This is an online journal for Mr. Lucero's English classes. Students should leave their responses to weekly prompts as comments. Their responses will be graded twice a month.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
English IV (Mirabal Sisters)
Write 3/4 of a page about each sister's personality and interests. Is there one sister who may be considered the main character of the novel? Why/ Why not?
I would describe Minerva’s with a passionate and aggressive personality. Minerva was interested in getting into law school she even set a bet with Trujillo and she won and she got in to law school. She then graduated but Trujillo made sure she wasn’t able to get her law licenses. Dede, I would describe her as a calm and self reserved person because she doesn’t really become involved in the underground movement her sisters helped build. I believe her interest is to become a mother and be a good housewife for her family. Patria, religious and weak minded. Patria interest is religion she wanted to become a nun but then feel in love and couldn’t anymore. She felt like she had a divine calling from God. Maria Teresa, Frustrated and strong. Her interest was in freedom. She wanted freedom from her mother, she would see how her sister would fall in love and she wanted to do the same but she couldn’t because she was always with her mama. She even stated “don’t they understand I’m 18 why wont she see me as a adult”. I consider Minerva as the main character of this novel because she the one who gets her sisters involved in the underground for the Anti Trujillo. And since the beginning of the novel she has not liked Trujillo and we see examples like when she slaps him because he was flirting with her. And she was always disturbed how they would see Trujillo as a God.
Abraham Barroso Which sister do I think is the main character……… Could it be Patria, she was the oldest of the four sisters, she was the religious sister in the family, she wanted to be a nun and so she convinced her parents to enroll her and her three other sisters to go to school. Will maybe it can be Minerva, she was the rebel of the sisters; she is part of a secret club in order for her and her sister to take down the all mighty powerful Trujillo. However, Dedé was a daddy girl, she was ignorant, jealous and shellfish when it comes her sister Minerva, when Lio came to their home and he found Minerva more attractive to her than Dedé. Last but not least, Mate she was the youngest of the sister she always looked up to Minerva and she always writes on her diary on what happens in her life, so in my point of view I see Mate as the main character, sure the other three sisters may have their side of the story, but something about Mate makes me feel that she is the main character of the book. She writes on her journal and she places dates and the time when an event happen, sure every sister does show a different tittle for each event, but Mate has the right time and date, when an event occurs in her or in her family life. Mate may be a little girl, but she isn’t afraid of writing done her thoughts and writing done the actions that she may have done with her sisters.
Each sister definitely had different personalities. Out of the sisters, Minerva was the one with the sharp mouth. She always talked out of term when she knew that she was right or when something was wrong to her. Minerva had a strong interest to set her people(the people of the Dominican Republic) free from their dictator for over twenty years which is Trujillo. Minerva strongly disliked him for many reasons since the first day she heard about his dirty secrets as a young girl in the convent. As for Dede she was different than Minerva in many ways. Dede was the jealous type out of her sisters. She envied Minerva and her brave thoughts and actions. Dede was the type to want things to go her way but she never spoke up about it. She would think about it but if it did not go the way she planned it then she would think too hard and too much. All the thinking makes her feel guilty in a way for many things. Patria who is the oldest of the four was a very religious girl since she was a young girl. She only realized what her true destiny was after she was touched by the holy spirit when her and her sisters went on a pilgrimage. Her destiny was to help the people and she thought the best way to do that was to join the revolution. Last but not least Maria Teresa who is also the youngest of the Mirabel sisters. Maria Teresa looks up to Minerva but was frighten for getting caught because of all the bad things that has been happening at the university. Maria Teresa was the first out of her sisters to join Minerva in the revolution. She is full of hate this young girl especially towards men. She hates them because how Trujillo is and how her father and all those men who treated her wrong. But truly all Maria Teresa wanted was a man to love her unconditionally. To me I think that Dede is the main character because she is the one who starts off the novel and is also telling her sisters stories to the reporter who is asking her the questions.
No doubt that each sister is different in personalities but one thing that they all agree on is their rights and whats going on with the dictator Trujillo and his rules along with his bad leadership. So Minerva's personality is more risk taking in the way she will say what she wants and get her point across no matter what she has to do in order to get people to hear her. Patria is the oldest of the four girls which she says her destiny was called to be a nun or in the religious part like her mom would want her to be. Then we have Dede the sister who is known as the daddy's girl and she is daddy's favorite. Last we have Maria Teresa who follows Minerva's foot steps but unlike Minerva she is cautious of not getting caught or in trouble so she is afraid sometimes to take the risk. I don't think there is a main character in this book because we get to hear all four points of views from the sister which all four are very important. Unless you would count Dede as a main character for still being the one sister who is alive and starting of the story in the book
Maria Theresa was the youngest out of the four sisters. She was very innocent and naïve, about 10 years apart from her older sisters. She was very quiet and really didn't get involved into much of the rebellious events. Maria Theresa can be seen as materialistic. She really looked up to Minerva and joined the revolution while living with her sister. Dede is the second to youngest sister. She is calm throughout all the dramatic situations the sisters face, yet after they all died, she runs the museum set up in their house. Dede tries to stay out of the rebellion while her sisters continued to fight against Trujillo. She constantly warned them about the consequences was their actions which she knew would end in their death. She is practical compared to her sisters. Minerva was the second to oldest sister. She was head strong and relied on faith most of the time. She argued for what she believed in. She was tough also believed in feminism. Minerva in a way could be seen as the sister that pushed them to fight against Trujillo. Minerva was strong supporter of the cause and even gave up her son just in order to continue to support it as much as she could. Patria the oldest of all four sisters was very religious and as a child dreamed of being a nun. Since she wanted to be a nun she asked her parents if she could go to a convent school, which is how the rest of her sisters get to go to school and receive an education.Patria shows more concern towards other people then she does for herself. She also was the only sister who liked the idea of settling down and having a family. I believe that each of the sisters play a significant role in the book allowing any of them the title of main character. Each sister has a story to tell with a message for the audience. In a way the author is making each of them a main character while telling one story.
In my opinion Maria Teresa takes the role of the main character, but just for the sake of naming a main character. Any one of the sisters could be considered the main story because the way the novel is written you see different aspects of their lives, more focused on just one of the sisters in some chapters and focused on all of them in others. I just like Maria Teressa the most because it is the easiest to follow. She blogs her happenings in her journals in the book in a timely order, so when the chapters are of her writings its easy to follow as well as full of straight forward information. As to where the other chapters skip around making it harder to follow a chronological order. Dede strikes me as more of a cautions character, I don't want to say she doesn't carry the same spark as the other characters, but she definitely lacks some sort of attitude her sisters have toward the regime. Minerva i would describe as head strong. She goes for what she wants with no hesitation. If she sees opportunity she jumps on it at first glance. A good example of this would be the scene at Trujillo party, and the follow up event when she takes a roll of dice with Trujillo. Patria is the religious sister, not preachy about it but i would say follows the guidelines of her religion. And lastly maria Teresa strikes me as an independent. Instead of talking to others about her thoughts she writes them down and keeps them to herself.
