Time Of The Butterflies By Julia Alvarez Character Analysis

Reading through the intrepid journeys of this novel, we come to learn about each of the four Mirabal sisters, along with her attitude and actions towards her merciless leader. In Julia Alvarez’s In The Time of the Butterflies, readers are introduced to four sisters living under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo, the head of the Dominican Republic. All sisters harbor an intense hatred for the state, but among them, two sisters in particular bear stronger differences than the others—Minerva and Dedé. Minerva is an adamant character who delves deeper into the secrets of Trujillo and the coming revolution, whereas Dedé’s character shies away and lingers in the back. While Minerva and Dedé both long to see the corrupt regime overthrown, only

For one, Minerva Mirabal is the one who initiated it all; she first learned of the “secrets of Trujillo” and immediately sprung into action to help her people, acting on her love and desire for her people’s freedom. After Minerva had been involved for a while, she came to Patria “with her six-month-old Manolito and asked [her] to keep him… it did hurt her to make this sacrifice she was convinced she needed to make” (Alvarez 155). The readers are shown that despite how distressed Minerva is, she still drives through. Her sacrifices are painful to make, but because it is for her nation, she throws her tears aside. Minerva is incredibly devoted to the revolution and the liberation of her country, and is willing to do whatever she needs for her people, even forsaking her family. On the other hand, Dedé’s actions are not nearly as commendable as Minerva’s. Dedé is doubtful, unable to bring herself to make big sacrifices, and relents under the force of her husband. She admits that she did not partake in the revolution because “she couldn’t put [her marriage] on the line… [and] shrank from the challenge her sisters were giving her” (Alvarez 177). Through these lines, we understand that Dedé is reluctant to take action and, added with the resistance from Jaimito, does not contribute to the cause. In this way, Dedé’s actions are not as noble as Minerva’s, for her actions are done based on personal relationships, and when presented with a daring task, she pulls away. While she does provide her assistance here and there, she does it for the safety of her family and herself, not for her people. Minerva’s actions are admirably selfless and dedicated to the oppressed people; she wants to help not just herself, but her country. Dedé’s actions are more centered around her safety, and her contributions lack the ambition Minerva’s