Alvarez Accomplishments With Writing "In The Time of the Butterflies"

Reading “In the Time of the Butterflies” was not only an interesting novel to read but an inspiring story that tells a lot about women rights. When I first started reading this book, I did not really understand what the author Alvarez was trying to accomplish with writing this piece. Now that I have finished this book, the message Alvarez was trying to express became obvious to me.

For a long time women have been limited to certain rights but no one ever speaks up. In the novel “In the Time of the Butterflies” one of the main characters named Minerva spoke up and fought for what she believed was right. Desperate to prove people wrong, Minerva went off to law school to show people in her nation that women can be just as successful in practicing law as well.  After finishing law school but being denied a degree, Minerva felt even more ambitious about over throwing the government.  Alvarez was trying to address the problems with women rights by showing the conflicts women go through just to be heard. Alvarez used this true story based on the death of the Mirabal Sisters to express the true life conflicts with women.

With writing this piece, Alvarez addressed the roles of women back in those times and certain roles of women that still are followed today. For example, in the beginning of the book, when discussing Patria’s idea of becoming a nun, Papa the (Mirabal Sister’s father) states in this quote “More than once, he said that Patria as a nun would be a waste of a pretty girl.” This statement implied that the only expectations Papa had for his girls were to be some man’s wife one day.  Alvarez pointed out the fact that women in those days were meant to only be mothers and wives and not lawyers like Minerva hoped to be. Alvarez showed readers that women are told not to have a voice but through the character Minerva she also shows the moral of speaking up and standing for what is right. Alvarez accomplished getting across an important message to women and to all readers.

"Minerva"

The book “In the Time of the Butterflies” is a tragedy that is based on a true story. The book goes into details about a number of events that happen involving a leader who also came off as a dictator named Trujillo.  Maribal Sister’s lost their lives (except Dede)  trying to fight against an unfair government. After reading this novel there was one sister that stuck out the most and that was Minerva.

Minerva shows her strength throughout the book by not living by the limitations that are put on women. Minerva was out spoken and wanted to do things she was told that should could not accomplish because of her gender. For instance, in chapter twelve Minerva states, “Papa always complained that, of his four girls, I should have been the boy born to cut loose. First, I wanted to go to boarding school, then university.” Throughout the book Minerva seemed to be the sister that never settled for less than what she wanted.

Even though Minerva was not the oldest out of the three sisters, she definitely seemed like the leader. Minerva played a big role in trying to fight for what she believed. Minerva did not let anyone stop her not even Trujillo, the person everyone feared; she did not give in to the fear that he had put upon many people.

In this book Minerva’s strength is shown through the events that she faces. For example, “Here we all thought El Jefe had relented against our family and let Minerva enroll in law school. But really what he was planning all along was to let her study for five whole years only to render that degree useless in the end.” After being able to attend law school and actually finishing, Minerva was withheld from getting her degree. This situation just made Minerva stronger in the long run and more eager to fight against Trujillo and his government.

Dede's Timeline From "In the Time of the Butterflies"

v  Around 1925 – Dede’s birth

v  1938 – Dede goes away to Immaculada Concepcion

v  1943 – Dede’s Father gives fortune of Dede; beginning of the end, resistance beginning of the involvement of the Las Mariposas

v  1948 – Dede Marries Jaimito (who is also her cousin)

v  1949 – (October 12) Dede goes to the discovery day dance with Minerva which is where there conflict starts with the Maribal Sisters and the government

v  1954 – Dede and Jaimito moves back to family farm and they already have  2 children

v  1950 – Ice cream shop fails

v  1959 – Patria ask Dede if group could be held at the family farm

v  1960 – The Maribal sisters continued to ask about using property; Dede did not get involed

v  1994 – Dede is now living in Dominican Republic in Ojo De Agua, At the Family Farm house while running the museum and is still involved with her nieces and nephews, she is the only sister left alive

      Dede’s Life

"In The Time of The Butterflies" The Role of Mama and Papa

The book “In the Time of the Butterflies” presents four girls from the Dominican Republic who are sisters. This novel says a lot about the role people play in family life. For instance, when Patria was discussing with her father (Papa) her plan to leave to go to Inmmaculada Concepcion to become a nun, Papa had a sort of a protective attitude. Papa had a reaction that a father would usually have with his daughter(s). Minerva insisted that her Dede should follow to look after one another but Papa still had his fatherly doubts. For example, in this quote where Minerva is talking to Papa, “He pulled me to his lap and said, “And who is going to chaperone you? “ “Dede,” I said, so all three of us could go together. He pulled a long face. If all my little chickens go, what will become of me?”  Papa sounds like he is highly disappointed that his daughters are thinking about leaving him.

                The mother of the daughters who is also known as Mama, sort of convinces Papa that their daughters need education. She explains how without education having cash does not really mean much. Also it seems as if the mother is more in favor of her daughters getting an education because of the education she lacks. For example, “Enrique, those girls need some learning. Look at us” Mama had never admitted it, but I suspected she couldn’t even read.” In their family it seem like the Mother (Mama) is the parent who wants her daughter s to have what she did not receive such as an education. And the Father (Papa), who also wants the best for his daughters, often show an over protective side. In my opinion it is common for a Mother and Father to act like Mama and Papa in the novel “In the Time of the Butterflies.”

