“In the Time of the Butterflies," by Julia Alvarez, is a work of historical fiction that is based on the lives of the four Mirabal sisters. The Mirabal sisters participated actively in the underground efforts to topple Rafael Trujillo's dictatorial regime in the Dominican Republic. Julia Alvarez is a novelist, essayist, poet, and a National Endowment for Arts creative writing fellow. The four Mirabal sisters were Patria, Minerva, Maria Teresa, and Dede. However, three of the sisters, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa were unfortunately slain on Trujillo’s orders in 1960. The novel takes place in the Dominican Republic in 1994, as well as under the dictatorial Trujillo regime. All the four Mirabal sisters play an essential role in the story. Patria, the eldest sister, is the most religious of them all and longs to become a nun. However, she gives up on her dream and marries Pedrito instead. She joins the underground rebels later when she witnesses a massacre of young insurgents by Trujillo's men. Dede is the second sister, and she is the only one who does not join the underground rebel movement. Minerva is the third in line, and she is the first of the sisters to join the rebel movement. She is determined to rid the country of Trujillo's dictatorial regime. Moreover, she has a lot of reasons to want Trujillo out of Dominican Republic. She is determined to see her nation become free of bad leaders like Trujillo. Mari Teresa, commonly known as Mate, follows the footsteps of her sister Minerva into the revolution. She is instrumental in stockpiling weapons. She ends up being imprisoned with her sister Minerva. The three sisters who end up being killed by Trujillo are national heroes, recognized for their efforts to bring Trujillo’s actions to light. Dede is, however, left behind to tell the whole story. Of the four main characters, Minerva is my favorite character. She is not only the first one to join the rebel movement, but she is also determined to ensure that Trujillo leaves the country. Minerva is determined, courageous and intelligent.
Being a Dominican myself, I can relate to all the four characters in the book, particularly Minerva. I know what it means to have good leadership in one’s country and vice versa. Being a citizen of a particular country, you often hope that your leaders serve their subjects justly. However, the leaders may turn against the public by causing injustice. Glimpses of a nation under siege are scattered through the stories of the four sisters. The simplest liberties of citizens have been stripped away by Trujillo. Thus, I appreciate Minerva’s efforts towards bringing Trujillo’s atrocities to light. Her determination to free the people of Dominican Republic from an oppressive regime is something I share and admire. In fact, I would have done the same thing, if I were in her shoes. This is because I understand the impact of poor leadership, based on the history of my country.
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In my own opinion, Alvarez’s “In the Time of Butterflies” is a good book that pays homage to the bravery and sacrifice of the Mirabal family, and represents a literary work of high grace. Alvarez, skillfully, lets the story unfold through each of the sisters’ voices. Minerva tells her sisters about the horrid things that Trujillo has done and will likely do. Through Minerva’s passionate attempts to see Trujillo out of the country, the author brings out the theme of political activism in the story. The people have developed hatred toward a dictator, Trujillo, who is determined to take whatever he wants, at the expense of the Dominicans. The whole story is narrated in turn by each of the four Mirabal sisters. This way, the author brings them to life, telling the story of four girls who come of age determined to get the very things most young women hope for freedom, love, and family. Besides, each of the sisters chooses to join the revolution in her own time, including Dede. The reader is allowed to learn the details of the martyrdom of the three Butterflies slowly. The readers finally find a story that spreads its wings pauses to breathe the air of freedom, and takes flight as gently as it landed. As such, the lives of the characters are fascinating and specially crafted for the novel, and the author does them justice.
The structure of the story is very appealing, and some readers may not realize it. The stories of the sisters are told in alternating chapters, and each story is told from a different sister's point of view, as well as from different points in time. Besides, the first person point of view utilized by Alvarez in the novel, allows the same story to be told from several perspectives, which adds to the creativity employed in the book. The novel also features multiple interpretations of the same events. This makes the reader appreciate the different personalities of the sisters. The author has created such solid and unique characters in the novel that a reader would be forgiven for wishing that he were the fifth sister some chapters into it.
The book is excellently written, and I would recommend it to my friends. The reading would fascinate women the most because they can identify with the four sisters. However, this does not mean that men cannot find the book interesting. In fact, I would also recommend this novel to my male friends who are interested in political activism. It is a thrilling and worth reading.
