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Martyrdom in Its Purest Form Essay example

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What defines a martyr? Why is it that only few people are bestowed the honor of becoming a martyr? A martyr is not only a person who suffers for a cause but who also loves that cause and dies fighting for it. In the novel In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez uses the character of Minerva Mirabal to show what martyrdom is and that becoming a martyr is more difficult than most think. Because of Minerva’s involvement with the revolution, she has suffered the repercussions of disobeying Trujillo and his infamous SIM; emotionally she is torn up. Then after she suffers through as much as a person can bear, she is delivered the most severe punishment of all, death. Minerva Mirabal proves what it is to be a martyr because …show more content…

She is well on her way, thanks to Trujillo, who allowed her to go to university, but then is stripped of that opportunity when Trujillo does not allow her to receive her practitioner’s license. Instead of fighting for it, Minerva lets it go, and although she is furious, she knows that this will leave more time for the blossoming revolt. Minerva also gives up her potential love for Lío when he announces he must leave the country. Minerva states that “I was relieved that circumstances would be resolving things between us, (Alvarez 86)” saying that even thought she liked Lío very much, and more could possibly happen between them, she knew it was a good thing that he was leaving, so she could focus more on the impending revolution.
Because of the nearness of the revolution, Minvera knows that if she makes one wrong move or cowards in the face of danger, her support from the people will weaken. No, Minerva must prove to the whole of the Dominican Republic that she not is afraid of Trujillo. And she does prove this; even in right up in the face of danger, Minerva stays brave for herself, her family and for her country. Once the sisters have been released, they make a point of visiting their husbands in prison regularly. Then, there is one day they plan to go visit, November 25, 1960, when all day Minvera is advised against leaving the house. Minvera decides she must, for the people to know that she is not afraid of

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