For thirty years the Dominican Republic was consumed with oppression, dictatorship, and turmoil. Four outstandingly courageous sisters made numerous sacrifices in an attempt to bring back the freedom their country had once known. Dominican raised Julia Alvarez retells the story of these four sisters in her novel: In the Time of the Butterflies. This novel is highly acclaimed for its unique portrayal of a revolutionary movement, the intimate sympathies developed by the reader for the characters, and an outstanding legacy that surmounts a tragic ending.
Throughout the novel we are presented four distinct perspectives of each of the Mirabal sisters: Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dedé. Through their diary entries and narration we see four unique points of view of the reign of Rafael Trujillo and their experiences with the underground revolution. Patria becomes a dynamic character in the novel as she transforms from a religiously devoted mother and wife to revolutionary motivated woman with questions to her faith. Minerva, on the other hand, became involved in anti-government actions as a young adult. Maria Teresa was greatly influenced by her older Minerva, who is a crucial reason to her joining the revolutionary effort. However, Dedé never got involved with the revolution mostly due to her husband, Jaimito,who was strongly against it. Minerva describes her experience with Trujillo at the Discovery Day Dance, “I push just a little against him so he’ll loosen his hold, he pulls me tighter towards him...I push away, a littler more decidedly, again he pulls me aggressively towards his body.” (Alvarez 100). Trujillo’s forceful and vulgar character is apparent in this part of the novel. The Mirabal sisters give multiple accounts of their initial views of Trujillo and reflections after their realization of his corrupt regime. From people they meet and experiences they have of their own, the sisters develop a strong hatred towards his oppressive and misrepresented rule of the Dominican Republic. The desire for freedom becomes present within the Mirabal family along with other citizens within the Dominican. One by one they decide to take action in overthrowing the fraudulent government that has been in power for far too long.
As we read the accounts of the girls, it is easy for the reader to cultivate their own connections to the lives of the four sisters. We observe them grow up in the Mirabal family with their caring mother and protective father, and then see as each of the four sisters get married and have families of their own. Patria delivers in-depth descriptions of her internal struggles such as: anxiety for Minerva’s risky involvement with an anti-government group, her miscarriage of her third child, a loss in faith, and arguments with her husband Pedrito. Patria’s describes her experience as, “And suddenly, I was crying in her arms...the pearl of great price slipping out, and I realized I was giving birth to something dead I had been carrying inside of me.” (Alvarez 52). Minerva does well in covering up any emotional anxieties she may have; however, it is apparent that she is upset from being the first to know of her father’s affair. Maria Teresa wishes to be an independent adult, much liker her sister Minerva, and it is captivating to see the young girl mature as we read her diary entries. Dedé is interviewed in 1994 as the “surviving sister” and retells much of the story through her anecdotes. Dedé is left to mourn over the death of her sisters, deal with all the attention from the Dominican people, as well as sort out issues that still remain with her husband Jaimito. Sympathy for Mama Mirabal is likely to develop for the reader as well. Mama Mirabal was left to raise her grandchildren while her daughters were getting dangerously involved with the movement, and at the same time deal with infidelity of her husband. Although it is difficult to fully understand the experiences and emotions these women faced, a sense of compassion for their struggles is anticipated to flourish.
Although their contribution to the underground movement results in the end to Trujillo’s reign, the story of the Mirabal sisters, or Las Mariposas, endures a very painful ending. Only one year after the death of the sisters in 1960, Rafael Trujillo was assassinated. This resulted in an end to the corruption and a fresh exposure to freedom once again. Despite this, it is still difficult for the reader to accept their sudden death. By the end of the novel, I, as a reader, developed such a strong tenderness towards the girls, and it became as if though I was mourning the death of women I knew personally. Alvarez deserves recognition for such an impressive portrayal of the Mirabals, which created a strong bond between the reader and the characters. However, Dedé leaves the reader with a sense of optimism when she says, “And I see them all there in my memory, as still statues...I’m thinking something is missing now. And I count them all twice before I realize-it’s me, Dedé, it’s me, the one who survived to tell the story.” (Alvarez 321). Although from the beginning we know only one sister survives, the reader develops hope in that the sisters will survive. As a reader you become so engrossed in the story that you feel as though you are right there, laughing with the girls at the little restaurant on the mountain. Through these intimacies, one cannot overlook the tragic death described in the epilogue.
I highly recommend you read In the Time of the Butterflies because although it leaves the reader mournful, this does not surpass the author’s incredible rendering of the struggles within Dominican Republic at this time and the emotional bond the reader develops for the Mirabals. Although his novel informed me about the 20th century struggle for freedom within the Dominican Republic, it also brought me to a deeper understanding of courage. The Mirabal sisters disregarded all the people who acted as bystanders in Trujillo’s tyranny and made an actual effort to overthrow the government. The sisters along with many other revolutionaries made immense sacrifices for the better of the future, for me that is true courage.