The youngest out of all the mirabal sisters is Maria Teresa who is the one has shown to be more of the devoted one to the revolution than her other sisters that have some interest but not showing it like Maria persuses it to be her main goal to accomplish something in her life. Maria Teresa got married to Leandro and she has one daughter , Jacquelin but the reason she might have wanted to join the revolution is maybe got influenced by her sister minerva to join the revolution not only that but mainly because of Leadro to show him that she was worthy to him. So yes you can say Maria teresa is the youngest with the great revolutionary women who is the main character from my poin of view. So the second sister is Dede who doesnt really know what to do with herself as in the position she is in with the revolution but her sisters are the ones who do have an idea that they want to join or not. But shes the one who doesnt really what to do so it makes her feel weak and seperated from them as the revolution goes on. She mainly doesnt want to join the revolution because she doesnt want to involve her husband into it. She has great love for her sisters and she doesnt want nothing to happen so she tells them they'll be killed in the revolution. Which later on in the book it happens where the three sisters are dead and shes the only left from the mirabel sisters with her husban and she has three kids. The third sister is is Minerva who is the one who really strongly bealives to be in the revolution and influences her sisters to join the revolution. She also at a young age was successful in law school but later her license to practic gets withheld by Trujillo as revenge. The fourth sister is patria who is the oldest sister of the four and she is really religous and she convicend her parents to let her go to a religous group. She has her ups and downs with her religion because she lost a child and supposly god punishes her for that.She is also a revolutionary with her sister but makes a christian revolutionary group.
The Mirabal sisters have very distinct personalities. They are strong in their own ways. Minerva is the most strong-willed. Even though she isn't the oldest, her actions induce reactions from the other sisters, which strings the book along. She was interested in law, ironic considering she is a famous revolutionary. Trujillo saw something in her, and she was rewarded with an education. Her law degree was later made invalid, crushing that dream and steering her even more toward being a revolutionary. Patria changes greatly from the beginning of the novel. As she was growing up, she was always the good child. She did well in school, and eventually was asked to become a nun. At this time, she met her husband, and got married. She was the first Mirabal to marry, and was also the first to have children. She settles into marriage, living a (relatively) orthodox life until the rebellion starts. Maria Teresa, or Mate, is transformed during the book. She is a cross between Minerva and Patria. Maria is an innocent girl, in the mold of Patria when she was young. She writes in a diary and uses flowery language. As she grows up, she spends the majority of her time with Minerva and, eventually, Minerva's husband. She would eventually idolize Minerva, even calling herself "Mariposa 2", after Minerva's "Mariposa". Dede is the only surviving Mirabal sister. She never got involved in the rebellion nearly as much as her sisters. She was the only Mirabal to not "wear the pants" in her relationship. After the sister's death, she becomes the best insurance salesperson in her company, ironic considering her sister's death.
Minerva, the strong-willed sister has the persona to go against a crowd to stick up for what she believed in; but at the same time, frankly, open minded and willing to view any situation from all perspectives instead of making snap judgments with the people who oppose her. Invincibly focused with a plan and knows when someone is trying to keep them from completing that plan, she has the willingness to avoid or intervene in order to remove that obstacle. She is efficient of blocking out fear, lies, coercion, manipulation, and exploitation which is the hallmarks of an assertive person, like her. With having a highly seasoned personality, she may be the main character of the novel.
Patria, the religious sister was more pure, thoughtful, helpful nevertheless intelligent. She would rather do what God wanted her to do, than what she wanted to do. A religious person worries more about what is the right, or the righteous thing to do more than what he/she desires to do. It isn't her perfection that defines her as religious, but rather her faults, and how she chooses to better herself.
Maria, in the midst between her two sisters Patria and Minerva, was the naive sister who sat back and watched, then made her decisions. Her two sisters where her role models where she just pick and chose different traits from each sister. In the case of the youngest child she adapted positively to her environment by becoming very ambitious.
Dede, the disinterested sister wasn’t involved in the revolution like her three other sisters, which was somewhat odd. I don’t think she was a true believer, she saw something different then her sisters. Something influenced her not to ride and fight back with her own blood or maybe she wanted to stand out in a different way. Although, she was effective for speaking out on what here sisters did.
I would describe Minerva as the outspoken and strong willed sister. She is a leader and is full of energy. She isn't afraid to says what she thinks. She gets her degree in law but is not allowed to practice because of Trujillo. Patria is the "motherly" one out of the 4 sisters. She marries young and has children. She allows her husband to have control over her until she finally can not stand to be just a wife and mother. DeDe is somewhat conceited and knows that men like her, but the man she really wants loves her sister Minerva. She is the one who is scared to take chances because she wants her children to have their mother apart of their lives. Maria Teresa is the youngest who adores her older sister Minerva and wants to be just like her. She is also conceited and very attractive but she falls hard when she eventually falls in love. The main character of the story? Hmmm, I would consider DeDe the main character of the story because she is the only Mirabal sister who lived. When Julia Alvarez went to meet DeDe, she was going to do a historical article about her sisters. But it turned into a historical fiction, she wanted people to get to know the sisters which also includes DeDe. Though she was not center to the revolution, it doesn't matter. It was her story as well as her sisters and she deserved a part in it.
Even siblings have their differences but what makes them alike is the love for each other and the respect they have even if they may have different beliefs. The oldest one which was Patria she’s the most religious one out of the four sisters. In the book no matter what her situation is she always has room for god, but she also helps in the underground movement. The second one is Dede, she’s much more southing of the situation she’s not scared but she wants no problems so she stays out of everything with the other three sisters. But even if she doesn’t agree with them at the time, she has respect for them. Minerva has a strong passion for her law and to me she’s a very strong person that isn’t scared to fight for what she wants, she’s what keeps all the sisters together as one. Maria Teresa being the last one of the Maribal sisters always hides in her sister’s shadows, she looks up to them but her she’s also very into the underground movement. I believe that Minerva is the main character of everything that goes on. She stands up to Trujillo when the right movement. Never does she back down with fear even if she might be scared but she wants to show everyone who he truly is. And I feel that she has great potential with all her sisters as well they all come together, as one whole.
The four sister couldn’t have been less alike. The Mirabal sisters had unique and very distinct qualities about them. They all are extremely strong in their own different way. They all play a significant role in the book but Minerva would be the main character because she initiates the revolution movements. Patria being the eldest, one would expect her to be the main character because she should have bigger responsibilities than her younger siblings. As a child she grew up knowing that she had a religious calling and some day she would figure it out. Instead of being a nun like everyone expected she got married and settle into the family life. She worries about what help she can do for anyone. Minerva was the one born with spice. She brings the rebellious aspect to the book dead on. She eager, strong minded, a political animal, and a graduated law student. Her law degree was declared invalid because Trujillo considered it pay back. If Minerva believes in a cause and is truly passionate about it she will die for it. Maria Terssa kept to herself for a while. She poured her heart out into her journal to help her carry on. She was as innocent and kind a little fluffy lamb. Being ten years younger than her sisters she was naïve to the despicable things the government was doing to citizens. In the beginning she wasn’t truly passionate about the revolution but as the book continues she is becoming stronger in the sense that she’s actually believing they can do it. Dede would be the strongest over the sister not because she was the only that survived but because she has to carry on her families story every year of her life. There’s no room to move on when people bring these dreadful events. She very preserved and quiet. When her sister were alive she didn’t join the revolution because she knew the dangers of the missions.
