Brief Summary Of Julia Alvarez's In The Time Of The Butterflies

In the Time of the Butterflies In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is the story of the Mirabal family during the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. The story is told through the perspectives of the 4 sisters, Patria, Dede, Minerva and Maria Teresa as the family is slowly torn apart by the Military Intelligence Service. Minerva was the first of the sisters to become involved in the underground movement against the government. She made friends at Inmaculada whose family had been arrested, tortured, and even killed by Trujillo's men. Even as a child, Minerva was rebellious, and her actions followed only her own judgments of right versus wrong. Minerva also enjoyed politics and aspired to study law. This was probably what introduced her to the liberal world, although the real bad luck begins when the sisters meet a liberal, …show more content…
This movement harbors weapons, information and the people inside the movement use code names, such as Mariposa, to help protect themselves from Trujillo’s men. Mate falls for a man also involved in this movement, Leandro Guzman, and they are soon married. Soon, Patria and her husband, Pedro Gonzalez, as well as her son Nelson, also become a part in this. Dede and Jaimito refuse to become a part of the rebellion. Jaimito is too concerned for their safety and will not let Dede join her sisters or convince him to. Eventually, the government learns of the involvement of the sisters and their husbands. Minerva, Mate, Manolo, Nelson, Pedrito, and Leandro are arrested by the SIM and taken to a prison in La Victoria. Nelson is released shortly after, but Minerva and Mate are not released until after the OAS comes to examine the conditions of the prison. Mate had been taken to La 40 and was abused there, and once the OAS learned this, she and Minerva were released on house