In the Time of the Butterflies discussion

Paris LeRoy
English 3
Independent Reading Project III
The book “In the Time of the Butterflies” written by Julia Alvarez is a book written about the corruption in the dominican republic during the 1920’s-1930’s. The four sisters; Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Dede were born into a higher class family. Patria tells her father she wants to be a nun, her mother agrees because she never received a formal education, but her father believes it’s a waste of a pretty girl. Eventually he agrees to send Minerva, Patria, and eventually Dede to schooling. Minerva becomes friends with a strange-seeming girl who tells her about the corruption within the government. Trujillo, the current president, had a secret and her uncle had found out about his corruption and Trujillo had killed off all the men in her family. This is when Minerva’s eyes were opened to the truth of the corruption. Maria Teresa then finds out that her hero, Trujillo, is actually a murderer. Maria Teresa’s precious diary holds incriminating information about Minerva's newer friend who is running from the law because of spreading secret information. The diary is then buried by their cousin. Patria falls in love and gives up her dream for being a nun and has two children and loses her third. After losing this child she loses her faith. Her husband sneaks off one night, she thinks he is going to cheat on her but she sees him burry and small box. She goes with two people from the lesser class to dig up the box. She opens it and sees her dead, decomposed baby.
The book is something that wasn’t bad, but wasn’t necessarily good. I wouldn’t have reached for this style personally. War books have never really called to me but it was a requirement. The book however did teach me about history that I didn’t know. It is refreshing to learn about other cultures. I can’t personally say this book reminds me of any other books because I don’t read war books regularly but when I do they are usually about wars America had a big part of. I really like the chapters where Minerva is more present because she is my favorite character and even in harder times she just seems brighter spirited than the other characters.My least favorite part of the book was when Patria lost her third baby it was a little dark for my taste. The fact that she continues to act like she loves God even though she loses her faith bothers me as well. This book also has a message of feminism which is greatly appreciated. The whole fact about girls starting a movement and being an inspiration of hope, in one instant when Sinita and Minerva were in the play for Trujillo. Sinitta aimed her bow at Trujillo’s head. This part of the story almost had me scared of what might happen next, but her bravery was strong. She did it for her family and her brother and that is a honorable thing to do, this is why it is one of my favorite parts of the book.
Power is the root of their problems in the book. As the president killed off all those ahead of him so he could gain the position. Killing off his own people so they don’t learn his secrets. “According to Sinita, Trujillo became president in a sneaky way. First, he was in the army, and all the people who were above him kept disappearing until he was the one right below the head of the whole armed forces.” (1,59).Sinitta's own brother was even killed before she met Minerva. He was the last man in her family to die because all the others were killed off so even Sinita was living in fear. "Tell me, Sinita, maybe it'll help."I can't," she whispered. "We can all be killed. It's the secret of Trujillo." (1,49-50). Trujillo was a prime example of corruption in the dominican republic's government. As the sisters become aware of what is happening, each in their own way rebels. The power hungry people always climb their way to the top, some just in more violent ways.