Dede Essay

The Transformation of a Voice
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez is a historical fiction novel that tells the extraordinary story of the Mirabal sisters who help redefine the stereotype of women in mid 20th century Dominican Republic
The stereotype of women during the mid 20th century in Dominican Republic is only served to fit with the pleasure of the men or to blend in with the society. However, the Mirabal sister, DeDe had to overcome her fears to take part in the revolution. Her inner battle between committing to the revolution or her home ended up saving her life when her three sisters were forced to sacrifice theirs. Her selfishness and insecurity about women roles seen through the fact that she “followed her husband” and “didn’t get involved” (Alvarez 172). She chose to remain with her comfortable life instead of committing herself to the revolution; even when the other knew exactly how it would end up for them. She withdrew as she began “feeling buried alive”(Alvarez 175) which had become visible throughout the chapters. Her guiltiness drove her to the edge of her life, to the point that she has to “ play the happy moment in her head”(Alvarez 7) to forget the darkest time of her life with her sisters. She has to deal with her conscience everyday of her life, of how she “swear”(Alvarez 177) not to get involved in the revolution with the sisters. Her responsibility and her guiltiness battled, when she has to come up with her decision whether doing something that matter for her kids’ generation or remain silence to protect her precious family that she has always dream of. Traditionally in the Dominican Republic, like many nations in Latin America, had been a patriarchal society where the men were considered to be the head of the family, responsible for their wives and children, who answer to him as the final authority. Changing is not an option for DeDe, she wants to live the ways she was raised and that is her final decision, even when she has...