Patria is the oldest sister and she is very religious. She wanted to be a nun so she and her sisters went to school. She later marries a man named Pedrito and later on her third child dies and she saw it as punishment from god.
Maria Teresa is the youngest sister and through the book her personality changes. In the beginning she is very innocent but later on she would hungry for freedom. She feels trapped by her mother because she wouldn't let her find love. She would exchange that hunger for love with wanting to revolt.
Dede is the second oldest sister and she doesn't get involved in the revolution and is the only sister to survive. She did thing only for her own intentions during her early years like sabotaging Lio and Minerva’s relationship only because she was jealous of the excitement they had together. She was seen as innocent and as daddy’s little girl.
Minerva is the third oldest sister and she is the most headstrong. She went to law school by gambling with Trujillo and won, but she couldn’t get a license because of Trujillo. She later on meets Lio who is a revolutionary and falls in love with him but he leaves the country. She later on meets a man named Manolo who also is a revolutionary leader.
To me the main character is Maria Teresa because of the emotions she displays, how her character develops naturally, and how she is the most relatable to me. But any of the four sisters can be the main character to different people because each sister takes control of the novel and has their story told in different ways
Each Mirabal sister has its own personality. Patria the oldest one, she is more reserved, and very religious. Even though she was thought as the quiet, most wise sister; she got married at sixteen. People do say that the quiet ones are the ones that always surprise the most. After her marriage she was very confused of her doing the right thing. At first she doesn’t even try to care of what goes around with politics; but the more her sisters’ get involved, inquisitiveness bothers her mind each time. I consider Minerva the main character in the novel. If you pay close attention as you engage yourself when reading, you can tell that each sister mentions her a lot. Minerva was the first one of the sisters to join in the revolution. She is very brave and nothing stops her from accomplishing her goal. She went to college and became a lawyer, it wasn’t easy but she got what she wanted. Minerva is also willing to help her sisters in everything. She was most of the time always there for Maria Teresa. Minerva just defends what she loves and cares for. Even though I think that Minerva is the main character, my favorite sister is Maria Teresa. I enjoy her chapters a lot. Maria Teresa is the youngest one, she is very innocent and she always has a different perspective about things. I feel that she finds the good side out of the worst. When I read Maria Teresa’s diary, I think of her being more honest, not that her other sister’s chapters aren’t; but since it’s a diary, it’s more private and she does not deprive herself from writing what she thinks or feels. Dede is the other sister; she has had a difficult life since she married. Every business she has tried, fails. Either she doesn’t know much about business or someone is making sure that she fails. In this case she is nothing like her sister Minerva. Thanks to Pedrito not wanting Dede to join whatever her sister were doing, she survived. She did good in listening to her husband.
Patria was the eldest of the Mirabal sisters and the most religious. She was depended on when it came to some things because her words of wisdom was quite helpful. Dede was more quiet and laid back. She was semi involved with the things her sisters and family did when it came to Trujillo, but nothing that would point her out and do things that would cause too negative attention to her. Minerva; the rebellion, outspoken, courageous Mirabal. She fought for all that she believed in and wouldn't stop until she won. Her family somewhat looks up to her for her bravery and the things she stand for. I believe it wasn't for her, the Mirabal sisters, wouldn't be the Mirabal sisters. Maria Teresa was the baby. She was the most sensitive and lost. She didn't know exactly what to fight for the most, love, or women's rights. She's also the most innocent because she's young and naïve. She doesn't know what's exactly going on, nor how to take it in. As for the main character, I think all the sisters are main characters because they all have their inputs and thoughts in the story, though Minerva and Maria Teresa grabs more attention from the readers because their stories lead more into the Trujillo part and inches closer and closer to the climax of the story and has we readers at the edge of our seats.
Minerva a sister out of this novel has a bold and outspoken personality. She was the true rebel out of all the sisters. She had convinced their parents to send her and the rest of the sisters to school. She dreamed of going to law school, she did eventually graduate from law school. Another sister Dede was the jealous type out of all her sisters. Dede also maintains to keep calm in bad situations; she goes with the flow most of the time. Another sister Maria Theresa is the youngest out of all the sisters she is pretty innocent considering she’s the baby of the family. She feels her mother treats her like a child. When she is already 18 and is ready to go out on her own. The final sister Patria she is the oldest out of all the four sisters. She wanted to be a nun she had to get permission from her parents to go to school for it. I would classify Minerva as the main character because she’s the rebel out of the sisters. She is always talked about in the book even when it’s not her section. And she is heavily involved with the underground movement to stop Trujillo plus much more.
