One of the strongest traits to possess is not courage nor intellect, but rather love for one another. The novel, In the time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, perfectly illustrates the capabilities love can accomplish. Love is shown to bond families like the Mirabel sisters together and evoke emotion that encourage others to sympathize with them. The stories about the Mirabel sister’s children, husbands, and themselves, paved a path to ending Trujillo’s regime. The emphasis of love that the sisters and their families share is prevalent throughout the novel In the Time of the Butterflies, as it influences them to protect and sacrifice for one another, which ultimately inspires a revolt to successfully end Trujillo’s regime. The sister’s …show more content…
One day, Patria travels with her church group to the mountains, however there was a sudden attack and a boy was wounded. Patria was sympathetic towards the boy and considered him as her own son. She, “saw wonder on his face as the life drained out of him, and I thought, he’s one of mine…I’m not going to sit back and watch my babies die” (162). This situation shows the love that Patria has for her kids. She thinks her son and even considered that this young boy was “one of mine”. This is the turning point for Patria as she now understand that her duty is not to let her kids die, but also to create a better future for them. It is this maternal love that motivates Patria and the church to join the rebellion. Afterwards, Patria and the church were, “mourning that dead boy” (163). Eventually, the church, “invited a few of us old members, they had pick us out as ready for the Church Militant…the room was silent with the fury of avenging angels. And so …show more content…
The church formed a new movement in order to prevent and avenge the deaths of the innocent citizens during Trujillo’s regime. Eventually, Patria and the church proved to be formidable enemies to Trujillo as he remarked, “My only two problems are the damn church and the Mirabal sisters” (281). Thus, showing how at the end, it was due to this love shared between Patria and her kids that led to the establishment of the church, which was crucial to the fall of Trujillo. Although the sisters had created a strong foundation with the church through their love of their children, they further enhanced the rebellion by loving their husbands. The love shared between the sisters and their husbands propelled the downfall of Trujillo by gaining support from the OAS and the citizens of the Dominican Republic. During Mate’s time in prison, she became the representative of Dominican Republic and was chosen to write a letter to the OAS. It was here that she wrote about a traumatizing experience with her husband in prison. The letter was received by the OAS investigating Human Right Abuses, in which Mate wrote, “This is a journal entry of what occurred at La 40…I’d rather not put my name.
In the Time of the Butterflies is a historical fiction novel written by Julia Alvarez. The book focuses on the lives of the four Mirabal sisters who were killed on November 25th, 1960 as a result of organizing against the government. Throughout the novel, the sisters are oppressed and hurt by the many men in their lives. The book takes a view that is not very tolerant of men. The men often do things that hurt the women in their lives, such as physically hurt them, cheat on them, or control them against their will.
Determination and dedication is always hard, especially when trying to or being a revolutionary. In In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez these sisters are facing many challenges and bumps while trying to do what is right. While all the sisters are revolutionaries there is always a struggle, not only for the girls but Trujillo too. All the things the girls try to or do to Trujillo just to lose their life means barely anything a couple months later after they die because Trujillo dies too. In Julia Alvarez’s novel In the Time of the Butterflies, she depicts the Mirabal sisters as revolutionaries through the characteristics of determination and passionate.
(Alvarez 269). As the clock ticks to the horrible ending for the Mirabal sisters, they still do everything they can to help the revolution. Their uncle tells them that Trujillo told him “My only two problems are the damn church and the Mirabal sisters “(Alvarez 281). Minerva knows that she is caught in Trujillo’s net. “Not only was there nothing in the world we could do to
Literature Assignment Point of View In the Time of the Butterflies In the Time of the Butterflies is a novel written by Julia Alvarez. This book is written in the first person point of view. This is one of the easier ways to go about writing a book or short story.
In the Dominican Republic, women were expected to go by what their husbands and fathers said. Women portrayed to have less power and authority than men. In “In the Time of the Butterflies”, the Mirabal sisters showed something very differently, instead they demonstrated the equal authority they have with their husbands. Their power challenged gender limitations that were forced on them by their patriarchal Dominican culture. Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa all were sisters who became involved in political movements against President Trujillo.
