in the time of the butterflies essay questions

In the Time of the Butterflies

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Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-3

Chapters 4-6

Chapters 7-9

Chapters 10-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Beginning with Sinita’s stories and moving on to the Mariposas’ experiences with him, discuss some of the ways Trujillo consolidates his power in the novel. How is he able to control everyone so completely?

Describe each of the Maribal sisters, focusing on the defining characteristics that are attributed to them in the novel. How does the narrative form of each sister (for example, Mate’s diary) reflect their character?

How does Patria’s faith evolve over the course of the novel? Giving specific examples, how does her faith contribute to her joining the movement, and what is the deciding factor, if any?

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In the Time of the Butterflies Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer..

• Why is the book in three parts? What is the purpose of the epilogue and postscript?
• What is the effect of having all four sisters narrate different chapters?
• Minerva compares the entire nation to a cage; what does she mean by this?
• What are some of the ways that Trujillo consolidates his power? How does he manage to control everyone so completely?
• How does Patria's faith evolve over the course of the book? How does it contribute to her decision to join the movement?
• What if the novel were told from the perspective of the other four Mirabal girls (Carmen María's daughters)?
• Why is Dedé's life without her sisters a "martyrdom," as her husband calls it?
• If the Mirabals were four brothers instead of four sisters, do you think this novel would have been as popular?
• Why do you think the novelist inserts herself in the novel in the character of the interviewer?

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Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — In The Time of The Butterflies

Essays on In The Time of The Butterflies

"in the time of the butterflies" essay topics.

"In The Time of The Butterflies," a novel by Julia Alvarez, tells the harrowing and inspiring story of the Mirabal sisters, known as "Las Mariposas," who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Through alternating narratives, Alvarez captures their personal lives and their political awakening, highlighting themes of courage, sacrifice, and resistance. This novel provides rich material for essays, exploring the historical context, character development, and the impact of dictatorship on personal and political freedoms. Analyzing these aspects through an "In The Time of The Butterflies essay allows for a deeper understanding of the sisters' legacy and the broader implications of their struggle for justice.

How to Choose "In The Time of The Butterflies" Essay Topic

Choosing an essay topic for "In The Time of The Butterflies" involves identifying elements of the novel that resonate with you or offer rich analytical potential. Start by reflecting on the themes that interest you, such as resistance, sacrifice, or the effects of dictatorship. Consider focusing on the character arcs of the Mirabal sisters and how their personal growth intersects with their political activism. Think about the historical context and its relevance to contemporary issues. Exploring Alvarez's narrative techniques and their impact on the storytelling can also provide a compelling angle. By selecting a topic that aligns with your interests and offers substantial content for analysis, you can create an engaging and insightful "In The Time of The Butterflies" essay.

List of 10-15 "In The Time of The Butterflies" Essay Themes

• The theme of resistance and its portrayal in "In The Time of The Butterflies"
• Character development of the Mirabal sisters
• The impact of Rafael Trujillo's dictatorship on personal freedoms
• Sacrifice and its significance in the novel
• Historical context and its influence on the narrative
• The role of family and sisterhood in the novel
• Exploring courage and bravery through the Mirabal sisters
• The use of alternating narratives and its effect on the story
• The symbolism of butterflies in the novel
• The theme of martyrdom in "In The Time of The Butterflies"
• Gender roles and their subversion in the novel
• The influence of culture and tradition on the characters
• The portrayal of political activism and its challenges
• The psychological effects of living under a dictatorship
• The legacy of the Mirabal sisters and its contemporary relevance

Prompt Examples for "In the Time of the Butterflies" Essays

Character analysis: the mirabal sisters.

Analyze the characters of the Mirabal sisters, focusing on their individual personalities, motivations, and their roles in the resistance against the Trujillo regime.

The Impact of Historical Context

Discuss how the historical context of the Dominican Republic under the rule of Trujillo influences the actions and decisions of the characters in the novel.

The Theme of Sacrifice and Courage

Explore the theme of sacrifice and courage as portrayed through the Mirabal sisters' resistance efforts and the risks they undertake.

Feminism and Empowerment

Examine the feminist themes in the novel, including the empowerment of women and the sisters' struggle for gender equality within a repressive society.

