How we cite our quotes: (Act.Chapter.Section.Paragraph), (Act.Special Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #10
The reign of Trujillo was not the best time to be a lover of Ideas, not the best time to be engaging in parlor debate, to be hosting tertulias [chats], to be doing anything out of the ordinary. (2.5.1.7)
This quote is about Abelard's tertulias [chats]. Basically, Abelard would invite over some smart people and they'd talk about anything and everything—literature, philosophy, science, ancient history. Anything, that is, except Trujillo. So not only does Trujillo have power over what people do in the Dominican Republic, he has power over what people do (and don't) say. That's some big-time dictatorial control.