In The Time Of The Butterflies Analysis

Entry 9: Defiance

According to the UN Secretary-General, “In 2012, almost half of all women who were victims of international homicide worldwide were killed by an intimate partner or family member,” (“Violence Against Women”) while men only accounted for six percent. November 25th marks the International Day Against Violence Towards Women as well as the deaths of the three Mirabal sisters. The novel In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez describes their journey to serve as “models for women fighting against injustice of all kinds” (Alvarez 324). In the Time of the Butterflies can be looked upon through a Feminist lens by analyzing how women defy and overcome their stereotypical gender roles. Women in the novel defy gender roles by rising against unjust power and creating a revolution against the dictatorship that overpowered the Dominican Republic. Minerva Mirabal was the first of the sisters who wanted to make a difference, and defied power ever since she was a young lady. She was once invited to a dance sponsored by Trujillo. They were dancing together and he started touching her inappropriately. She tried to push him away at first, but when he continued to thrust his pelvis at her in a “vulgar way,” (100) she raised a hand and slapped him in the face. From this point on, the revolution began for Minerva. She and her sisters planned to kill Trujillo. They began to harbor guns and prepare for their fight. Unfortunately, they were arrested and sent to prison along