The Role of Religion and Spirituality

Analyze the role of religion and spirituality in the lives of the Mirabal sisters and how it influences their actions and beliefs.

The Symbolism of the Butterflies

Discuss the symbolism of the butterflies in the novel and their significance in relation to the Mirabal sisters' code names.

Political Activism and Resistance

Explore the themes of political activism and resistance, considering the tactics and strategies employed by the characters in their fight against tyranny.

The Impact of Trujillo's Oppression

Examine the effects of Trujillo's oppressive regime on the lives of ordinary citizens, including the Mirabal family, and the broader societal consequences.

Narrative Structure and Multiple Perspectives

Discuss the narrative structure of the novel, which features multiple perspectives and timelines, and how it enhances the reader's understanding of the story.

Legacy and Memory

Analyze the theme of legacy and memory in the novel, focusing on the enduring impact of the Mirabal sisters' story on future generations and the nation.

Literary Analysis of in The Time of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

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Faith and Heroism: Sisters Mirabal Characters in in The Time of Butterflies

Minerva's character growth in "in the time of the butterflies", the mirabal sisters: how sisterhood creates courage in julia alvarez’s in the time of the butterflies, the topic of women’s rights in julia alvarez’s in the time of the butterflies, let us write you an essay from scratch.

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The Julia Alvarez's Film: How Does Patria Show Courage in The Time of The Butterflies

The tragedy of altruism: comparison of the discourses of the boy in the suitcase and in the time of the butterflies, the literature characters who faced adversity.

1994 (English), 2001 (Spanish); by Julia Alvarez

Novel, Historical Fiction

• Patria Mirabal: The eldest sister, deeply religious and maternal.
• Minerva Mirabal: The most politically active, known for her defiance against Trujillo.
• María Teresa Mirabal: The youngest, whose diary provides a personal account of their struggles.
• Dedé Mirabal: The surviving sister, who preserves the legacy of her siblings.

"In The Time of The Butterflies" is set in the Dominican Republic and recounts the lives of the Mirabal sisters—Patria, Minerva, María Teresa, and Dedé. Known as "Las Mariposas" (The Butterflies), they opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The novel intertwines their personal stories with their political activism, leading to their tragic assassination in 1960, which became a catalyst for the anti-Trujillo movement.

• Butterflies: Represent freedom and transformation, symbolizing the sisters' fight for liberation.
• Journal Entries: María Teresa's diary entries symbolize the personal and intimate perspectives of the struggle.
• Trujillo's Portraits: Represent the omnipresent oppression of the regime.

The novel is based on the true story of the Mirabal sisters, who became symbols of resistance against the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. Their assassination on November 25, 1960, is commemorated annually as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

"In The Time of The Butterflies" is crucial for understanding the impact of political oppression and the power of resistance. The story of the Mirabal sisters is a testament to courage and sacrifice in the fight for justice. It highlights the role of women in political movements and serves as an inspiration for contemporary struggles against tyranny. The novel offers rich material for "In The Time of The Butterflies" essay topics, focusing on themes of resistance, sacrifice, and sisterhood.

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INTERVIEW: Julia Alvarez Reflects on ‘In the Time of the Butterflies,’ A Book That Reshaped the World

Thirty years ago, the story of the Mirabal sisters wasn’t completely unknown, but their names didn’t carry the global weight they do today. Six years after the publication of In the Time of the Butterflies , Julia Alvarez ’s influential book telling the story of the resilient Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic, helped influence the United Nations General Assembly designating November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. At the time, her own mother was the one to submit the proposal for the day of remembrance.

Alvarez, the subject of a new PBS documentary titled Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined , spoke to Remezcla about the process of writing that book, carrying her homeland with her, and the impact of her book, In the Time of the Butterflies .

“Stories are portable,” Alvarez, who in the documentary shares that when she left the Dominican Republic, she lost even her language, but that the stories of her home remained. “That’s what’s wonderful, the portable homeland.” And an important part of that homeland was the story of the Mirabal sisters.

“In the Time of the Butterflies is a very specific celebration of three women. No, four. The more I researched, the more I was like, she (Dedé) deserves a celebration, too, for keeping the story alive.” And in a way, it also reflects Alvarez’s life as well, as her and her sisters escaped the Dominican Republic in 1960 because of the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo.

