In Julia Alvarez’s, In the Time of the Butterflies, the three butterflies hold a strong personality each unique to one another, guiding them through the revolution. Patria becomes cautious, measuring each action making sure if it’s smart and safe. Mate has an imaginative brain, with a strong will to hold on, she withstands torture without cracking and fights against the regime as she still grasps onto her innocent playful attitude. However, Minerva displays a strong head, her words and actions demonstrate personal bravery determined to fight for what is right and sticking up for those who have no voice. Being the eldest Mirabal sister, Patria constantly acts like a mother to her sisters.At the age of two, Mama found Patria changing Dede’s diaper, but instead of …show more content…
putting on a clean Patria took off hers and gave it to her baby sister. She gave her belongings away to those who were in need and became VERY religious at an early age; traveling on a pilgrimage with her mother and sisters. “I got braver like a crab going sideways. I inched towards courage the best way I could, helping out with the little things.” (150) Patria began her life as a revolutionary with little actions, sneaking up on her life. She shows characteristics of a mother even to Mama; helping her talk through Papa’s affair. Patria picks up from her sister's mistakes, trying to make them better; she even describes herself as a wife who built her house upon the rocks while her sisters built their homes on the sand having a slide of an adventure. In the eldest sisters worst moments, she still stands strong for her siblings, taking action and calling the shots. Moreover, Patria has a big heart and devotion to her faith/family. In the moments Maria Teresa reflects and writes in her journal, you can see her soul deepen and change through the years. Mate lives up to the littlest sibling personality, becoming full of fear of losing her sisters and wanting to protect them; falling behind to watch and learn. By joining the revolution, Mate turns into a butterfly, “I pictured myself on a hot day falling, slowly and deeply, into those cold layers of water. I held on tight to my sister’s hands, no longer afraid of anything that she might let go,” (39) She becomes an adult, fighting for her own beliefs; no longer behind closed doors in her little book. In the prison, she showed the most courage on the electrocution table. After going the through the excruciating pain of shock waves, Mate keeps her mouth quiet refraining from speaking the truth about the Mirabals path through the revolution; with her weak body she gets herself up, dresses and walks out of the room. At an early age, Minerva shows characteristics of strong-will and determination.
She convinces her father to send the sisters to Immaculada Concepcion. Immaculada Concepcion is the birthplace of her inspiring devotion to fighting against the regime. The student introduced Minerva to El Jefe when she rooms with Sinita, listening to her horrific family story and Lina Lovaton, the young female Trujillo impregnated and sent off. As time passes, she expands her capability to speak for others. Minerva takes a bigger leadership position than she could handle, she forces herself to gives up her child to fight for the right of the people; she gives up her freedom and a normal life for those who had no voice. Knowing she is creating a better future for her family and citizens, gives her the courage to meet in Don Horacio's house, even though it's highly illegal to do so. Mate speaks about her older sister, “I asked Minerva why she was doing such a dangerous thing. And then, she said the strangest thing. She wanted me to grow up in a free country.” (38) The active butterfly wears a calm, cool and collected mask for the Mirabals, as she tries to take care of everyone and keeping her scared/sadness in to appear
strong. The three butterflies hold a strong personality each unique to one another, guiding them through the revolution. Along the side of Minerva’s courage, Patria’s protective nature, and Mate’s youthful charisma, the Mirabal sisters create a perfect trio. Without Minerva’s hardy mannerisms, who knows if the girls would have joined the revolution; history would not have been the same.
He had to get back at her by going through her family instead of going directly to her. Minerva was brave enough to slap the dictator. She was stronger than him, and she was incredible. Minerva was the most heroic of her sisters. She introduced her family to the rebellion.
In the Time of the Butterflies is a historical fiction novel by Julia Alvarez based on events that occurred during the rule of Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. This book shows the hardships the Mirabal Sisters had to go through while being part of an underground effort to overthrow the dictatorship of Trujillo. It also shows that ultimately, it was their courage that brought upon their own death. Alvarez wants us to understand anyone and everyone has the potential to be courageous.
Mark Haddon, the man that created this quote, said, “ Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well.” This connects to the theme of the story The Ghost bird because Mr. Tanner is saying how he sees a rare bird and no one but one little girl named Hannah believes in him. In the story The Ghost Bird by Roland Smith, There is a little girl named Hannah who is neighbors with an old guy named Mr. Tanner. One day Mr. Tanner claims to have seen a rare bird that was said to be extinct. No one in the town believes him except for the little girl Hannah. Hannah sticks by his side and eventually comes to figure out that it helps her in a good way. The author uses the setting and conflict to convey the theme of believing can lead to good turnouts.
In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, takes place in the Dominican Republic during Trujillo’s control of the country. Dedé and Minerva are two extremely different Mirabal sisters, shown by how they respond to Trujillo taking over their country. Dedé and Minerva are only two of the sisters. There are four in total: Minerva, Dedé, Patria and María Teresa. The four sisters take turns throughout In the Time of the Butterflies telling their stories from the 1940s while living in the Dominican Republic. Manipulating her point of view and attitude, Julia Alvarez uses an impassioned style of writing to portray Minerva’s strong leadership and an explicit style of writing to portray Dedé’s willingness to compromise.
