Sisters Take a Risk In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

In the book Alvarez informs us that this takes place during Trujillo 's reign over the Dominican Republic in the 1930’s to the 1960’s. Throughout history dictators have risen and fallen all across the world. Many have been seen as evil, and sometimes good to others, but no matter what a persons view tend to be there are some who even consider them god. Due to a dictators extensive powers and complete control over every aspect of a persons life this is what comes to be. Trujillo is just the same, at first his true motives were questioned and it wasn’t apparent to all what he really was. As the Mirabel sisters grow up it becomes clear that Trujillo is in control of more of their lives than it may seemed. Trujillo leads a complete authoritarian rule over the Dominican Republic with spies everywhere, this can suggest that he trying to assume the role of a terrible god, who is always watching and ready to punish. While all

Minerva is trying to learn of the secrets of Trujillo and the bad things he has done. She wants to

The Dominican Republic’s dictator Rafael Trujillo had thousands of people killed because of their disobedience to him. From the 1930s to 1960s the country was under the control of Trujillo. He had taken control of the Dominican Republic and used his power against people who decided not to follow him and his laws. The four Mirabal sisters, Minerva, Patria, Mate, and Dede were all risking their lives because of their involvement in the underground, against their harsh dictator. In the book In the time of the Butterflies, the four Mirabal sisters perspectives are impacted by the underground movement against Trujillo because of each of their involvement with the revolution.

losing, Minerva still wants to play just so she will finally go to law school And save her

Alvarez shows many different ways a dictator affects both politics and daily life. People were afraid to say Trujillo’s name in an uncomplimentary way in fear of the consequences if someone were to hear and it get back to him. They were also afraid of being murdered in public for even threatening him. Trujillo was a harsh man so when Minerva says,” and I can see my hand in an endless slow motion rise---a mind all its own and come down on the astonished, made up face,”(she slaps him)(Alvarez 100) later in the book his revenge is for her to not be able to get her licence. Cruel right, but that is what happened when you messed with Trujillo. She also shows the sisters religions throughout the book, mainly Patria’s. Patria is the most religious sister and goes through the most

Sofia was sent to the Dominican Republic as a punishment for using marijuana, though she ended up getting into more trouble by spending time without a chaperone with her illegitimate cousin, Manuel.

Trujillo was not fair between men and women and granting men the rights to do whatever they want. Minerva says, “I’ve always wanted to study law” and Trujillo responds, “A woman like you, a lawyer” (Alvarez, pg.98)? He means women are not brave enough and they are useless when it comes doing what men does. Women are not meant for this kind job. He says that men and women cannot do the same things. Women cannot have the same rights as men. Trujillo does whatever he wants to women and whoever goes against him, he kills them and makes their death an accident. "He's got many of them, all over the island, set up in big, fancy houses. Lina Lovaton is just a sad case, because she really does love him, pobrecita.' Right there

As a young child, Minerva Mirabal always spoke her mind, despite her mother’s wishes that she would bite her tongue but Minerva would argue that women deserve to have a voice in their country, the Dominican Republic, as well. The time in which this story is set is during the regime of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, a strict dictator with suffocating policies. Brutal oppression of actual or perceived members of any opposition was the main focus of Trujillo's rule. If any person spoke out against Trujillo, they were almost immediately assassinated. However, young Minerva possessed strong opinions mostly about the treatment of women, but this would eventually change to become a complete revolt against Trujillo and his policies. Minerva’s coming of age was over a period of time and the biggest change wasn’t directly stated in the novel. Sinita and Lio both played major roles in pushing Minerva to revolt against Trujillo, Sinita passionately telling Minerva of the cruelties of Trujillo and how it affected her family and Lio being a young professor at the university that

Out of all the Mirabal sisters, being courageous was Minerva’s specialty to show how she feels without being verbal with her

Minerva with her revolutionary fever and contagious spirit seems unstoppable for a time in her fight against Trujillo’s regime. Despite warnings to watch out for her safety and well being, Minerva continued to push boundaries and dared to go where all other Dominicans feared to go. Patria was the religious, faithful sister, who showed her hidden boldness starting a Christian revolutionary group and joined with Minerva. Maria Theresa was the happiest, the most upbeat, Mirabal sister. In the beginning, she was only along for the ride, but as she continued to work towards the change for her country, she became more and more inspired and touched by her own goals. Lastly, Dede was always the most cautious and careful sister. She was one who remained uninvolved with her sisters’ revolution. Dede had warned the others that were danger and that should not go up to the secluded prison. She and although her sisters tried more than once to include her in their cause, she refused. –From Smith In The Time Of The Butterflies (http://www.blogger.com)

Trujillo invades Minerva's personal space and she slaps him because she knows who he truly is.

Sofia was sent to the Dominican Republic as a punishment for using marijuana, though she ended up getting into more trouble by spending time without a chaperone with her illegitimate cousin, Manuel.

In addition, Trujillo was friends with the head of the armed forces, and friends with his wife’s lover. One day Trujillo told the general about his wife having an affair with another man, and Trujillo became the head of the armed forces soon after the general shot his wife and her lover. (17). Even though the sisters didn’t want to believe it the accusations against their president, but began to realize how true they were. Over time the sisters met others that didn’t agree with their president’s ways, and that is how the Mirabel sisters came to join the Virgilio Morales.

up for what was right even if it was against the dictator, Trujillo. Patria, Minerva, and

Soon she wanted to avenge her father and she earned herself a spot as one of the few known female Guerilla leaders and soon the Anti-Japanese army.