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In The Time Of The Butterflies Expository Essay

Decent Essays

There are many instances of Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor being applicable to In the Time of the Butterflies. One such instance of this is the appearance of the bible in the novel. Religion had a large impact on the Mirabal sisters, especially Patria who was more in touch with her religion than the other sisters. This is increasingly apparent in her views of Pedrito who she calls her earthly groom. Also, Trujillo is similar to a god through his use of spies, through which he can see everything, and his authoritative rule over the Dominican Republic. Another instance of HTRLLAP being validated in In the Time of the Butterflies is through weather.The use of rain throughout the novel represents a transition. For example when …show more content…

Throughout the novel Trujillo repeatedly can be compared to a god. Through the use of his spies and his authoritarian rule suggests he is trying to play the role of an unjust god. In Mama’s house a portrait of El Jefe is hung next to a picture of Jesus. In chapter 4 while Minerva lies beside Patria , they look at the pictures and Minerva says “They’re a pair, aren’t they?”. She wonders why God would allow such a terrible man to rule their country. When she looks up again the two faces had merged, further validating the comparison between God and Trujillo. A similar merging of Trujillo occurs in chapter 6. The paper fans that the girls received at the party thrown by Trujillo have the Virgencita on one side and Trujillo on the other. Minerva states “ Sometimes it was El Jefe’s probing eyes, sometimes it was the Virgin’s pretty face I couldn’t stand to look at.”. This is one of the many instances of Trujillo being compared to a god. Trujillo also creates a slogan for himself, Dios e Trujillo, through which he tries to validate his rule through God. Through the use of the principles of HTRLLAP, one can understand fully the characterization of

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