But the story of the Mirabel sisters, in many ways, waited for Julia Alvarez. “It was important for me, and for the Mirabal family, too, you know, because when I started writing, I mean, people knew through word of mouth, but the story hadn’t gotten out. And for Dedé, this was a redemption, because she was always telling the story, and people were always trying to shut her up. And then along comes Julia, you know, with, you know, her megaphone from another world, and gets the story out.”

What is that story? The Mirabal sisters were political activists against the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic. Three of them: Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa were brutally assassinated by the Trujillo dictatorship on November 25, 1960. Their killing served as a final catalyst for the overthrowing of Trujillo, who himself was assassinated six months after their deaths.

Years later, partly because of the efforts from older sister Dedé Mirabal in getting the story out – and the fact that Julia Alvarez didn’t just sit down and write a story that someone told her, but instead went back to her home, meticulously researched and tracked down the sister’s movements in the days leading up to their death, In the Time of the Butterflies would have as much impact as the Mirabal’s sisters’ death. November 25 th , is a day recognized by the UN, not just as the day these women died, but as the day the world stops and thinks about how to eradicate violence against women.

For Alvarez, who is the subject of a new PBS documentary that focuses on not just her life, but her journey to writing this book, it was very weird to be on the other side of the process. But for her this new documentary, In the Time of the Butterflies , and even her other works, like How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents , are just her attempts at experiencing life.

“The way we experience life is through character, our own, you know, and fiction creates that illusion that you’re inside this person,” she shared. “And so, it’s not that there’s a truth that’s out there, that you’re getting at. It’s how a person perceives that truth, how they live it out, and how they clash with someone else who is perceiving that same truth, but in a different perspective. So, yeah, that’s very much what novels are about.”

Adriana Bosch, the Cuban-American filmmaker who directed the PBS documentary Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined, provided a great perspective on Alvarez, pointing out that as a writer, she had “gone into the novel of dictatorship, which is a key feature of the Latin American boom and turned it on its head. Instead of it being about the leader, the dictator, like García Márquez or Vargas Llosa, she turned it around and made it about the victim, and not just that, about women. So, she’s turned literature on its head, and that needs to be talked about more.”

Julia Alvarez didn’t set out to do that. She just set out to tell stories, everyday stories. Stories that brought her homeland back to her. And stories that allowed her to escape. “That’s why I went to literature because it was the one welcoming place when we came to this country, and we ran across prejudice and kids spitting at us and not wanting us there, saying go back to where you came from. Instead of feeling crushed by that, I became a reader and I entered a bigger universe.”

Sometimes, there’s something magical that happens when you enter that bigger universe. For me, who read In the Time of the Butterflies when I was a little girl and understood while reading it that I, as a woman, had a voice, there was something profound in being able to tell the woman who taught me that lesson how important it was to me – and to so many others.

And for Julia Alvarez, there will always be the pride and the joy in knowing that not only has the message resonated in the individual minds of readers, but that today, November 25 is universally celebrated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women not just because sixty-four years ago the Mirabal sisters were murdered, but because thirty years ago Julia Alvarez wrote about it in In the Time of the Butterflies .

Three Producers Reach Beyond Their Bedroom & Find Inspiration in Their NYC Surroundings

In the Time of the Butterflies

By julia alvarez, in the time of the butterflies themes, authoritarianism.

Much of the action of In the Time of the Butterflies occurs during Rafael Trujillo ’s dictatorship in the Dominican Republic. The novel portrays many instances of how the authoritarian state permeates life for the Mirabel sisters and the other characters. For instance, they must watch what they say since there are spies hiding outside their house. Even those citizens who are not suspected rebels are afraid to speak openly, since they cannot trust their own neighbors. In the first chapter, before the Mirabel family comes under any suspicion, their relaxing evening outdoors is ruined when Papa accidentally says Trujillo’s name in a less than flattering way. All of a sudden, “the dark fills with spies who are paid to hear things and report them down at Security.”

