In The Time Of The Butterflies Analysis

I chose to review a literary criticism journal by Kelly Oliver. I found the essay on the Gale Literature Criticism Online Database. Oliver’s essay focuses on three of Julia Alvarez’s books, one being In the Time of the Butterflies. She talk about how Alvarez's theme’s of her book are varies from gender to race then to socioeconomic class and how those themes influence power dynamics. These themes help create depth in her books and a deeper meaning than just what the text says.
Oliver talks about upper classes and lower classes along with gender shift in her journal. She referred back to the relationship Minerva and her Papa had and how that affected their gender roles. Minerva found out about Papa’s second life and papa forced Minerva to keep the secret from her mother. This gave Minerva some power over her father, enabling her to control him a little. This was unlikely, …show more content…
In the Time of the Butterflies is a book centered around revolution. In her essay, she stresses the Mirabal sisters roles in the underground revolution. Even though they didn't fight physically, the sisters still put up a fight. Mate would write in her journal, “...the revolution is a chance for me not be known as the baby of the family.” Minerva didn’t need a journal to express her feeling because she was vocal enough, which typically led her to a couple weeks in solitary confinement. Oliver says that the things that fueled them was the trapping of their femininity and the need for political revolution. I believe that statement is sorta true. I believe the sister were furious at their beloved dictator, because of the awful things he would do to women. I also believe that they were driven a little by their significant others. For example Manolo and Minerva. Manolo was a very important figure during the revolution so Minerva probably thought as the wife of him he'd better do the same. Patria and Mate also followed their husbands into the