In the Time of the Butterflies: A Feminist Anthem In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is a novel about breaking the chains – not just from Trujillo, but from the societal idea that men should rule in a patriarchal fashion. The idea of female subordinates rising up in a fiery fashion is an age-old notion, and I believe that the true voice in Alvarez’ novel comes in this form. The subplot screams through like a banshee, especially when The Butterflies are brutally murdered without ever
Julia Alvarez’s novel In The Time of the Butterflies tells the story of the Mirabel sisters, yet not just the story but more importantly, the curated story of the three heroines by their surviving sister, Dedé. Through the use of historical fiction, Alvarez highlights the notion of instability in both history and memory. Making the reader question how history is formed and how reliable or accurate that history to be. Dedé’s story and her last chapter in particular express such notions. Dedé, still