The authoritarian regime of Trujillo is linked to other dictatorships by Maria Teresa in Chapter 7, when she describes the march that she and the other women must participate in before the start of classes: “It looked like the newsreels of Hitler and the Italian one with the name that sounds like fettuccine,” namely, Mussolini. In Chapter 12, the theme of authoritarianism is clear when Minerva and Dede are brought into the police station in Monte Cristi. Minerva mentions that Captain Pena has given them permission to travel there, but a veiled threat is perceived in the officer who is questioning them: “The paroxysm of blinking made me pity the poor man. His own terror was a window that opened onto the rotten weakness at the heart of Trujillo’s system.” Though Minerva recognizes that the fear instilled in all the officers of the authoritarian regime is ultimately a “weakness,” for now it is what holds the regime in power.

Courage vs. Cowardice

Courage is valued among the characters, and they display it in varying amounts. The sisters are all aware of their cowardice as they perceive it, and while they sometimes fight for courage, in some cases they simply accept their cowardice. Dede in particular struggles with her cowardice. She acknowledges that it is a factor that prevents her from joining her sisters in their rebellious activities. She is afraid of losing her marriage and is afraid of losing her sisters. She does show courage, however, when she lies and says she is Minerva Mirabel.

Similarly, at the end of Chapter 9, when Dede lies in bed tempted to “just let go,” she means that she is tempted to stop trying to maintain her sanity. She talks herself out of it, however, thinking, “Courage! It was the first time she had used that word to herself and understood exactly what it meant.” For Dede, courage means staying strong for herself and her family instead of selfishly running away.

Under the reign of Trujillo, the entire country is trapped. The sisters also feel trapped by the expected course of their lives, including boarding school and then marriage, as well as by their religious and familial duties. The feeling of entrapment is expressed by Patria in Chapter 4 when she describes her birth: the midwife “lowered my arms the way you fold in a captive bird’s wings so it doesn’t hurt itself trying to fly.”

Minerva, too, feels trapped, and in Chapter 2 her situation is extended to the entire country. She considers herself trapped at home, so she views going to Inmaculada Concepción as a kind of escape. She sees her situation mirrored in that of the rabbits in their pens, but she realizes that she is not actually like a rabbit when the rabbit that she tries to let free refuses to leave the cage. She realizes, “I’d just left a small cage to go into a bigger one, the size of our whole country.” (This point reflects the authoritarianism of Trujillo’s reign.)

In the epilogue, the theme of entrapment appears in Dede’s reaction to the telegram that Mama shows her on the morning after the girls’ death. The telegram says that there has been a car accident and that they should go to the hospital in Santiago, which suggests that the girls were alive and merely injured. When she says, “my heart in my rib cage was a bird that suddenly began to sing. Hope!” the reader understands that her heart, her love for them, despairs in its entrapment inside her body, a “cage,” from which certain feelings and thoughts are not allowed to extend. She has been trapped with her own fear. The reader sees in this metaphor the conceit of a cage around the whole nation of the Dominican Republic.

Heaven and Earth

Especially for Patria, who is more in touch with her religion than the other sisters, there is a deeply felt gulf between the divine and the human, between God’s perfection and earthly existence. The distinction is especially apparent in her view of Pedrito, whom she often compares to an animal and whom she calls “my earthly groom.” When he proposes, he pours a handful of dirt into her hand. This earth gives palpable meaning to her decision to get married to a man instead of figuratively to God as a nun.

When her house is burned down and Nelson and Pedrito are taken away by the police, Patria has a breakdown on her mother’s lawn. She tears up the ground in her hands and begins praying the Credo—with Dede’s help. In her earthly suffering she calls upon God to provide a link between heaven and earth.

Weaving and Thread

Throughout the novel, all of the sisters use the conceit of life having strings or thoughts that get knotted and must be sorted out, or strings that provide connections which bind people together. For instance, when Patria loses her unborn child, she “went over and over my life to this point, complicating the threads with my fingers, knotting everything,” confused about how this tragedy happened. Also, when Dede remembers watching her sisters as they approached her house, she says, “It was as if the three fates were approaching, their scissors poised to snip the knot that was keeping Dede’s life from falling apart.”

