Characters, Conflicts, and Quizzes

In the Time of the Butterflies, at least the first eighty-three pages, is not at all how I expected it to be.  It’s not a novel recounting a timeline of the main character’s remarkable feats or the dramatic sob story of an impressive yet avoidable tragedy.  Instead it’s a tribute to its genre, the perfect balance of history and fiction.

The first three Mirabal sisters, Patria, Minerva, and Dede, were each born a year apart, with the fourth, Maria Theresa, lagging nine years behind.  Each girl has her own unique personality, driving forces, secrets, and fears.  Chapters switch off between each of their points of view, and as they all play integral parts in the chronicle, this adds a whole new dimension to the novel.  There are four sides to this story, and even just one missing link would leave it incomplete. 

To both introduce and commemorate the four famous and intriguing sisters and their conflicts, find out whose views and life you would most likely identify with.  Which Mirabal sister are you?!    

1. You are suspicious that the person you want to marry may be involved in illegal activity.  What do you do?

a.)   Marriage?  I have to focus on my education and career!

b.)   No one close to me would be involved in anything too serious or severe.

c.)   I would be relatively open-minded about it as long as my family remained safe, healthy, and together.

d.)  Break it off!  I can’t be around people like that!  It’s dangerous!

2. You’ve just been offered a position at the one of the most prestigious school in the country…halfway across the country.  It’s a great opportunity, but you’ll be so far away from you’re family and friends.  Do you still go?

a.)   Absolutely!

b.)  Yes, but I’d most likely be homesick often and miss my family dearly.

c.)   Yes, but I would consider leaving to return home to my boyfriend.

d.)  No, my father’s business needs help, and someone has to make the sacrifice to stay behind.

3. Where would you be most likely to meet the love of your life?

a.)   Political convention

b.)  Journalist convention or book club

c.)   Church

d.)  Somewhere close to home, like a neighborhood party

4. You’re favorite political candidate has just been accused of assault.  You…

a.)   Feel betrayed and begin organizing rallies for an opposing party.

b.)  Don’t believe it and double check to verify the facts.

c.)   Probably wouldn’t hear about it let alone be overly concerned about it.  You are too preoccupied with personal dramas right now.

d.)  Decide to ignore it.  You have always remained loyal to and defended your political positions.

5. You would most likely describe yourself as…

a.)   Rebellious and dramatic

b.)  Innocent and naive

c.)   Family-oriented

d.)  Goody-goody

6. Your mom has just told you that your sister has left for her best friend’s house.  She wants to check on her because she is sick.  You saw your sister’s friend earlier that day though, and she felt fine.  You…

a.)   Make a statement.  Something isn’t right, and you’re not about it let it slide.

b.)  Go along with it.  Your sister must have a good reason for telling the lie, and you can ask her about it later.

c.)   The conversation doesn’t faze you.  You’re more concerned about other things in your life right now, and you don’t read too much into it.

d.)  Tell the truth.  Your sister could be out somewhere dangerous.  You don’t want her to get into any trouble.

7. What type of career do you most likely see yourself having?

a.)   Lawyer

b.)  Writer

c.)   I’m not sure, but I do know I just want to take care of my family.

d.)  Taking over the family business

If you answered mostly A’s, you are Minerva Mirabal!  Minerva is the rebellious, dramatic sister!  She is a great public speaker (and an expert arguer!), aspires to be a lawyer, and values her education.  When Minerva goes away to boarding school, she meets a girl whose family was killed by the country’s dictator Rafael Trujillo and begins to doubt the man she has considered an idle her whole life.  Furthermore, another of her friends, Lina Lovaton, is taken by the married Trujillo as one of his “girlfriends.”  Trujillo builds her a house isolated from her family and friends and leaves her to live there alone, waiting for him to come back to her.  Having witnessed firsthand Trujillo’s secret cruelty, Minerva starts to sneak out of school during the nights to attend meetings of opposition to his political regime.  Her hatred for Trujillo and thirst for change only increases after she meets Virgilio “Lio” Morales, a young doctor and revolutionary.   

