The Use of Literary Techniques in in the Time of the Butterflies
How it works
Julia Alvarez uses vibrant imagery to depict the harsh reality of Trujillo's regime that troubled the Dominican Republic from the 1930s to the 1960s. These evocative images highlight the gloomy moments throughout the book. Alvarez brings the landscape to life and provides insights into the hearts of the Mirabal sisters. The brutal truth gradually seeps into the reader's mind through somber descriptions of Trujillo's merciless rule.
She employs detailed descriptions to transform situations and events into potentially real and dangerous circumstances.
Her descriptive powers resonate with each character's ability to perceive and narrate situations. The Mirabal sisters—Patria, Dede, Minerva, and Maria Teresa—each have distinctive voices heard throughout the novel. Each sister's voice evokes recognition in the reader's mind, akin to auditory recognition. In the following passage, Alvarez describes the landscape of the country vividly:
"The entire spine of the country is wet. [She goes on to say] ... Atlantic where it is lost in the waves that rock the bones of saints in the deepest sleep. We have traveled almost the full length of the island and can report that every corner of it is wet, every river overflows its banks, every rain barrel is full, every wall washed clean of writing nobody knows how to read anyway." (Alvarez, 116-117).
This personified portrayal of the land reveals the political turmoil gripping the country. Minerva paints the distressing image of the nation's political situation for the reader. The facts are as plain as the writing on the walls; however, people are unable to discern the truth about Trujillo's regime. While Minerva discusses the political unrest, her sisters endure political hardships. Dede's life contrasts with Minerva's as her actions are chronicled in the third person.
Dede designs a plan but overlooks a crucial element in any endeavor—courage. She plots to leave Jaimito and join the revolutionaries with her sisters, but lacks the bravery required. She knows they will eventually be killed, and she struggles to move forward after Minerva's death. She is aware she cannot abandon her children, and ultimately these realities offer no solace, despite her careful planning. Alvarez uses the landscape as a metaphor for the sisters' lives, providing the reader with tangible evidence of the Mirabal's struggles.
The lives of the Mirabal sisters resonate with readers through Alvarez's potent imagery. Her writing techniques open our hearts and enrich them with deeply symbolic content. The most heart-wrenching scenes are seared into our hearts, painfully inscribing the essence of the Mirabal's anguished souls onto ours. Alvarez's captivating depictions bring the characters and events to life. By intertwining brutal truths with beautifully woven fiction, she delivers a moving and mournful portrait of the Mirabals that will endure for generations.
The Use of Literary Techniques in In the Time of the Butterflies. (2022, Dec 16). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-use-of-literary-techniques-in-in-the-time-of-the-butterflies/