Patria Mirabal is the eldest sister, she is also the most religious. Growing up she believed she would be a nun, and plans to enter a convent. She then realizes being a nun is not the life for, and she marries a man named Pedrito Gonzales. They had two kids, but the third one died, this caused the religious Patria to lose her faith. However she then goes to a religious pilgrimage, and her prayers to the Virgin Mary was answered, this made Patria believe again. While she was praying in the mountains, she sees a man getting shot by a member of the regime, this makes her join with her sisters to fight against Trujillo. Minerva is the most courageous sister, she will persue anything that she believes is right. She believed the revolution was important, once she saw what happened to Lina, the same could happen to her. Minerva’s bravery showed when she had the courage to push Trujillo out of her way during the dance. She knew what Trujillo could do, but she still hits Trujillo. Maria Theresa was the youngest sister, and she learned from her sisters. The author showed how young Maria Theresa was because she wrote things in her, that she carried everywhere. She learns a lot from her sisters, it was because of Minerva that Maria Theresa joined the revolution. When Minerva was sneaking out from the school, Maria Theresa lies to the principal about where Minerva was going. Once Maria Theresa found out that Minerva was going to a rebellion meeting, Maria Theresa still lied. This showed Minerva’s early influences on Maria Theresa joining the rebellion. Dede, was the second oldest, and unlike her sisters she is very cautious about everything. She also tends to listen to her husband, unlike her sister to has the power in their marriages. Jaimito did not want Dede to join the revolution because it will harm their marriage. Jaimito wants to wear the pants in the family, he did not want Dede to rebel because it would seem as if Dede wore the pants. I would consider Minerva as the main character in the novel, due to the fact that she was the first to support the rebellion. She was the only sister that was not afraid of the power Trujillo possessed. She even had the audacity to slap Trujillo for touching her. Without her, the sisters might not even be in the revolution. -Ralph Cola
All four sisters have their own and unique personalities, of course some more vivid than the others. Since the beginning of the book the whole class knew that Dede was the only sister that makes it alive from the revolution in the Dominican Republic. By knowing that you immediately think Dede is going to be the main charter, but it's not the case in this novel. The only reason Dede makes it alive from this great tragedy, is because she wasn't really involved and she was classified as "daddy's girl". But we do get to see her sabotage one of her sister's relationship. Dede might have just terminated that relationship for the protection of her sister or for pure jealousy. In my opinion Dede and her oldest sister Patria have the least important roles. Patria was the most religious sister of them all. Also she was always with her mother and praying. Patria was so religious that she even considered herself converting into a nun. The people that knew her never understood her decisions because she was considered the most beautiful sister from all four. Until one day Patria looked herself in the mirror and realized how beautiful she was, and decided that she wasn't going to leave all that beauty to waste. Later on she gets married and haves kids. The following two sisters I struggle on deciding who is the main character. Maria Teresa is the youngest sister. What makes Maria Teresa standout from the rest are her chapters, they are all in diary entry from, so I get a better understanding of how and what she is feeling. I had the opportunity to see the growth in Maria Teresa, I got to see the innocence of Maria Teresa fade away. Although all of her three sisters were her role model there was one that always stood out to her. And that is the final sister Minerva. I believe she admires her the most because she is the one that gave her the diary to begin telling her story and because of her strong character. Minerva was the only sister that had her mind set since the beginning of the novel. She made it clear that she was going to become a lawyer and fight what she thought was right. Minerva had a strong and aggressive personality, and that was what made her stand out. With her sturdy attitude, she was the Mirabal sister that was most involve in the revolution. Even though she was putting her life in risk with a guy that could of been her husband she kept fighting for her rights. Minerva tried her best to stay involved in the revolution as much as possible, that she even gave up her son to make ore time. She always tried to find a way to overcome an obstacle and that is why I think she is the main character of this novel. Her willingness and perseverance was the thing that popped out the most.
The Mirabal sisters have a strong bond to which cannot be compared to any ordinary relationship of siblings. Patria, the first child, is a woman of strong faith, and a confused one now ever since her third child died. She thought it was the act of God for punishment of not becoming a nun. Dede is the second child, and is the least interested in the revolution. With this she feels that it is dangerous enough joining when she knows her sisters could be in trouble if spotted in the act of overthrowing Trujillo. Minerva is the third child, and the most bold headed and head strong of all. She intended on going to law school and Trujillo had given her the opportunity to go but then snatched it away in an unsuspecting yet somewhat predictable way. He only added anger to her revolutionary personality, and he did not know it. Maria Teresa is the youngest child of the sisters. She is one interested in the revolution, because she wanted the gratified attention of Leandro. Considering the story of the sisters and Trujillo, Minerva would be the main character of the plot. She increases the tension between Trujillo and her actions of a strong woman. Trujillo " loves" her but does not think in women's rights. So how exactly does he plan on conquering her? She has already showed him disrespect by leaving the party early before he, slapping him, planning to overthrow him, and winning the bet (to which I find a fair win but he acts like a baby about it). If she hadn't had such an urge in planning on overthrowing Trujillo, I don't think the sisters would be dead, including Dede who also did not join. But then again I do believe she is responsible for the memory of them all because they won't be forgotten.
Patria is the most religious out of all the sisters. She got married at the young age of 16. Dedé is the most cautious out of the sisters. She seems to always plan out every decision she makes. Dedé tries to do what's in the best interest of everybody. Minerva is the most unpredictable and dangerous out of the sisters. She is the revolutionary and is always into something. You may not always know what to expect with Minerva. Maria Teresa is the innocent sister. She is the youngest and you can hear her innocence in her journals. Maria Teresa and Minerva seem like the main characters. Maria Teresa has a lot of journals throughout the book. Minerva is always in somebody else's story. She is always into something and is everywhere in this book.
Although the Mirabal sisters are connected by blood, they are all distinct from each other and possess traits that make them unique. Minerva is probably the most daring out of the four considering she has the most rebellious mindset and is the most independent. Seeing how Minerva is able to stand her ground and make decisions on her own makes her stand out among the butterflies. From the days she was in grade school with Sinita to the days where she had to face the responsibility of supporting her own family, Minerva never forgot one of the reasons why she fought for herself and for her family. She is also extremely straight forward with her reasonings for certain things she disagrees with including going to mass and of course their government in the Domincan Republic. The youngest of the four is Maria Teresa and although she is the baby sister, she claims to be intelligent for her age. I find her to be more innocent out of the family because of her age but I also see that she is mature. Ever since she was young, she felt as though it wasn’t fair that she was treated like the baby of the family; she wanted to be caught up with whatever Minerva was doing too. Maria could also be seen like a side kick; when Minerva needed her to cover up for her, Maria was able to do so as well as live with her while she continued her studies. Her obvious main interest would be writing and documenting important events and feelings in her journal. Patria is probably one of the more mature sisters in the family considering she is the eldest. She is seen to be motherly and very caring. Throughout the book, I’ve been able to conclude that Patria takes religion very seriously; to the point where she believed that God had purposely taken away her first born. She believed it was literally a punishment from God and because of that, she had gone into depression. In a way, I see that Patria has a weak side to her. She isn’t able to move on if she keeps looking back to the past and allows little things to remind her about her loss years before. Dede, in my opinion, is the sister that doesn’t have as much courage as the rest of her siblings. The fact that she uses her Jaimito’s opposition towards the revolution as a way to avoid getting involved is somewhat disloyal towards her sisters. Her sisters have tried to get her to join them, however, she continued to refuse all the way to the point after they had passed. She said herself during her interview with the woman that it was too late when she decided to join them. Because of this I see that Dede could be seen as the pickle minded sister who is afraid of getting into trouble. In my opinion the strongest of the sisters would have to be Minerva because of her bravery but all in all because of the way the book is structured, there really isn’t a main character in this story. Each sister is given a spotlight because they have their own chapters.
Dede :Dede is the second Mirabal sister who was the only one who survived the revolution. Because she is the only one who survived she feels a bit weaker. She had mixed feelings about joining the revolution but then her husband Jamilito convinced her to not join. Therefore saving her life, even thought it almost tore their marriage apart. They have three boys which both her and Jamilito care deeply about. Minerva: Minerva was the third sister of the four Mirbal sisters who is very headstrong. She is determined to go to law school despite Trujillo saying that is it not allowed. Trujillo finally lets her go but then tells her she can’t get a license so the schooling was not useful at all. Before she went to law school she was in a relationship with Lio who was a revolutionary leader. Then at law school she met Manolo and ends up marrying him and they had their daughter Minou and their son Manolito. Patria: Patria is the oldest of the sisters and she is very religious. She marries her husband Pedrito at age 16. She had children but one of them didn’t survive, that led her into a deep depression. Partia starts a Christian revolution group that meets in her barn house. Because when she was younger she insisted on becoming a nun, that’s how all the sisters got to get their education. Maria Teresa: Maria Teresa is the youngest sister who is very materialistic. She married Leandro and had a child Jaqueline. She joined the revolution to feel worthy of Leandro and she had to move in with Minerva before they got arrested. Throughout the book Maria Teresa slowly becomes more and more mature, instead of being the young naive sister. I don’t think that there is one main character but all of the sisters are the main characters. Each of them have their own stories that all combine into the one story of the sisters. Everyone has different parts of the book but it’s all shared.
