An Analysis of Courage in Time of the Butterflies

“Life is what you make of it: one can experience it and also let things pass by, or an individual can really go out and obtain what he or she wants in life.” These are common words repeatedly embedded in my mind by my father, potentially the same for one of your parents. “In the Time of the Butterflies” is a book about sisters who fight to claim their God-given right of freedom in the Dominican Republic. To win this liberty, the Mirabal sisters had to give up their safety, sacrifice their childhoods, and risk their lives.

Julia Alvarez, the author of the book, guides the reader through these sisters’ journeys of battling against their oppressor Trujillo and enduring numerous hardships under his political tyranny.

It appears in the book that some sisters had to be the leaders of the group while others needed to be followers. The Mirabal sister considered the leader and the strong one is Minerva. Despite her stubbornness, Minerva is not as strong as she would like to believe. She is the one who always ensures she is perceived as strong; however, in reality, this strength and projected image are merely self-deceptions. Many heroes, fearless leaders, and brave characters in stories never exhibit weaknesses or character flaws.

However, Minerva is consistently depicted in the book as having health problems. She is frequently described as being sick, weak, and in need of rest. Another flaw exploited in this book is that she gets captured and thrown in jail. Once imprisoned, she breaks down – losing control of herself and eventually losing the drive she once had. These exploitations in the novel reveal that Minerva can be broken and depict her as a more ordinary human, rather than the heroic figure everyone would like to believe. “Father was hurt that he hadn’t even said goodbye…Mother, of course, noticed the sternness in my face. My terrible headaches and asthma attacks always worried her. ‘You need rest,’ she prescribed one afternoon and sent me to bed in Father’s room, the coolest in the house” (Alvarez 87). This shows that Minerva is exhausted and needs rest. One can also observe how her mother always worries about Minerva’s health.

That is, her consistent headaches and asthma. These are such weak points that damage Minerva as a character. It is always mom who first identifies her child needing comfort. This passage reminds me of my mom having to care for me when I over-exerted myself this past summer. “You need to slow down, Brian,” she would always say. I practiced into the night, in the morning, under the sun, and in the rain. I didn’t slow down until my mom noticed the dark circles under my eyes and my developing cough. She continuously had to remind me to rest until I finally heeded her advice. Here, one can see exactly how Minerva is no stronger than an average human being, such as me. That is, Minerva needed someone just as I needed someone to tell me what was best for my health and wellness. Authentic strong characters and heroes in books are never described as being unhealthy, or needing guidance, and this is why I perceive Minerva to be weaker than she is portrayed.

The fact that Minerva needs her mother’s support proves that she is not the fully-grown, independent woman she aspires to be. Another example that demonstrates flaws in Minerva’s character is when she is caught and incarcerated. Not that Minerva going to jail was entirely her fault, but the fact that she was caught and imprisoned undermines her power as a character. As I mentioned earlier, heroes and strong characters in books are never weak and are never found in a jail cell. Here, Minerva loses some credibility as a strong and powerful figure. I view her as strong-willed, but she has no strength, power or control while in jail, which presents her as a compromised character.

Once out of jail, Minerva loses her drive and is content just staying at home with her mom. “El couldn’t stand the idea of being locked into any one life. So when we were released in August and put under house arrest, you’d have thought I was receiving just the punishment for me. But to tell the truth, it was as if I’d been given my sentence on a silver platter” (Alvarez 257). Here, it becomes clear that there is nothing else she would rather do than to stay at home and be with her mother. Although it’s endearing she wants to be with her mother, it also signifies that jail took a toll on her. It confirms my theory that she is not as resilient as she believed, and it only took one hardship in her life to break her. In this part of the book, she even loses the determination that used to drive her. Being put under house arrest, one would have expected Minerva to find a way to free herself from this restraint and continue to fight for her freedom.

Instead, she is content and has actually been transformed from a brave person to a terrified and timid personality. This just confirms how Minerva can be broken down and is not a solid individual. Inside that combative, defiant woman that everyone sees is simply a little girl craving love and care, just like everyone else. Heroes and bold characters are those who never falter when called to the rescue. A literary hero is one with courage, robust health, and an indomitable spirit that never fails. Therefore, Minerva, as I have explained, is weaker than she thinks and is not the heroic personality everyone assumes. This weakness is as significant to the book as it is to real life because it is a flaw that no one seems to recognize or understand. Perhaps Alvarez did not consider Minerva the strongest character, and readers only believe she is due to a few brave acts that she performs. In real life, people who consistently keep their emotions to themselves and hide their fears are viewed as brave. But who says that this is what courage is?

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