In The Time Of The Butterflies Critical Analysis

In the Time of the Butterflies- Critical Analysis The novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez was published in 1994 and was written as a tribute to the Mirabal sisters, better knowns as “Las Mariposas” (the butterflies). These sisters were women who stood up against the transgressions in their country—a country that was under a governance of a cruel dictator known as Raphael Leonidas Trujillo. It just so happened to be that this circumstance is the reason as to why the Alvarez family had to move back to New York City. Her father joined the underground assembly in an endeavor of plotting to overthrow Trujillo. However, the plan was discovered and because he was frightened, that they could probably get caught, the father took his family and fled to the United States. Shortly, four months, after their escape three of the sisters were assassinated by Trujillo. Alvarez’s purpose for writing this novel was to honor “these sisters, who fought one tyrant… ” and became “… models for women fighting against injustices of all kinds” (Alvarez 342).

According to Susan Miller, “the story skillfully weave fact and fiction…gut-wrenching climax.” Alvarez did not know the sisters, only of what they have done. Through their actions, she was inspired to create the character in the book and hopes that she did them justice. This novel is expressed in three segments with four parts told in the sisters’ point of view, except for Dede’s “the sister who survived”. By doing this the author allows us to have a more intimate sense of the lives of these well-known women. “Each of the girls develops her own voice.” (Miller) It also helps give us more of an insight of how the themes are presented throughout the book. The most important themes the reader(s) discover are women/feminism/gender, courage,