The Mirabel sisters, though identical at heart, are different in numerous ways. Dede is more conservative than the others; more traditional also. Unlike her sisters she didn’t push the cause yet let her spouse take the lead who wasn’t very much involved to begin with. Patria, the oldest of the group and also the most religious, may be the most mature. She’s the sibling who takes time to inquire the wonders of life; why things happen and where she fits. Maria Teresa, Mate, I believe is the most impulsive. As her innocence transcends into a firey flame she doesn’t think twice about making her own decisions.
Finally, Minerva – perhaps my favorite out the pack – took passion to greater lengths. She perhaps is the most aggressive. Conceivably the main character within the bunch, Minerva risked it all; her sisters’ intrigued partnership, Don Enrique’s sudden arrest &’d death. Always one to watch, her cause didn’t die unnoted. She, inevitably, steals the spotlight whether that’s her beauty or comebacks.
I would describe Minerva’s with a passionate and aggressive personality. Minerva was interested in getting into law school she even set a bet with Trujillo and she won and she got in to law school. She then graduated but Trujillo made sure she wasn’t able to get her law licenses.
ReplyDeleteDede, I would describe her as a calm and self reserved person because she doesn’t really become involved in the underground movement her sisters helped build. I believe her interest is to become a mother and be a good housewife for her family.
Patria, religious and weak minded. Patria interest is religion she wanted to become a nun but then feel in love and couldn’t anymore. She felt like she had a divine calling from God.
Maria Teresa, Frustrated and strong. Her interest was in freedom. She wanted freedom from her mother, she would see how her sister would fall in love and she wanted to do the same but she couldn’t because she was always with her mama. She even stated “don’t they understand I’m 18 why wont she see me as a adult”.
I consider Minerva as the main character of this novel because she the one who gets her sisters involved in the underground for the Anti Trujillo. And since the beginning of the novel she has not liked Trujillo and we see examples like when she slaps him because he was flirting with her. And she was always disturbed how they would see Trujillo as a God.
Abraham Barroso
ReplyDeleteWhich sister do I think is the main character……… Could it be Patria, she was the oldest of the four sisters, she was the religious sister in the family, she wanted to be a nun and so she convinced her parents to enroll her and her three other sisters to go to school. Will maybe it can be Minerva, she was the rebel of the sisters; she is part of a secret club in order for her and her sister to take down the all mighty powerful Trujillo. However, Dedé was a daddy girl, she was ignorant, jealous and shellfish when it comes her sister Minerva, when Lio came to their home and he found Minerva more attractive to her than Dedé. Last but not least, Mate she was the youngest of the sister she always looked up to Minerva and she always writes on her diary on what happens in her life, so in my point of view I see Mate as the main character, sure the other three sisters may have their side of the story, but something about Mate makes me feel that she is the main character of the book. She writes on her journal and she places dates and the time when an event happen, sure every sister does show a different tittle for each event, but Mate has the right time and date, when an event occurs in her or in her family life. Mate may be a little girl, but she isn’t afraid of writing done her thoughts and writing done the actions that she may have done with her sisters.
Each sister definitely had different personalities. Out of the sisters, Minerva was the one with the sharp mouth. She always talked out of term when she knew that she was right or when something was wrong to her. Minerva had a strong interest to set her people(the people of the Dominican Republic) free from their dictator for over twenty years which is Trujillo. Minerva strongly disliked him for many reasons since the first day she heard about his dirty secrets as a young girl in the convent. As for Dede she was different than Minerva in many ways. Dede was the jealous type out of her sisters. She envied Minerva and her brave thoughts and actions. Dede was the type to want things to go her way but she never spoke up about it. She would think about it but if it did not go the way she planned it then she would think too hard and too much. All the thinking makes her feel guilty in a way for many things. Patria who is the oldest of the four was a very religious girl since she was a young girl. She only realized what her true destiny was after she was touched by the holy spirit when her and her sisters went on a pilgrimage. Her destiny was to help the people and she thought the best way to do that was to join the revolution. Last but not least Maria Teresa who is also the youngest of the Mirabel sisters. Maria Teresa looks up to Minerva but was frighten for getting caught because of all the bad things that has been happening at the university. Maria Teresa was the first out of her sisters to join Minerva in the revolution. She is full of hate this young girl especially towards men. She hates them because how Trujillo is and how her father and all those men who treated her wrong. But truly all Maria Teresa wanted was a man to love her unconditionally. To me I think that Dede is the main character because she is the one who starts off the novel and is also telling her sisters stories to the reporter who is asking her the questions.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt that each sister is different in personalities but one thing that they all agree on is their rights and whats going on with the dictator Trujillo and his rules along with his bad leadership. So Minerva's personality is more risk taking in the way she will say what she wants and get her point across no matter what she has to do in order to get people to hear her. Patria is the oldest of the four girls which she says her destiny was called to be a nun or in the religious part like her mom would want her to be. Then we have Dede the sister who is known as the daddy's girl and she is daddy's favorite. Last we have Maria Teresa who follows Minerva's foot steps but unlike Minerva she is cautious of not getting caught or in trouble so she is afraid sometimes to take the risk. I don't think there is a main character in this book because we get to hear all four points of views from the sister which all four are very important. Unless you would count Dede as a main character for still being the one sister who is alive and starting of the story in the book
ReplyDeleteMaria Theresa was the youngest out of the four sisters. She was very innocent and naïve, about 10 years apart from her older sisters. She was very quiet and really didn't get involved into much of the rebellious events. Maria Theresa can be seen as materialistic. She really looked up to Minerva and joined the revolution while living with her sister.
ReplyDeleteDede is the second to youngest sister. She is calm throughout all the dramatic situations the sisters face, yet after they all died, she runs the museum set up in their house. Dede tries to stay out of the rebellion while her sisters continued to fight against Trujillo. She constantly warned them about the consequences was their actions which she knew would end in their death. She is practical compared to her sisters.
Minerva was the second to oldest sister. She was head strong and relied on faith most of the time. She argued for what she believed in. She was tough also believed in feminism. Minerva in a way could be seen as the sister that pushed them to fight against Trujillo. Minerva was strong supporter of the cause and even gave up her son just in order to continue to support it as much as she could.
Patria the oldest of all four sisters was very religious and as a child dreamed of being a nun. Since she wanted to be a nun she asked her parents if she could go to a convent school, which is how the rest of her sisters get to go to school and receive an education.Patria shows more concern towards other people then she does for herself. She also was the only sister who liked the idea of settling down and having a family.