While reading this chapter where Minerva is speaking, I realized another character trait that Papa seems to have. I got a sense of a little insecurity in his personality from this quote, “Papa caved in again, but said one of us had to stay to help mind the store. He always had to add a little something to whatever Mama came up with. Mama said he was just putting his mark on everything so no one could say Enrique Mirabel didn’t wear the pants in his family.” This quote shows how insecure Papa was when it came to being the head of his family. Even though Papa brought in the money, he still felt like he had to prove that he was the one that was in charge of his family.

Questions I asked myself after reading "The Epilogue"

The book I Am an Emotional Creature, says a lot about young girls and the feelings they have as emerging women. In the epilogue, Ensler goes into details about what is expected of women and what women should expect from their selves. For instance Ensler states many sayings and quotes that young females will be told in their life. The epilogue implies that people make the world seem like a scary place where women can’t express who they are nor can show independence.  For instance, Ensler sates quotes like, “find a man, the world is a scary place, and you can’t trust anyone.”  This shows the many scary thoughts that are put in the minds of many young girls.

After reading the epilogue, a number of questions appeared in my mind.  Who makes up these implications that Ensler addresses? Why women are told these things and are expected to follow these unofficial rules? For instance, Ensler states, “Don’t be so intense don’t cry so much.” Who expects women to be this way and act a certain way?  Why can’t women (girls) cry so much and be intense?  Why should women or girls be told how to act and how to express their own feelings? These are the many questions that I instantly thought of when reading Ensler’s epilogue to the piece I Am an Emotional Creature.

In my opinion, it is wrong that women have so many limitations to how to feel and how to act. It is very rare for men and boys to have limitations on what to say or do. Women have to be afraid of being ridiculed by men about how they act or look. For example, the poem “My Short Skirt.” addresses the problem with people especially men assuming that a woman wearing something short is implying that she wants sex. So because of that implication, women are told often to cover up in a society where it is okay for men to walk around shirtless.

In the second part of the epilogue, Ensler rebels against what women are told with what she is telling them. She attacks every thing that women are told and tells women to think for them self, never be afraid to express your feelings, and don’t be afraid to be you.

"Bad Boys" Versus "What's A Good Girl"

In the book, I Am an Emotional Creature, Eve Ensler who is also the author of The Vagina Monologues, creates a book for young women filled with many short stories and poetry. Ensler goes into detail about the experiences and problems that young women go through in life. This book was not as explicit and a little more toned down from The Vagina Monologues to fit a younger audience. Ensler focuses most of her ideas and topics on women in many of her books, she explores their personal feelings and experiences as a women. She creates really interesting pieces that all women ranging from the ages of 10 to 70 can relate to.

In the book, I Am an Emotional Creatures, there were two poems that really caught my attention and that was “Bad Boy” and “What’s A Good Girl.” These two poems caught my attention because they seemed to relate to one another. For instance, “Bad Boy” is a poem that is being told by a female narrator who begins describing a bad boy just like her and then starts describing her bad traits; but the poem “What’s A Good Girl” seem to discuss the opposite. The poem “What’s A Good Girl” which also seem to be told by a female narrator, describes what a good girl is supposed to be. For example, In “Bad Boy” the narrator states, “I’m not the person they want me to be my mother wants a perfect family I don’t believe in perfect.” I found this quote to be similar to “What’s A Good Girl” because there are many quotes that the narrator say that implies that there is a sense of being pressured to be perfect. For example, in “What’s A Good Girl” it states, “Follows her parents in everything even though she disagrees.” After reading these two poems, I felt as if the poems were going against each other. With the girl in “Bad Boys” rebellious ways versus a girl who follows her parents expectations these poems seem to have different views but same concept.

Even though “I am an Emotional Creature” seem like a less mature version of “The Vagina Monologues,” I felt that there were certain stories and poems that I was able to relate to as an adult women. Some stories reminded me of experience and feelings I had as a female emerging into womanhood.

In the book The Vagina Monologues, there are so many interviews and stories that are very personal and openly discussed.  This books purpose was to open women’s eyes to the word vagina, and as a reader, this book definitely caught my attention. With Eve Ensler’s “Vagina Facts” and unique questions, she really nailed it with the true definition of Vagina.

As Ensler tells these stories that are inspired by other women and conduct these interviews, she catches a lot of the reader’s attention. For example, one interview that caught my attention was “The Flood” which was an interesting but kind of funny story to me. The female presented in that story was embarrassed by something that is natural for women when excited. The narrator states, “I couldn’t control it. It was like this force of passion, this river of life just flooded out of me right through my panties.” The boy in this particular story was discussed by her when it was a normal reaction. I also thought it was funny that she was even embarrassed considering it was a natural thing that happens to women.  Some of the interviews were also interesting. For instance, the interviews that Ensler took when she dealt with young teen women. In “I was twelve. My mother slapped me” many young girls expressed their feelings about the first time they stepped into women when they experienced getting their period.  One of the young girls sates, “In junior high—brown drips before it came. Coincided with a little hair under my arms, which grew unevenly: one armpit had hair, the other didn’t. “Ensler never held back with the information she received from these girls when it came to writing and publishing The Vagina Monologues.

The Vagina Monologues was a book that opened my eyes to the true meaning of the word “Vagina.” Finally, someone has created a voice for women. The vagina is a body part that women keep secret and don’t talk about and Ensler changes that through this piece.