baby...
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...stern look. A black moth flies into the room, frightening Lucinda—she thinks it’s a bat. Mundín, however, says it’s a black butterfly. According to Chucha, black moths are death omens, so...
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Chapter Two
The next day, Papi goes to work early and takes Mundín along. Anita mopes at first, but then she hears the gardener singing and thinks it’ll...
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...sleeping on the floor and she’s concerned about Chucha, who’s alone in her own room. Mundín offers that bullets couldn’t penetrate Chucha’s coffin, frightening Anita even more.
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...Mami begs for Anita to stop asking questions she can’t answer, so Anita goes to Mundín. Mundín seems more anxious than usual; he’s started biting his nails again. He sends Anita...
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Chapter Three
...anyone about what happened—even to Sam and Susie. Susie and Lucinda are now great friends. Mundín is not concerned that he didn’t get a new friend, since Papi now gives him...
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Chapter Five
...to safe house. He’s nervous and jumps at everything. When he notices Lucinda’s rash and Mundín’s bitten nails, he laments that kids can’t be kids in this country. Papi nods and...
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...party. As soon as Lorena is gone, Mami calls that the coast is clear. Papi, Mundín, and some other men head down the path toward Tío Toni’s house. Finally, when Mami...
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Chapter Six
...in the doorway, she feels safe. Recently, Chucha had a dream in which Anita, Lucinda, Mundín, and Mami all flew away. When Anita asked about Papi, Chucha said, “Not everyone can...
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Finally, Anita asks Mundín if Papi is going to kill El Jefe. He swiftly covers her mouth and tells...
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...came through. Anita decides that Mr. Washburn is a good, trustworthy man, like Papi and Mundín.
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Chapter Seven
...prays that Lorena won’t tell anyone about her erased diary. When they stop to drop Mundín off, Mundín offers to take Anita for a ride in Tío Toni’s hot rod later....
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Anita stays in bed all day. Chucha brings her tea, while Mundín offers to take her for a ride. He bites his nails and Anita empathizes—she realizes...
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...it’s related to why she now goes to the Mancinis’ house for lessons. Anita and Mundín ride with Sam in the consulate car, since it’s safer. There are now lots of...
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These days, Sam comes over to hang out with Mundín and work on Tío Toni’s hot rod. Anita knows for sure that she doesn’t love...
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Chapter Eight
Papi arrives soon after to pick up Anita and Mundín. Normally, he visits with Mrs. Mancini’s mother while Mundín finishes a Parcheesi game with María...
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...to the wall. When Mami runs out, Papi gives her a nod like he gave Mundín. Mami asks Anita how school was and doesn’t seem to notice Anita’s blush. Instead, she...
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Mami also worries about Mundín, as he’s now old enough to be treated like an adult if the SIM arrest...
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...Chucha knocks. Anita offers to help Chucha turn down the beds. As they stand around Mundín’s bed, Chucha whispers for Anita to get ready to fly free. At that moment, they...
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...He kisses Anita and Mami and leaves with the other men. Suddenly, Mami realizes that Mundín is gone. After a frantic phone call, she finds out where he is and grouses...
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Chapter Nine
...confessions out of their captives, they’ll arrest the family. Mami panics when she realizes that Mundín is in danger, but Mr. Mancini assures her he’s fine. He tells Mami and Anita...
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Anita’s Diary
...Tío Pepe covered Mami and Anita in sacks and, fortunately, no one stopped the car. Mundín was at the Italian embassy. They decided that Mundín would stay there, where the SIM...
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...and stay strong. The following day, Anita writes that she and Mami get notes from Mundín. He’s fine, but he wants to know if María de los Santos has a boyfriend....
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...die old maids, she gave the shell back to Mari. Tío Pepe also shared that Mundín is going to be evacuated.
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...them out. There was a blond girl with a sour face on the bed—it was Mundín in disguise. He was on the way to being evacuated on an Italian cruise ship....
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Chapter Ten
...the U.S. To give the children something to do, Mami arranges for Anita, Lucinda, and Mundín to sit in on classes at a Catholic school. Anita ends up in a second-grade...
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When Anita gets to the door, she hears Mamita crying. Mundín opens the door and says that Mr. Washburn is here. Anita fears that Mr. Washburn...
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