I believe that each of the sisters play a significant role in the book allowing any of them the title of main character. Each sister has a story to tell with a message for the audience. In a way the author is making each of them a main character while telling one story.
In my opinion Maria Teresa takes the role of the main character, but just for the sake of naming a main character. Any one of the sisters could be considered the main story because the way the novel is written you see different aspects of their lives, more focused on just one of the sisters in some chapters and focused on all of them in others. I just like Maria Teressa the most because it is the easiest to follow. She blogs her happenings in her journals in the book in a timely order, so when the chapters are of her writings its easy to follow as well as full of straight forward information. As to where the other chapters skip around making it harder to follow a chronological order.
ReplyDeleteDede strikes me as more of a cautions character, I don't want to say she doesn't carry the same spark as the other characters, but she definitely lacks some sort of attitude her sisters have toward the regime.
Minerva i would describe as head strong. She goes for what she wants with no hesitation. If she sees opportunity she jumps on it at first glance. A good example of this would be the scene at Trujillo party, and the follow up event when she takes a roll of dice with Trujillo.
Patria is the religious sister, not preachy about it but i would say follows the guidelines of her religion.
And lastly maria Teresa strikes me as an independent. Instead of talking to others about her thoughts she writes them down and keeps them to herself.
The youngest out of all the mirabal sisters is Maria Teresa who is the one has shown to be more of the devoted one to the revolution than her other sisters that have some interest but not showing it like Maria persuses it to be her main goal to accomplish something in her life. Maria Teresa got married to Leandro and she has one daughter , Jacquelin but the reason she might have wanted to join the revolution is maybe got influenced by her sister minerva to join the revolution not only that but mainly because of Leadro to show him that she was worthy to him. So yes you can say Maria teresa is the youngest with the great revolutionary women who is the main character from my poin of view. So the second sister is Dede who doesnt really know what to do with herself as in the position she is in with the revolution but her sisters are the ones who do have an idea that they want to join or not. But shes the one who doesnt really what to do so it makes her feel weak and seperated from them as the revolution goes on. She mainly doesnt want to join the revolution because she doesnt want to involve her husband into it. She has great love for her sisters and she doesnt want nothing to happen so she tells them they'll be killed in the revolution. Which later on in the book it happens where the three sisters are dead and shes the only left from the mirabel sisters with her husban and she has three kids. The third sister is is Minerva who is the one who really strongly bealives to be in the revolution and influences her sisters to join the revolution. She also at a young age was successful in law school but later her license to practic gets withheld by Trujillo as revenge. The fourth sister is patria who is the oldest sister of the four and she is really religous and she convicend her parents to let her go to a religous group. She has her ups and downs with her religion because she lost a child and supposly god punishes her for that.She is also a revolutionary with her sister but makes a christian revolutionary group.
ReplyDeleteThe Mirabal sisters have very distinct personalities. They are strong in their own ways.
ReplyDeleteMinerva is the most strong-willed. Even though she isn't the oldest, her actions induce reactions from the other sisters, which strings the book along. She was interested in law, ironic considering she is a famous revolutionary. Trujillo saw something in her, and she was rewarded with an education. Her law degree was later made invalid, crushing that dream and steering her even more toward being a revolutionary.
Patria changes greatly from the beginning of the novel. As she was growing up, she was always the good child. She did well in school, and eventually was asked to become a nun. At this time, she met her husband, and got married. She was the first Mirabal to marry, and was also the first to have children. She settles into marriage, living a (relatively) orthodox life until the rebellion starts.
Maria Teresa, or Mate, is transformed during the book. She is a cross between Minerva and Patria. Maria is an innocent girl, in the mold of Patria when she was young. She writes in a diary and uses flowery language. As she grows up, she spends the majority of her time with Minerva and, eventually, Minerva's husband. She would eventually idolize Minerva, even calling herself "Mariposa 2", after Minerva's "Mariposa".
Dede is the only surviving Mirabal sister. She never got involved in the rebellion nearly as much as her sisters. She was the only Mirabal to not "wear the pants" in her relationship. After the sister's death, she becomes the best insurance salesperson in her company, ironic considering her sister's death.
Minerva, the strong-willed sister has the persona to go against a crowd to stick up for what she believed in; but at the same time, frankly, open minded and willing to view any situation from all perspectives instead of making snap judgments with the people who oppose her. Invincibly focused with a plan and knows when someone is trying to keep them from completing that plan, she has the willingness to avoid or intervene in order to remove that obstacle. She is efficient of blocking out fear, lies, coercion, manipulation, and exploitation which is the hallmarks of an assertive person, like her. With having a highly seasoned personality, she may be the main character of the novel.
ReplyDeletePatria, the religious sister was more pure, thoughtful, helpful nevertheless intelligent. She would rather do what God wanted her to do, than what she wanted to do. A religious person worries more about what is the right, or the righteous thing to do more than what he/she desires to do. It isn't her perfection that defines her as religious, but rather her faults, and how she chooses to better herself.
Maria, in the midst between her two sisters Patria and Minerva, was the naive sister who sat back and watched, then made her decisions. Her two sisters where her role models where she just pick and chose different traits from each sister. In the case of the youngest child she adapted positively to her environment by becoming very ambitious.
Dede, the disinterested sister wasn’t involved in the revolution like her three other sisters, which was somewhat odd. I don’t think she was a true believer, she saw something different then her sisters. Something influenced her not to ride and fight back with her own blood or maybe she wanted to stand out in a different way. Although, she was effective for speaking out on what here sisters did.
I would describe Minerva as the outspoken and strong willed sister. She is a leader and is full of energy. She isn't afraid to says what she thinks. She gets her degree in law but is not allowed to practice because of Trujillo. Patria is the "motherly" one out of the 4 sisters. She marries young and has children. She allows her husband to have control over her until she finally can not stand to be just a wife and mother. DeDe is somewhat conceited and knows that men like her, but the man she really wants loves her sister Minerva. She is the one who is scared to take chances because she wants her children to have their mother apart of their lives. Maria Teresa is the youngest who adores her older sister Minerva and wants to be just like her. She is also conceited and very attractive but she falls hard when she eventually falls in love. The main character of the story? Hmmm, I would consider DeDe the main character of the story because she is the only Mirabal sister who lived. When Julia Alvarez went to meet DeDe, she was going to do a historical article about her sisters. But it turned into a historical fiction, she wanted people to get to know the sisters which also includes DeDe. Though she was not center to the revolution, it doesn't matter. It was her story as well as her sisters and she deserved a part in it.
ReplyDeleteEven siblings have their differences but what makes them alike is the love for each other and the respect they have even if they may have different beliefs.