The imagery of woven threads as thoughts appears again in Chapter 6 as Minerva struggles with decisions about where her life should go: “Back and forth my mind went, weaving a yes by night and unraveling it by day to a no.” (This is also a reference to Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, who kept putting off her suitors by never finishing her weaving because every night she would undo the work she had done by day.) The yes-or-no question is whether she loves Lio ; she cannot decide on this important life-changing question. The threads of her decision seem to fit together at night, but she feels torn during the day. Ultimately, the decision is made for her when he decides to go to asylum.

In Chapter 11, the symbol of threads as connections extends to both a personal level and a national level. When Maria Teresa discusses with Magdalena the connections between people, they decide, “There is something deeper. Sometimes I really feel it in here, especially late at night, a current going among us, like an invisible needle stitching us together into the glorious, free nation we are becoming.”

In Chapter 12, Minerva tries to get her old self back: “And so the struggle with her began. The struggle to get my old self back from her. Late in the night, I’d lie in bed, thinking, You must gather up the broken threads and tie them together.” Somehow the threads of life are worse than just being untangled and dissociated from one another; they are broken. She is trying to reinvigorate the “calm, courageous compañera” whom Manolo married.

The sisters also keep their lives together by literally using thread in their dressmaking business. “We couldn’t sleep nights, so we sewed. Sometimes Patria started a rosary, and we all joined in, stitching and praying so as not to let our minds roam.” Focusing on physical threads keeps them from dwelling on the distressing threads of their lives.

Trujillo and God

As the Mirabel sisters grow up, it becomes clear that the Trujillo reign permeates their lives. His authoritarian rule, with spies everywhere, suggests that he is trying to assume the role of a terrible God, always watching and ready to punish. In fact, a portrait of El Jefe is hung next to one of Jesus in the entryway of Mama’s house. In Chapter 4, while Patria lies beside Minerva in the hammock, they look at the pictures of Jesus and El Jefe side by side. Minerva notes, “They’re a pair, aren’t they?” This inspires Patria to remember the real difference between divine mercy and justice, on the one hand, and Trujillo’s rule, on the other. She asks why God would allow their country to suffer so much at the hands of Trujillo. Yet, when she looks up to challenge the picture of Jesus, “the two faces had merged!” This experience points out the godlike role that Trujillo has assumed Trujillo has taken up the rule of this part of the earth.

Later, Patria even finds herself praying to the portrait of Trujillo, offering herself as a sacrificial lamb in place of her sisters, their husbands, and her own husband. Moreover, Trujillo has created a slogan for himself, “Dios y Trujillo,” meaning “God and Trujillo.” With this slogan he suggests that God is on his side and has approved of his power. He practically deifies himself in the minds of his subjects, like so many dictators before him.

A similar merging of Trujillo with something of divinity occurs in Chapter 6. The paper fans, which the girls received at the party thrown by Trujillo, have the Virgencita on one side and Trujillo on the other. The combination bothers Minerva: “Sometimes it was El Jefe’s probing eyes, sometimes it was the Virgin’s pretty face I couldn’t stand to look at.”

In Chapter 10, Patria remembers the portraits of Jesus and Trujillo side by side and says, “Maybe because I was used to the Good Shepherd and Trujillo side by side in the old house, I caught myself praying a little greeting as I walked by.” She wants her family back from Trujillo, and “prayer was the only way I knew to ask.” Finally, however, Patria feels the distinction when she arrives at the capital for the release of Nelson. She feels no kinship toward the man—quite the opposite. “The more I tried to concentrate on the good side of him, the more I saw a vain, greedy, unredeemed creature. Maybe the evil one had become flesh like Jesus!”

Women in Politics and Public Life

The sisters often struggle with their perceived role as traditional women who do not take part in politics and public life. In the first chapter, Minerva’s frustration is apparent when Mama comments, “Just what we need, skirts in the law!” Minerva argues, however, “It is just what this country needs ... It’s about time we women had a voice in running our country.”

Similarly in Chapter 4, Patria worries about Minerva getting worked up about the government. She says to her little sister, “It’s a dirty business, you’re right. That’s why we women shouldn’t get involved.” The argument here is that it may be better to preserve one’s innocence and integrity by avoiding politics. Minerva again argues, however, on the basis of an equality principle: “women had to come out of the dark ages.”