If you answered mostly, B’s, you are Maria Theresa Mirabal! Maria Theresa is the innocent sister, who often becomes homesick while attending school.  She relies on her diary to comfort herself, writing daily entries and expressing an early interest in writing.  Maria Theresa learns of Minerva’s late night revolutionary meetings when she is called into the school principal’s office one day.  She is asked if her uncle is sick, as that was the excuse Minerva had given for her sneaking out.  Maria Theresa covers for her older sister, and she soon learns the whole story of Trujillo’s corruption.  However, although she is surprised, the bigger picture does not seem to register with her and she remains more or less unconcerned.    

If you answered mostly C’s, you are Patria Mirabal!  Patria is extremely family-oriented and loyal to her husband Pedrito.  Despite previously believing she wanted to be a nun, family is more important to her, and she was crushed when her third child was stillborn.  After noticing her husband leaving the house late at night, she becomes suspicious of his activities.  Afraid he might be reburying their stillborn son on unconsecrated grounds, she digs up her baby’s coffin but finds his body just as it was originally buried. 

If you answered mostly D’s, you are Dede Mirabal!  Dede is the sister who is the most loyal to her family and volunteers to assist her father’s business instead of following her sisters to school.  She is considered the smart one in the family but often makes decisions based on what others expect of her rather than what she herself wants.  Despite her doubts, she accepts the proposal of her boyfriend Jaimito because their families always assumed they would end up together.  Additionally, Dede is untrusting of Lio, who is considered an enemy of the country and its government, and she is wary of his relationship with Minerva.  When he gives her a letter to relay to Minerva, she reads it and finds that he is inviting her to join him at a rally opposing Trujillo’s regime.  Knowing the danger and risk involved in attending such an event, Dede burns the note to protect her sister.   

Based on your results and the sisters’ various stories, what do you think will happen next?

1. Minerva has always wanted to be a lawyer, but her parents won’t allow her go to law school.  What do you think of will become of Minerva’s aspirations to be a lawyer?

a.)   She will continue with her education and will remain determined to become a lawyer.

b.)  She will continue with her education but will pursue a different career path.

c.)   She will drop out of school and join Lio in his political demonstrations.

d.)  She will drop out of school but will also break ties with Lio after her sister’s burning of his letter to her.

Considering Minerva’s personal choices and problems so far in the novel, I would predict that she would continue with her education and remain determined to become a lawyer.  Minerva is stubborn and smart and unwavering in her decisions and opinions.

2. Maria Theresa doesn’t like being at her boarding school.  She is constantly homesick.  She…

a.)   Stays home but continues covering for Minerva.

b.)  Stays in school and continues covering for Minerva.

c.)   Stays home and tells her parents about Minerva’s late night activities.

d.)  Stays in school but tells the principal about Minerva’s late night activities.

Maria Theresa is loyal to and admires her older sisters, and although she does not like school, she manages to endure it as long as she has her diary to confide it.  I would therefore predict that she would stay in school and continue covering for Minerva.

3. Patria is still slightly suspicious of Pedrito.  She…

a.)   Confronts him about it and uncovers a big secret.

b.)  Confronts him about it and learns of its harmlessness.

c.)   Decides not to confront him about it, as long her baby’s body is safe to rest in peace.

d.)  Decides not to confront him about it but later finds he was hiding something important, illegal, scandalous, etc.

Personally, I would predict a certain combination of the last two possible responses.  Patria is so family-oriented that I believe she would not press her husband on his strange activities as long as she knew her baby’s body remained undisturbed.  At this point in the novel, she is too consumed in her own grief over this loss to be too concerned with anything or anyone else.  However, I do not think his strange behavior has a completely harmless explanation, and he must be up to something.

As the suspense builds and the plot and characters continue to develop, I have high expectations for the next chapters of In the Time of the Butterflies, and I am anxious to learn how the sisters’ struggles pan out.  Can’t wait to read on!