Hoover 1 Kate Hoover Ms.

Gardner Honors English 10, Period 2 16 November 2013 Making History: In the Time of the Butterflies Alvarez, Julia. "About Me." Author Julia Alvarez. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2013. Julia Alvarez shows her own unique style through a brief description of her personal life: found on her website, Alvarez describes from her own point of view her autobiography. In a relatable tone, she clarifies her lifebeginning with her birth in the United States, ending with an update on her current lifestyle in the tropical Champlain Valley of Vermont, and including Dominican Republic experiences in between. Alvarez refers to her own literatures, and explains them within the confines of a sentence or two; she also refers to other authors and important people in her life. She provides knowledgeable information about the different stages and struggles of her life: attempting to become a writer and published author in America. She answers the basic question with appreciated detail: What made you into a writer? The reader will conclude this short About Me with a strong sense of knowing Alvarez on a more personal level: her writing style brings a down-to-earth, practical feeling. She ties her literary works into her life, giving a purpose to her novels as if they knot perfectly with her life. Once she finishes with her past leading up to the success of being a Hispanic-American author, she elaborates on her current standard of living: tending to the fruits, vegetables, and

Hoover 2 animals on her farm, and doubling as a teacher at Middlebury College. This information, again, leaves a feeling that she is only as human as the rest of us. Mansel, Tim. "'I Shot the Cruelest Dictator in the Americas'" BBC News. BBC, 27 May 2011. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. Tim Mansels article offers in-depth detail on the assassination of Rafael Trujillo, as well as an overview of Trujillo himself, who was the Dominican Republics dictator in the time of the Mirabal sisters. Mansel interviews General Imbert, one of the conspirators that ambushed Trujillo on the 30th of May, 1961. Imbert vividly recalls the confrontation between the armed Trujillo, Trujillos chauffeur, himself, and the other three conspirators in the car with him waiting to get rid of the cruel dictator. Imbert also remembers the consequences of killing El Jefe, as well as his own efforts to carry out his life post-assassination. This article brings forward the true stakes of Trujillo and his reign over the Dominican Republic. Imbert, the sole surviving man of the assassination, paints a colorful, yet negative image of Trujillo. The article is written without an opinion from the writer, Mansel, but the undesirable connotations that come with Trujillo, along with the destructive diction used in the writing, allows the reader to come away with a dislike for Trujillo. Mansel explains Trujillos dictator ship in a matter of short paragraphs, but the point is taken that Trujillo attempted far more bad things during his reign than good. Although the article is less about Trujillo himself and more about Imbert and the shooting, Mansel still provides enough information about the dictator to understand his intentions. Martnez, Yolanda P. "Alvarez, Julia." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.

Hoover 3 This article explores a brief description of Julia Alvarez as she grew up and experienced the lifestyles of both the Dominican Republic and the United States. Alvarez was a child in the time of Rafael Trujillos dictatorship, which she writes about in many of her novels. Her novels are mentioned thoroughlyplots are described with detail, historical relevance, as well as personal relevance to Alvarez. This article includes blunt information on the author, Alvarez, herselfthe information on her childhood and the life she lived is incredibly vague, but provides an all-purpose overview of her personal background. The reader, if unfamiliar, will receive a broad biography, but enough of a biography to understand Alvarez and her past. Otherwise, the article delivers in depth account of her works and novels. The summary is extremely generalizedyet understood. Her individual involvement in Dominican Republic history is thoughtfully woven into the summaries of her widely-known novels. It is given that Alvarez drew from personal exposure to Trujillo and other historical moments to create a fictional novel with true significance. Ramirez, Luz Elena. "In the Time of the Butterflies." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. This writing offers description on important plot moments, the characteristics of the four Mirabal sisters, the historical significance of these ladies and the rebellion that they took part in, and clarification of some of the questionable areas involving the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies. It is organized by summary of the novel, then character analysis of every sister each analysis extends on the fictional and non-fictional issues of the book and what truly happened to the Mirabal sisters. Any reader with no knowledge of the novel or the novels subject matter is greatly informed on every aspect of the novel.

Hoover 4 As far as criticism goes, this writing offers little to none; it offers mostly novel summary and in-depth character breakdown along with the significance of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic in the mid-1900s. Ramirez uses negative diction when speaking in terms of dictatorship, which gives the essence that Ramirez believes in what the sisters fought so hard forRamirez is on the side of the revolt, or so it would seem like. The main strategy of this writing is to clarify the larger issues at hand: it is detailed and thorough with the novel, not with critique. Rohter, Larry. "The Three Sisters, Avenged: A Dominican Drama." The New York Times. The New York Times, 15 Feb. 1997. Web. 30 Nov. 2013. This article, provided by The New York Times, illustrates the outcome of the death of the three Mirabal sisters: the legacy that their children are labelled to live up to and what they have chosen to do with their lives growing upsome have taken high governmental positions in the Dominican Republic, the historical remembrance of the sisters, whom are symbols of both popular and feminist resistance, the debate on how to include the fight these women put up into academic curriculum. This article also mentions the novel, In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, as one of the many commemorations of the death of the three Mirabal sisters. Rohter begins the article with the tone of admiration and respect, as many would have, for the Mirabal sisters, which sets the story of their own purpose during the reign of Rafael Trujillo. He describes little of what the sisters did to ignite the fire of rebellion, but the reader understands that they obviously did something extreme to have left such an impact on the modern day. After a few short and sweet paragraphs on the Mirabal sisters themselves, Rohter elaborates on the results: museums, statues, and other memorabilia have been erected in their

Hoover 5 honor. The reader will develop a gratitude for the children of the sistersmany have gone to achieve intellectual and political status. Overall, this article allows the reader to see the realities after the sisters made their mark, which isnt dwelled upon often. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen. "In the Time of the Butterflies." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 1 Dec. 2013. This writing elaborates on the reasons and rhymes for Julia Alvarezs work in the novel In the Time of the Butterflies. It references many quotes from the novel itself, as well as Alvarez, to add further evidence to any claims madethe material is reliable and credible because of this. It focuses briefly on each character of the Mirabal sisters, otherwise known as Las Mariposas, or the butterfliesthus the title of the book, and the symbolism for transformation. This writing also studies heavily into feminism and the impact the sisters had on the citizens of the Dominican Republic, along with the martyrdom that came with it. This writing uses clever, eye-opening diction as it explains the novel compared to the reality of the situation: it develops a sense of urgency and compassion for the sisters, even though there fate has already been decided many years ago. It deals with both sides of the revolution created by the Mirabals; although, Snodgrass does come across to take sides with the sisters as do many other individuals who are informed of their historical significance. Because of the countless amounts of writers who side with the Mirabal sisters, there is little to no accurate information on the true governmental side of the situation: most often, the articles written in favor of the sisters are written by females themselvesany arguments are one-sided. In conclusion, this piece brings forward a great deal of motive and purpose to Julia Alvarez and her novel.