The novel tells the various experiences of the women that existed in oscar’s life. There is a consistence of maltreatment of women starting from the beginning of the Cabral history and their fuku. The dominican republic is where the idea is patriarchy and the abuse of women stem from in the novel. Rafael Leónidas Trujillo, president of the Dominican Republic, felt as ruler he could do whatever he wanted to whomever he wanted. This was true about the dictator, he was most noted for his desire for beautiful young women.
Courage Courage is strength in the face of pain. Julia Alvarez portrays different types of courage in her novel, In the Time of the Butterflies. The novel is set during the time of Trujillo's dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. As a result, some of the Mirabal sisters; Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Patria, to take a step in joining a revolution against him.
The Mirabal sisters were revolutionaries who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. During the revolution, they were given the code name “Las Mariposas”, or “the butterflies”. The term “mariposa” suits each sister in a different way. Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and Mate Mirabal each have their one reason to be compared to a butterfly. The nickname “mariposa” shows who the Mirabal sisters are; they transformed from domestic, innocent mothers and wives into brave, defiant martyrs for national freedom.
This reigns true until their third child. While the couple try to have a third baby Patria doesn 't feel so good. The baby ends up being a miscarriage thus creating the turning point to Patrias life. She is devastated. During the time of her pregnancy, Patria was drifting away from her plans on being a nun and she became less religious while with Pedrito and focusing on being a mother.
The reader not only grasps conflict between Esteban and Blanca, but also the conflict between Esteban and the people of Tres Marias. The violent conflict the
Julia Alvarez’s In the Time of the Butterflies is a work of historical fiction set in the Dominican Republic that focuses on the four Mirabal sisters who bond together to rebel against the corrupt leader of their country, Rafael Trujillo. The four Mirabal sisters, Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa form closer relationships with each other as they figure out a way to bring down the tyranny of Rafael Trujillo. Although they have a mutual goal, each of the Mirabal sisters has different feelings and thoughts throughout this time period. The theme of coming-of-age and identify is best exemplified through the character of María Teresa, known as Mate, through the ways she matures throughout the novel and becomes her own person who stands up for what she believes in.
Marxist Criticism focuses on class struggle and power structure in a literary piece (Davidson). In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez can be analyzed using Marxist Criticism to show how power is maintained in the novel. Trujillo maintains his power by convincing girls to live in his homes, jailing citizens who try to overthrow him, and killing citizens that he has large problems with. Trujillo uses his authority to make all of his citizens obey him so that he can keep his power, or else they must deal with severe consequences. Trujillo acts this way to prove that he is the man in charge and ultimately prove that he is unbeatable.
Juana Barraza is a serial killer in Mexico. She was born on December 27, 1958 in Hidalgo, Mexico. As a child she had a thought life. Her mother Justa Samperio an alcoholic woman would exchange her to a man called Jose Lugo for a couple of beer. Barraza was sexually abuse; as a result she became a mother at the age of 13.
The sacrifice of the Mirabal sisters persists to influence and connect with those in the Dominican Republic. A New York Times article describes the result of courageous actions by the Mirabals as being, “marked change in the political climate has completed the transformation of ‘the Butterflies,’ as the sisters were known in their days as members of the anti-Trujillo underground, into symbols of both popular and feminist resistance” (Rohter). Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa Mirabal defy the abilities of women to overthrow Dictator, Rafael Trujillo and his tyrannical supremacy. In the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez demonstrates a fictional style to explain the true events the sisters underwent to terminate the division
From the moment that the Dominican republic was free from Trujillo’s dictatorship, contrasting viewpoints have come up regarding the sacrifices of the Mirabal sisters. While some argue that the Mirabal sisters sacrifices were not beneficial and worthwhile to the revolution because it resulted in the orphaning of their children and three young lives were lost. Others argue that the Mirabal sisters sacrifices were effective for the revolution since it changed the future of their country. I deem the sisters sacrifices are justifiable because their sacrifices had an important purpose. Isn’t it true that Trujillo's was absolutely in power for 31 years however, because of the three young sisters his cruel regime ended.