Speaking to the female interviewer, Dede addresses a similar theme: “‘Back in those days, we women followed our husbands.’ Such a silly excuse. After all, look at Minerva. ‘Let’s put it this way,’ Dede adds. ‘ I followed my husband. I didn’t get involved.’” She is aware that she is using tradition as an excuse for not having supported her sisters, something for which she still feels guilty.

In the Time of the Butterflies Questions and Answers

The Question and Answer section for In the Time of the Butterflies is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.

How does pedrito describe himself?

From the text:

"You are not getting a fancy, high-talking man in Pedrito Gonzalez," he said rather fiercely. "But you are getting a man who adores you like he does this rich soil we're standing on."

What is the SIM?

It is the servicio de inteligencia militar.

While Minerva is dancing with Trujillo, she thinks, "I see how easily it happens." What does she mean?

I believe this alludes to Trujillo's flirtacious behavior and his ultimate effect on women.

Study Guide for In the Time of the Butterflies

In the Time of the Butterflies study guide contains a biography of Julia Alvarez, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

• About In the Time of the Butterflies
• In the Time of the Butterflies Summary
• Character List

Essays for In the Time of the Butterflies

In the Time of the Butterflies essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez.

• Minerva's Struggle
• Patria's Eternal Courage
• Mirabal Martyrdom in In the Time of the Butterflies
• Altruistic Obsessions: Tragic Flaws in 'The Boy in the Suitcase' and 'In the Time of the Butterflies'
• Out of the Frying Pan into the Fire

Lesson Plan for In the Time of the Butterflies

• About the Author
• Study Objectives
• Common Core Standards
• Introduction to In the Time of the Butterflies
• Relationship to Other Books
• Bringing in Technology
• Notes to the Teacher
• Related Links
• In the Time of the Butterflies Bibliography

Wikipedia Entries for In the Time of the Butterflies

• Introduction

• study guides
• lesson plans
• homework help

In the Time of the Butterflies Essay Topics & Writing Assignments

Essay Topic 1

Much of this book centered around Catholic beliefs. What are some of these beliefs, and how did they shape this plot?

Essay Topic 2

Dede has an interesting role in this book. What is this role, and how does she accomplish it?

Essay Topic 3

Dede is not able to help her sisters. Why is this, and what does this teach us?

Essay Topic 4

Patria loses her faith at one point. How did this happen and what came of it?

Essay Topic 5

The author places some information about the Dominican Republic throughout this book for us. Why do you think she did that, and how did this affect the pace of the book?

Essay Topic 6

Many political ideas are shared in this book. What are these ideas, who believes in them, and how does this affect the tone of the play?

Essay Topic 7

The title of this book...

(read more Essay Topics)

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In the Time of the Butterflies

Julia alvarez.

Ask LitCharts AI: The answer to your questions

The novel takes place in the Dominican Republic, both in 1994 and under the Trujillo regime. In 1994, Dedé Mirabal lives in the house where her three sisters used to live. The dead sisters are known as the “butterflies,” and they are martyrs and national heroes. In 1994 Dedé talks to an interviewer about her sisters, and her narrative is interrupted with memories.

The story shifts between the four sisters from 1943 to their deaths in 1960: Dedé’s memories, Minerva ’s point of view, Patria ’s point of view, and entries from María Teresa ’s diaries. Minerva convinces Papá to allow them to go to a Catholic school, and there she meets Sinita , a girl whose family was killed by Trujillo. Minerva watches Trujillo seduce and abandon a girl at her school, Lina Lovatón .

Patria is the most religious sister, and she wants to become a nun until she discovers her own sexuality. She marries a farmer named Pedrito at age sixteen, and has a son Nelson and a daughter Noris , but her next baby is stillborn. This shakes her faith, and she is especially affected by a portrait of Trujillo located next to one of Jesus.

Dedé becomes infatuated with Virgilio Morales , a young Communist intellectual, but Virgilio and Minerva end up dating instead. Dedé settles for marrying her cousin Jaimito , and Virgilio is driven by the Trujillo regime into exile.

One day Minerva discovers that Papá has a mistress and three illegitimate daughters. Papá gets invited to a party thrown by Trujillo, and there Trujillo tries to seduce Minerva, while she tries manipulate him into letting her go to law school. She slaps him, and the Mirabals leave. The next day Papá is arrested and taken in for questioning. Minerva is asked to have a “private conference” with Trujillo, but she refuses. Papá is eventually released, and Minerva meets Trujillo again for another battle of wills.

