In The Time Of The Butterflies Marxism Analysis

Each dictator in history is known for something different. Trujillo’s character in In the Time of the Butterflies is known as being the “devil” and making people miserable (Alvarez 24). Marxist Criticism is based on the economic and cultural theory of Karl Marx, who is considered the founder of communism (Davidson). Marxist Criticism can be applied to In the Time of the Butterflies through the way Trujillo’s character maintains his power. Trujillo maintains his power by degrading citizens and instilling fear inside the members underneath his dictatorship. One way Marxist Criticism can be applied to In the Time of the Butterflies is looking at how Trujillo maintains his power by degrading citizens in the country. He degrades his citizens by taking away or destroying everything they have to make their lives miserable. Trujillo does this to ensure that no one, besides himself, will

An example of this is when Alvarez writes, “I saw the marks on Minerva’s throat; fingerprints sure as day on Mate’s pale neck. They also clubbed them good and dead… After they were done, they put the dead girls in the back of the Jeep, Rufino in the back” (Alvarez 303). Trujillo had the Mirabal sisters killed because they were questioning his leadership skills. Trujillo is using the “accidental” death of the Mirabal sisters as an example for the rest of the citizens of the country as a what-not-to-do scenario. If you question Trujillo’s leadership or rebel against him, there is a chance you will die. By killing the Mirabal sisters, Trujillo maintains his power by showing everyone else what he is capable of doing. Killing the Mirabal sisters instills fear in others around them because everyone knows what Trujillo is capable of. Trujillo instills this fear in people so nobody else will question his