“Liberty”By Julia Alvarez

Before, During, and After Reading Skills

Literary Response

“Liberty” 

Read the text carefully and note the way the author uses story details to reveal information

about the characters and conflicts . 

How well do you think Alvarez uses the story details to tell

the readers about the characters and conflicts?

Explain your thoughts and ideas and use evidence from the text to support your

response.

Pre-Reading Pages

• Read the preparing to read section on page 55.

• Identify the “Literary Focus” of this selection.

• Identify the “Reading Focus” of this selection.

• What skill is the “Writing” focus of this selection?

Author Information

• Read the “Meet the Writer” section on page 56.

• Make a list of at least three important facts you learn about the author.

• What do you think is the most important detail you learned from this information?

Before Reading Skills

Preview and Predictions

• Examine the text features located throughout the selection.

• Make a list of the things you “know” or “think you know” based only on the text features.

• Make a list of at least 3 things you want to know, but you need to read in order to find out.

• What do you think will be the main conflict in the story?

During Reading Skills

Analyzing Details

• Analyzing story details may help you follow a story’s conflict and its resolution.

• In most stories the details hint at the conflicts the main characters face.

• As you read, look for the story details that you believe are important. Be sure you can state why you think a detail is important.

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

Pages 57,58,59

A. Literary Focus – Setting and Conflict: How does the story’s setting contribute to the conflict the family faces?

Best Response

The political situation in the country in which the story is set forces the family

into a conflict over staying in the country or immigrating to the United States.

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

Pages 57,58,59

B. Reading Focus – Analyzing Details: Mami seems distracted, and then she suddenly starts to cry. What do these details tells you about Mami and the family’s situation?

Best Response

Mami is worried, nervous, and upset about the family’s impending move to the United States.

Her reactions indicates the family is facing a much more dangerous conflict than simply moving

to another location.

Comprehension/Discussion Questions

Pages 57,58,59

C. Literary Focus – Setting and Conflict: The two strange men do not have names. In what way do these men help reveal the story’s setting? What conflict do they trigger?

Best Response

The men reveal that the setting is dangerous. The men ask the narrator to lie about seeing them. This triggers an internal conflict in the narrator because she is unfamiliar with grown-ups who

encourage lying.

Page 60

D. Reading Focus – Analyzing Details: Mami finds wires in the house. What might this detail signify?

Best Response

The wires indicate that someone is carefully watching and listening to what is

happening in the house. It means the family is in greater danger than they may

have believed.

Page 60

E. Reading Focus – Analyzing Details: The narrator hears the men talk about hunting a goat and thinks their conversation is strange. How might her reaction be a clue to what the men are really saying?

Best Response

The narrator’s reaction suggests that the men are talking in code. The hunting of the “goat” suggests that the men are in the process of trying to capture someone

secretly.

Pages 61

F. Literary Focus – Setting and Conflict: The narrator and Mami battle over what will happen to Liberty. In what way does this conflict relate to the setting of the story?

Best Response

The conflict is an effect of the setting. The family’s homeland is dangerous, so they flee to the United States. If their homeland was safe, there would be no conflict over leaving the puppy behind.

Pages 61

G. Literary Focus – Setting and Conflict: How are the narrator and Liberty in conflict at the end of the story?

Best Response

Liberty wants to follow the narrator, and the narrator wants Liberty to run away.

It isn’t what the narrator really “wants” to do, but it is something that

must be done if she is to reach her greater goal.

A. Making Inferences – At the beginning of the story, what clues suggest that the family does not currently have “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”? Explain your ideas and thoughts.

B. Drawing Conclusions – What two meanings does the word “liberty” have in the story? Defend your response.

Stop and Think!!!