Four years later Papá dies, and Minerva goes to law school. There she meets Manolo (another revolutionary) and gets married. She graduates, but at the last minute is denied her license by the government—this is Trujillo’s revenge on her. Minerva and Manolo move in together, and María Teresa (who goes by “ Mate ”) stays with them. Mate becomes infatuated with a young man who delivers weapons to Minerva, whom he calls by her name in the anti-Trujillo movement: “Mariposa” (Butterfly). Mate joins Minerva and Manolo’s secret resistance movement and marries the young man, whose name is Leandro .

Patria remains uninvolved until her son Nelson wants to join Minerva’s revolutionaries. The church is neutral regarding Trujillo, but while on a religious retreat in the mountains Patria sees Trujillo’s soldiers massacring some young revolutionaries. She is traumatized by this, and she and her priest join Minerva’s underground group, together forming the “Fourteenth of June Movement.” Minerva, María Teresa, and Patria are now known as the “Butterflies.” The group uses Patria’s house to stockpile weapons.

The sisters ask Dedé to join their movement, but her courage fails her and she submits to Jaimito’s demands that she refuse. Then the SIM (Trujillo’s secret police force) arrest Pedrito, Nelson, Manolo, and Leandro, and then Minerva and Mate as well.

Patria stays at Mamá’s house, and watches as the church finally speaks out against Trujillo. She eventually gets Trujillo to pardon Nelson. He offers Minerva and Mate a pardon, but they refuse. Mate keeps a diary from prison, where Minerva remains brave and strong but Mate starts to break down. The SIM torture Mate to get Leandro to talk. The Organization of American States comes to investigate the regime, and the sisters are released into house arrest.

By now the “butterflies” are national symbols of the resistance. A friendly driver named Rufino takes them to visit their husbands in prison. On their fourth trip, the sisters are ambushed as they drive down a lonely mountain road. Minerva’s account ends, but Dedé explains what happened – the sisters and Rufino are each killed and then put back into their car, so it looks like an accident. Everyone knows that Trujillo killed them, however, and they become martyrs.

In 1994, Dedé remembers Trujillo’s overthrow a year or so after the murder of the Mirabals, and the bloody revolutions that followed. She now lives with her niece Minou , Minerva’s daughter, and has become a kind of “oracle” for the sisters, telling their story to the world.

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In the Time of the Butterflies Discussion Questions

• Although she does not reveal the details, Alvarez lets us know from the start that the novel will end tragically. Why do you think she made this choice?
• How do the sisters differ in personality, goals and self-expression? How does Alvarez dramatize these differences?
• How does the Trujillo regime portray itself? What means does it use to build a positive public image?
• How does this police state control its citizens? How do its methods develop over the course of the novel?
• What kinds of violence are directed against women both politically and socially? How do these forms of violence connect to the experiences of the men?
• What events radicalize each sister? What personal commitments and feelings complicate the commitment to political activism for them?
• What groups or institutions offer significant support or resistance to Trujillo both within and beyond the borders of the Dominican Republic?
• This novel has been called polyphonic in that it contains many voices rather than a single narrator’s. How many voices and kinds of writing can you track as you read? How do these multiple voices connect with the themes of the novel?
• This novel can also be seen as an example of resistance literature. How does Alvarez’s choice of subject and Dede’s later life as the keeper of her sisters’ history become a form of opposition to tyranny?
• Readers of this novel have connected Maria Teresa’s sections with The Diary of Anne Frank . How do the content and form of these two works express similar themes and approaches to writing?
• Alvarez brings in many legends and sayings from traditional Dominican culture. What values do these sayings express?
• Dreams play an important role in the novel. What are some of the dreams and how do they relate to reality?
• The anacahuita tree and the moon are recurring images in the novel. When do they appear and how do they contribute to the narrative?
• How did you react to the intensity of suffering and pain in the novel? What kept you reading? Has the experience influenced you to do more reading or to take any sort of action?
• In the face of the kind of brutality that the novel documents, do art and storytelling have any real power or social value?

Content last updated: October 31, 2004

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