Ursini 1

Amanda Ursini

Mr. Price

AP English Literature, Period 6

2 March 2017

Three Magnificent Mariposas

The popular idiom “[one] can never judge a book by its cover” is commonly used, as its

implications are valid and thought-out. However, one can judge a novel solely on the contents of

its first page. In this particular circumstance, In the Time of the Butterflies, written by Julia

Alvarez, shows the reader much about the future contents of the book. In the Time of the

Butterflies is technically fiction, however, insight is used from the actual characters and the

incidents that happened in the novel truly occurred. The main characters, the Mirabal sisters,

were Patria, Minerva, Dedé, and María Teresa. This novel is a fictional dramatization of their

courageous lives. In the first page, it is evident that the themes are adversity, exasperation, and

courage.

One of the prominent themes that is indisputable is the recurring theme of adversity. The

Mirabals, more specifically the butterflies, were up against challenges constantly. One example

of the foreshadowing of this theme from the first page states, “Oh dear, another one. Now after

thirty-four years, the commemorations and interviews and presentations of posthumous honors

have almost stopped,so that for months at a time, Dedé is able to take up her own life again”

(Alvarez 3). While this is not quite the same as the challenges faced by the butterflies, it still

presents the idea of obstacles that will never stop. For the sisters, it was the SIM watching over

their every move, making sure that the Mirabals didn’t plot to overthrow the Dominican

dictatorship. For Dedé, after the Dominican Republic’s liberation, her obstacles are people
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constantly wanting to talk to her about her heroic, dead sisters. While the two situations are

impossible to compare, the correlation is also impossible to deny. An instance later in the book

where difficulty is met is in chapter six, at Trujillo’s dinner party, where “Don Manuel is pulling

out chairs for everybody, but when i go to sit down next to Patria, he says 'No,no, el Jefe has

invited you to his table.' Patria and Dede exchanged a scared look" (Alvarez 94). Although

Minerva’s hesitancy about El Jefe (Trujillo) has already been expressed, she is forced to dine and

dance with him. She manages to get through it, without becoming one of his many forced-lovers.

After the family leaves early, their father is arrested as a punishment, proving further that the

Mirabals face countless hurdles. One last instance of adversity was in the face of their father;s

death. At his funeral, his secret second family attended, inciting María to write “I feel like dying

myself! I can't believe she came to the funeral mass with her girls, adding four more slaps to the

big blow" (Alvarez 118). Dealing with the death of their father was already difficult, and then

they had to see his other family. The sisters were constantly struck down by misfortune, yet

managed to keep their heads above water, and even made a significant change in their country.

Along with adversity, exasperation is a theme expressed in both the first page of the novel and

many situations thereafter.

With all that the Mirabal sister had to go through and how tired they were with the

oppressive regime, exasperation is a prevalent theme throughout the novel. In the first page, it is

expressed by Dedé, when she thought “But this is March, María Santísma! Doesn’t she have

seven more months of anonymity?” (Alvarez 3). At this point, she is tired of the reporters and the

people who only take interest in her sisters, As the last living sister, she is one of the only

primary sources, which she has grown to dislike. Irritation such as this is a theme throughout the

novel. For example, after their father’s death, María states. “"I feel like dying myself! I can't
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believe she came to the funeral mass with her girls, adding four more slaps to the big blow"

(Alvarez 118). This truly shows her facing obstacles as well as feeling exasperated. She is

annoyed that her father’s family showed up at her funeral, and she is sad that her father passed.

She felt nothing but resentment toward that family at the time, a side effect of her being tired of

everything. One last instance of a theme of exasperation is when Patria decided to join the

liberators, saying " I'm not going to sit back and watch my babies die, Lord, even if that's what

You in Your great wisdom decide" (Alvarez 162). After being complacent and irritated for so

long, she decided to take action. She channeled her malicious energy towards the thought of

children dying and used to help liberate her country. This is the moment in the novel where

Patria truly became who she was meant to be, all due to exasperation. In addition to

exasperation, a compelling theme was that of courage.

There is no doubt among anyone in the novel that the butterflies were lackluster in terms

of courage. They took charge of their fate, and decided to attempt to better their country. An

early example of courage comes from Dedé, quoting the gringa “The Mirabal sisters are not

known there, for which she is also sorry for it is a crime that they should be forgotten, these

unsung heroines of the underground…”(Alvarez 3). This statement shows the courage of the

butterflies, as they are referred to as “heroines”. The reporter believed that the sisters should be

known everywhere, a true testament to their sacrifice and courage. Another instance that

demonstrates the theme of courage occurs when Minerva stands up to Trujillo, who was known

for permanently silencing those who didn’t agree with him, She said, in retaliation to him, “The

game had gone too far. ‘I’m afraid that I’m not for conquest’” (Alvarez 99). By standing up to El

Jefe, Minerva asserted that he could not do whatever he wanted to her, and that took a lot of

courage, Jefe wasn’t known for being kind to those who denied him pleasure. However, Minerva
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stood her ground, and was able to safely leave. One last illustration of the theme of courage was

shown when Patria told a bystander that she was going to be murdered. He described it as such:

“I think it must have been Patria-broke from the captors and ran towards the truck. She clung to

the doors, yelling ‘Tell the Mirabal family in Salcedo that the calías are going to kill us’”

( Alvarez 302). In their last moments, the butterflies remained brave. They always fought with

everything that they had. Their courage was abounding and never ending, and they played a

major role in ruining their country, even after their death.

Throughout the first page and the remainder of In the Time of the Butterflies, the themes

of exasperation, courage, and adversity. The butterflies, Patria, Minerva, and María Teresa are

now considered national heroes in the Dominican Republic. November 25, the anniversary of

their death, it International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in honor of the

Mirabal sisters. These women are excellent examples that show the bravery and strength of

women. Without them, Trujillo would have undoubtedly have kept control for longer, leading to

more deaths. Just by deciding to do what they felt right, the Mirabal sisters saved a country. They

truly are and will continue to be an inspiration for people everywhere.