Character Analysis: The Mirabal Sisters

In the Time of the Butterflies is a book about 4 sisters, Patria, Dedé, Minerva, and María Teresa. The book is about the three girls growing up and their experiences during the time of the underground movement to overthrow Trujillo. The book was written in memory of Dedé’s 3 sisters who had been ambushed and murdered, which we are aware of since the beginning of the novel. The beginning chapter of the book is describing Dedé as she waits for a woman who is going to interview her about her three sisters, she then goes into a flashback she has of her family talking at the dinner table and her father mentions someone named Trujillo, which then gives a hint at who this book might be formed around. Through the book, we read stories about times in the girls’ lives when they were going to school at Inmaculada Concepcion and being at home and falling in love, as well as there run ins with Trujillo himself.

In 1960, three sisters Minerva, Patria, and María Teresa are members of a secret movement against Trujillo-- all except for Dedé, the surviving sister. Throughout the novel, all of these sisters develop in many areas. One of these important areas include the struggle of being a “good Catholic girl”. María Teresa (Mate), the youngest of the Mirabal sisters, goes through many struggles that gradually develops her

According to Rafael Trujillo, “He who does not know how to deceive does not know how to rule(azquotes)”. This explains the mindset of the dictator of the Dominican Republic shown in the book The Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. In this historical fiction book it explain the story of the Mirabal sister in there fight to stop the oppression of Trujillo. It goes though there life story and gives insight to what the conditions were. Trujillo and the Dominican Republic government oppressed the citizens by arresting if you resist them, Machiavellian control and the deplorable conditions these people lived in.

According to Patria one of the three sisters involved in the movement, states that she and her other sisters were not willing to offer their family for the revolution until Minerva did “But Minerva, your own child- I began and then I saw it did hurt her to make this sacrifice she was convinced she needed to make” (Alvarez, 155). Patria’s compelling words show the determination of Minerva to end the sadistic presidency. Minerva doesn’t not want to give up her child but she does so for what she believes in. Such determination leads to worthiness of the sister’s sacrifices. Dede, the only sister who survived insists that she would have joined her sisters

Men were known to hold higher positions than women and they did not like to be threatened by powerful women. Most Dominican people were into their religion as well. Dede Mirabal fit this stereotype in many ways. Dede was very religious and she did not do anything that could hurt her country even if she did not agree with everything in it. She fit the typical citizen because while her sisters were out planning to rebel she stayed back and took care of the children.

In the beginning of In the Time of the Butterflies, the sisters were living cooperatively under Trujillo’s rule, but throughout the novel the reader watches each sister grow and develop their own values. As people around the world heard about their story the sisters started to be called mariposas, or butterflies. The Mirabal sisters are associated with butterflies because each in their own unique way can identify with the subtle bravery of the insect; Minerva’s strength, Patria’s stability, Mate’s development, and Dedé’s instincts. The eldest sister, Patria, was always a child of God. She starts off her first chapter by telling the reader, “No one had to tell me to believe in God or

The Rez Sisters by Tomson Highway tells a story of a group of seven Native women that live on Wasaychigan Reserve. The play highlights the struggles and hardships faced by those who live in these settlements. The sisters also further shed light on the internal conflict and individual struggles that each of the characters face. THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BINGO seems to hold the solution to all The Rez Sisters problems and seems to be an escape from their personal demons. Each individual regards the winning of the bingo as an inexplicable end to all of her individual problems.

In paragraph 27 it states ,”there were still old cronies of the dictator around who would love an excuse to go after my family after my father ,after her ,” the cronies were loyal servants to the dictator even when he was dead so alvarez's mother thought they were still in danger of being captured or killed ,because of the cronies the mother would live in fear unlike alvarez who didn't fully believe they would come after them . Alvarez wrote her novels knowing they may wreak havoc on her family members who were still in the dominican republic and maybe her parents and sisters. In paragraph 29 and 30 it talks about the last novel she wrote about the island and how her mother thought about it ,”I don't care what happens to us i'm so proud of you ,” her mother says ,alvarez wrote the novel at the risk of her family but her mother and her new the story had to be told and the things the people had to go through

Over the years of fitting in, she enjoyed her independence but believed it “…didn’t have to be an exile…” (Alvarez 1304) from her native ways. In regaining her identity, she believes she must reconnect with her favorite childhood “…antojos, guavas…” (Alvarez 1300). In finding and eating the guavas, it is her way of reconnecting with her family and calling back the memories of the once Dominican

Diaz was not only passing through these struggles in the Dominican Republic, he also got to experience the affairs his father had with another women and how it affected his mother. In his book,

By killing the Mirabal sisters, Trujillo maintains his power by showing everyone else what he is capable of doing. Killing the Mirabal sisters instills fear in others around them because everyone knows what Trujillo is capable of. Trujillo instills this fear in people so nobody else will question his

She watches her mother sacrifice her virtue in order to keep them together, loose her sanity when another child is taken from her and eventually surrender her faith and health. And in the midst of all the chaos Juana learned, “to do what you have to do,” for the sake of your family In her search family proves to be an important theme. Once, when Juana risks her livelihood to search for her father, leaving her home with little money, and no knowledge of where to find him if he was even alive. Another way the importance of family is emphasized is in the sacrifices of each character for the sake of what they found most valuable, their family.

Trujillo quickly took control over everything and the nation soon was officially under a dictatorship. To instill fear he killed people such as general Cipriano Bencosme one of the followers of Horacio Vasquez and exhibited him to the public. He then went to Bencosme’s widow to give his condolences to further show his cruelty. For fear of something happening to her children, Mrs. Bencosme accepted Trujillo’s apology. One

In Bucknell University’s production of Marisol by Jose Rivera, one of the central themes is chaos and the effects of chaos. This theme of chaos is in part seen through the inconsistent timeline of the play. Chaos is also seen through the development of the main characters Marisol, June, and Lenny. Jose Rivera’s purpose in writing about chaos is to parallel the real life experiences of so many people before and even now that live the lives of his characters in Marisol. The chaos is present to give voice to the real people who lived in uncertainty, enduring the insane events of the play.

The result of Juan leaving was major, but it was not what was to be expected. Usually a person falls apart when their spouse leaves them, but Maria becomes extremely cold. When her child dies from complications of birth, Maria,”becomes stolid, refusing even to cry when her child is born and dies”(DeMouy). She still battles on and continues her daily life. When the women and girls offer their sympathies and prayers to Maria, she simplys replies, “Keep your prayers to yourself, Lupe, or offer them for others who need them.