ReplyDeleteThe oldest one which was Patria she’s the most religious one out of the four sisters. In the book no matter what her situation is she always has room for god, but she also helps in the underground movement. The second one is Dede, she’s much more southing of the situation she’s not scared but she wants no problems so she stays out of everything with the other three sisters. But even if she doesn’t agree with them at the time, she has respect for them. Minerva has a strong passion for her law and to me she’s a very strong person that isn’t scared to fight for what she wants, she’s what keeps all the sisters together as one. Maria Teresa being the last one of the Maribal sisters always hides in her sister’s shadows, she looks up to them but her she’s also very into the underground movement.
I believe that Minerva is the main character of everything that goes on. She stands up to Trujillo when the right movement. Never does she back down with fear even if she might be scared but she wants to show everyone who he truly is. And I feel that she has great potential with all her sisters as well they all come together, as one whole.
The four sister couldn’t have been less alike. The Mirabal sisters had unique and very distinct qualities about them. They all are extremely strong in their own different way. They all play a significant role in the book but Minerva would be the main character because she initiates the revolution movements.
ReplyDeletePatria being the eldest, one would expect her to be the main character because she should have bigger responsibilities than her younger siblings. As a child she grew up knowing that she had a religious calling and some day she would figure it out. Instead of being a nun like everyone expected she got married and settle into the family life. She worries about what help she can do for anyone.
Minerva was the one born with spice. She brings the rebellious aspect to the book dead on. She eager, strong minded, a political animal, and a graduated law student. Her law degree was declared invalid because Trujillo considered it pay back. If Minerva believes in a cause and is truly passionate about it she will die for it.
Maria Terssa kept to herself for a while. She poured her heart out into her journal to help her carry on. She was as innocent and kind a little fluffy lamb. Being ten years younger than her sisters she was naïve to the despicable things the government was doing to citizens. In the beginning she wasn’t truly passionate about the revolution but as the book continues she is becoming stronger in the sense that she’s actually believing they can do it.
Dede would be the strongest over the sister not because she was the only that survived but because she has to carry on her families story every year of her life. There’s no room to move on when people bring these dreadful events. She very preserved and quiet. When her sister were alive she didn’t join the revolution because she knew the dangers of the missions.
Patria is the oldest sister and she is very religious. She wanted to be a nun so she and her sisters went to school. She later marries a man named Pedrito and later on her third child dies and she saw it as punishment from god.
ReplyDeleteMaria Teresa is the youngest sister and through the book her personality changes. In the beginning she is very innocent but later on she would hungry for freedom. She feels trapped by her mother because she wouldn't let her find love. She would exchange that hunger for love with wanting to revolt.
Dede is the second oldest sister and she doesn't get involved in the revolution and is the only sister to survive. She did thing only for her own intentions during her early years like sabotaging Lio and Minerva’s relationship only because she was jealous of the excitement they had together. She was seen as innocent and as daddy’s little girl.
Minerva is the third oldest sister and she is the most headstrong. She went to law school by gambling with Trujillo and won, but she couldn’t get a license because of Trujillo. She later on meets Lio who is a revolutionary and falls in love with him but he leaves the country. She later on meets a man named Manolo who also is a revolutionary leader.
To me the main character is Maria Teresa because of the emotions she displays, how her character develops naturally, and how she is the most relatable to me. But any of the four sisters can be the main character to different people because each sister takes control of the novel and has their story told in different ways
Each Mirabal sister has its own personality. Patria the oldest one, she is more reserved, and very religious. Even though she was thought as the quiet, most wise sister; she got married at sixteen. People do say that the quiet ones are the ones that always surprise the most. After her marriage she was very confused of her doing the right thing. At first she doesn’t even try to care of what goes around with politics; but the more her sisters’ get involved, inquisitiveness bothers her mind each time.
ReplyDeleteI consider Minerva the main character in the novel. If you pay close attention as you engage yourself when reading, you can tell that each sister mentions her a lot. Minerva was the first one of the sisters to join in the revolution. She is very brave and nothing stops her from accomplishing her goal. She went to college and became a lawyer, it wasn’t easy but she got what she wanted. Minerva is also willing to help her sisters in everything. She was most of the time always there for Maria Teresa. Minerva just defends what she loves and cares for.
Even though I think that Minerva is the main character, my favorite sister is Maria Teresa. I enjoy her chapters a lot. Maria Teresa is the youngest one, she is very innocent and she always has a different perspective about things. I feel that she finds the good side out of the worst. When I read Maria Teresa’s diary, I think of her being more honest, not that her other sister’s chapters aren’t; but since it’s a diary, it’s more private and she does not deprive herself from writing what she thinks or feels.
Dede is the other sister; she has had a difficult life since she married. Every business she has tried, fails. Either she doesn’t know much about business or someone is making sure that she fails. In this case she is nothing like her sister Minerva. Thanks to Pedrito not wanting Dede to join whatever her sister were doing, she survived. She did good in listening to her husband.
Patria was the eldest of the Mirabal sisters and the most religious. She was depended on when it came to some things because her words of wisdom was quite helpful. Dede was more quiet and laid back. She was semi involved with the things her sisters and family did when it came to Trujillo, but nothing that would point her out and do things that would cause too negative attention to her. Minerva; the rebellion, outspoken, courageous Mirabal. She fought for all that she believed in and wouldn't stop until she won. Her family somewhat looks up to her for her bravery and the things she stand for. I believe it wasn't for her, the Mirabal sisters, wouldn't be the Mirabal sisters. Maria Teresa was the baby. She was the most sensitive and lost. She didn't know exactly what to fight for the most, love, or women's rights. She's also the most innocent because she's young and naïve. She doesn't know what's exactly going on, nor how to take it in. As for the main character, I think all the sisters are main characters because they all have their inputs and thoughts in the story, though Minerva and Maria Teresa grabs more attention from the readers because their stories lead more into the Trujillo part and inches closer and closer to the climax of the story and has we readers at the edge of our seats.
ReplyDeleteMinerva a sister out of this novel has a bold and outspoken personality. She was the true rebel out of all the sisters. She had convinced their parents to send her and the rest of the sisters to school. She dreamed of going to law school, she did eventually graduate from law school. Another sister Dede was the jealous type out of all her sisters. Dede also maintains to keep calm in bad situations; she goes with the flow most of the time. Another sister Maria Theresa is the youngest out of all the sisters she is pretty innocent considering she’s the baby of the family. She feels her mother treats her like a child. When she is already 18 and is ready to go out on her own. The final sister Patria she is the oldest out of all the four sisters. She wanted to be a nun she had to get permission from her parents to go to school for it. I would classify Minerva as the main character because she’s the rebel out of the sisters. She is always talked about in the book even when it’s not her section. And she is heavily involved with the underground movement to stop Trujillo plus much more.
ReplyDeletePatria Mirabal is the eldest sister, she is also the most religious. Growing up she believed she would be a nun, and plans to enter a convent. She then realizes being a nun is not the life for, and she marries a man named Pedrito Gonzales. They had two kids, but the third one died, this caused the religious Patria to lose her faith. However she then goes to a religious pilgrimage, and her prayers to the Virgin Mary was answered, this made Patria believe again. While she was praying in the mountains, she sees a man getting shot by a member of the regime, this makes her join with her sisters to fight against Trujillo.