Minerva and Maria Teresa are two characters in Julia Alvarez’s In Time of the Butterflies. Minerva is one of the four main characters of the novel, as well as Maria Teresa. Minerva is the second youngest of the family and is very caring and kind. She was talking to her friend Sinita, who was one of the girls she met at school, and told her, “Tell me Sinita, maybe it’ll help” (Alvarez 16). Her friend Sinita told her the story about her brother’s death and Minerva felt sympathetic for her lost. Maria Teresa is the youngest of the Mirabal sisters and the ...
Within the novel, “In the Time of the Butterflies,” Mate, Minerva, Dede, and Patria had to create decisions to overcome obstacles that would transform each of their lives. Throughout the book, all of the sisters changed somehow. They all grew up, matured, and saw things how they never viewed before. While looking at these things at a different perception, they learned to make decisions that were sometimes brave and sometimes cowardly. Each of the Mirabal sisters had to choose whether or not to be fearful and give up, or be courageous and stand her ground, or make sacrifices to show her strength throughout the novel.
Although Patria is concerned with the regime she isn’t on board with the revolution yet, unlike her sisters Minerva and Mate. While on the church retreat Patria watches a boy get shot in the back by guards. She is so stricken by his death that she feels like she has lost another child, “My stillborn of thirteen years ago. My murdered son of a few hours ago.” (162). Patria is so devastated by the loss of her “son” that she decides for herself that it is time to take action. The unforeseen murder prompts Patria to begin another metamorphosis. Because Patria is so pious and protective over her family it is not expected of her to take part in such a risky movement, but it is those same characteristics that give her the courage to resist the regime. The concern for the well being of her family and the involvement of the church in the revolution bring Patria to form her new conclusion: “Amen to the revolution” (164). Patria wants a better life for her family and she now sees that the only way to achieve this is through the revolution; she must make a sudden change which is similar to the quick transition of a caterpillar to a butterfly. After some convincing, Patria is able to persuade her husband Pedrito to allow revolutionaries to meet in their backyard and eventually turn their home into a rebel control center. Patria evolves from an innocent bystander to a
Out from the kitchen and into the world, women are making a better name for themselves. Although humankind tends to be male dominated, men are not the only species that inhabit the world that they live on. In Julia Alvarez's novel In the Time of the Butterflies, the women of the Dominican Republic are expected to grow up to be housewives and lacking a formal education. Women may be cherished like national treasures, but they are not expected to fulfill their truest potentials as human beings.
Would you risk your life to save a lonely friend who was about to die on account of malicious gossip? In the Witch of Blackbird Pond the setting is New England along it's bleak shores. The main character Katherine is from Barbados because her grandpa had just died and she was traveling to America to live with her Uncle and Aunt who did not even know she she was coming. When she arrived her Aunt whose name was Rachel received her with open arms but her Uncle was not as open and wanted her to earn her keep. There was another character who was unmentioned for a while, her name was Hannah Tupper. Kits initial reaction to Hannah was anxiety and fear But she then softened up to Hannah. Her first interaction with Hannah was a helpful one in her time of need and self pity. The view and opinion of Hannah changed through the book from a kind old lady to admiration and unconditional love.
Alvarez, Julia. In The Time of the Butterflies. New York, NY: Penguin, 1994. Print Hardback. 31 Oct 2013 - 8 Dec 2013.
Despite the various acclamations In the Time of the Butterflies has received, the novel actually received a bit of criticism in the literary realm due to controversial subject matter. One school in Port Washington even decided to ban Julia Alvarez’s novel. A student from this district commented on the school board’s decision stating “The Port Washington school district has a national reputation for diversity and open-mindedness; we should keep it that way. So we were surprised and distressed when we first heard about the school board 's decision to ban Julia Alvarez 's novel ' 'In the Time of the Butterflies ' ' because it included a
People who have a position in the government can start off doing good things for the people and country, but will become power hungry and want to be in control of every little thing. This hunger for power can be seen in the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, which demonstrates how the daily lives of the citizens in the Dominican Republic are affected under the rule of their oppressive ruler, Trujillo. Alvarez focuses on 4 sisters, the Mirabal family, who strive for equality and democratic rights. The 4 sisters have all been been oppressed by Trujillo´s ridiculous laws. Enforcing unnecessary laws on society makes sure that Trujillo stays in complete control, which compels the people to strive for more freedom and rights,
In any culture women are often confined by expectations of womanhood. In both stories the female characters challenge those expectations. The main characters of In the Time of the Butterflies are all females who stand up for what they believe in and don’t give up. “’What if I can’t’ Dede’s voice shook. ‘Jaimito thinks
“had to be brave for Sinita.” (19). This “hero’s attitude” is further evident in Minerva’s interactions with her sisters. One poignant example of this heroism is seen when Maria Teresa confronts minerva about why she was going to secret meetings at Don Horacio’s house, and asks her why she's doing such a dangerous thing. Minerva responds that she wants maria teresa to grow up in a free country, perfectly illustrating how minerva is willing to sacrifice herself so that the people around her can grow up in a better
“The Necklace”, narrated by Guy de Maupassant in 3rd person omniscient, focuses the story around Mathilde Loisel who is middle class, and her dreams of fame and fortune. The story is set in 19th century France. One day, Mathilde’s husband brings home an invitation to a fancy ball for Mathilde; to his surprise Mathilde throws a fit because she doesn’t have a dress or jewelry to wear to the ball. M. Loisel gets her the beautifully expensive dress she desires and Mathilde borrows a diamond necklace from Mme. Forestier, a rich acquaintance of Mathilde. Mathilde goes to the ball and has a night she’s dreamed of, until she gets home from the ball at 4 A.M. to find