ReplyDeleteMinerva is the most courageous sister, she will persue anything that she believes is right. She believed the revolution was important, once she saw what happened to Lina, the same could happen to her. Minerva’s bravery showed when she had the courage to push Trujillo out of her way during the dance. She knew what Trujillo could do, but she still hits Trujillo.
Maria Theresa was the youngest sister, and she learned from her sisters. The author showed how young Maria Theresa was because she wrote things in her, that she carried everywhere. She learns a lot from her sisters, it was because of Minerva that Maria Theresa joined the revolution. When Minerva was sneaking out from the school, Maria Theresa lies to the principal about where Minerva was going. Once Maria Theresa found out that Minerva was going to a rebellion meeting, Maria Theresa still lied. This showed Minerva’s early influences on Maria Theresa joining the rebellion.
Dede, was the second oldest, and unlike her sisters she is very cautious about everything. She also tends to listen to her husband, unlike her sister to has the power in their marriages. Jaimito did not want Dede to join the revolution because it will harm their marriage. Jaimito wants to wear the pants in the family, he did not want Dede to rebel because it would seem as if Dede wore the pants.
I would consider Minerva as the main character in the novel, due to the fact that she was the first to support the rebellion. She was the only sister that was not afraid of the power Trujillo possessed. She even had the audacity to slap Trujillo for touching her. Without her, the sisters might not even be in the revolution.
-Ralph Cola
All four sisters have their own and unique personalities, of course some more vivid than the others. Since the beginning of the book the whole class knew that Dede was the only sister that makes it alive from the revolution in the Dominican Republic. By knowing that you immediately think Dede is going to be the main charter, but it's not the case in this novel. The only reason Dede makes it alive from this great tragedy, is because she wasn't really involved and she was classified as "daddy's girl". But we do get to see her sabotage one of her sister's relationship. Dede might have just terminated that relationship for the protection of her sister or for pure jealousy.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Dede and her oldest sister Patria have the least important roles. Patria was the most religious sister of them all. Also she was always with her mother and praying. Patria was so religious that she even considered herself converting into a nun. The people that knew her never understood her decisions because she was considered the most beautiful sister from all four. Until one day Patria looked herself in the mirror and realized how beautiful she was, and decided that she wasn't going to leave all that beauty to waste. Later on she gets married and haves kids.
The following two sisters I struggle on deciding who is the main character. Maria Teresa is the youngest sister. What makes Maria Teresa standout from the rest are her chapters, they are all in diary entry from, so I get a better understanding of how and what she is feeling. I had the opportunity to see the growth in Maria Teresa, I got to see the innocence of Maria Teresa fade away. Although all of her three sisters were her role model there was one that always stood out to her. And that is the final sister Minerva. I believe she admires her the most because she is the one that gave her the diary to begin telling her story and because of her strong character.
Minerva was the only sister that had her mind set since the beginning of the novel. She made it clear that she was going to become a lawyer and fight what she thought was right. Minerva had a strong and aggressive personality, and that was what made her stand out. With her sturdy attitude, she was the Mirabal sister that was most involve in the revolution. Even though she was putting her life in risk with a guy that could of been her husband she kept fighting for her rights. Minerva tried her best to stay involved in the revolution as much as possible, that she even gave up her son to make ore time. She always tried to find a way to overcome an obstacle and that is why I think she is the main character of this novel. Her willingness and perseverance was the thing that popped out the most.
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ReplyDeleteThe Mirabal sisters have a strong bond to which cannot be compared to any ordinary relationship of siblings. Patria, the first child, is a woman of strong faith, and a confused one now ever since her third child died. She thought it was the act of God for punishment of not becoming a nun. Dede is the second child, and is the least interested in the revolution. With this she feels that it is dangerous enough joining when she knows her sisters could be in trouble if spotted in the act of overthrowing Trujillo. Minerva is the third child, and the most bold headed and head strong of all. She intended on going to law school and Trujillo had given her the opportunity to go but then snatched it away in an unsuspecting yet somewhat predictable way. He only added anger to her revolutionary personality, and he did not know it. Maria Teresa is the youngest child of the sisters. She is one interested in the revolution, because she wanted the gratified attention of Leandro. Considering the story of the sisters and Trujillo, Minerva would be the main character of the plot. She increases the tension between Trujillo and her actions of a strong woman. Trujillo " loves" her but does not think in women's rights. So how exactly does he plan on conquering her? She has already showed him disrespect by leaving the party early before he, slapping him, planning to overthrow him, and winning the bet (to which I find a fair win but he acts like a baby about it). If she hadn't had such an urge in planning on overthrowing Trujillo, I don't think the sisters would be dead, including Dede who also did not join. But then again I do believe she is responsible for the memory of them all because they won't be forgotten.
ReplyDeletePatria is the most religious out of all the sisters. She got married at the young age of 16. Dedé is the most cautious out of the sisters. She seems to always plan out every decision she makes. Dedé tries to do what's in the best interest of everybody. Minerva is the most unpredictable and dangerous out of the sisters. She is the revolutionary and is always into something. You may not always know what to expect with Minerva. Maria Teresa is the innocent sister. She is the youngest and you can hear her innocence in her journals. Maria Teresa and Minerva seem like the main characters. Maria Teresa has a lot of journals throughout the book. Minerva is always in somebody else's story. She is always into something and is everywhere in this book.
ReplyDelete-Terrence Allen
Although the Mirabal sisters are connected by blood, they are all distinct from each other and possess traits that make them unique. Minerva is probably the most daring out of the four considering she has the most rebellious mindset and is the most independent. Seeing how Minerva is able to stand her ground and make decisions on her own makes her stand out among the butterflies. From the days she was in grade school with Sinita to the days where she had to face the responsibility of supporting her own family, Minerva never forgot one of the reasons why she fought for herself and for her family. She is also extremely straight forward with her reasonings for certain things she disagrees with including going to mass and of course their government in the Domincan Republic.
ReplyDeleteThe youngest of the four is Maria Teresa and although she is the baby sister, she claims to be intelligent for her age. I find her to be more innocent out of the family because of her age but I also see that she is mature. Ever since she was young, she felt as though it wasn’t fair that she was treated like the baby of the family; she wanted to be caught up with whatever Minerva was doing too. Maria could also be seen like a side kick; when Minerva needed her to cover up for her, Maria was able to do so as well as live with her while she continued her studies. Her obvious main interest would be writing and documenting important events and feelings in her journal.
Patria is probably one of the more mature sisters in the family considering she is the eldest. She is seen to be motherly and very caring. Throughout the book, I’ve been able to conclude that Patria takes religion very seriously; to the point where she believed that God had purposely taken away her first born. She believed it was literally a punishment from God and because of that, she had gone into depression. In a way, I see that Patria has a weak side to her. She isn’t able to move on if she keeps looking back to the past and allows little things to remind her about her loss years before.
Dede, in my opinion, is the sister that doesn’t have as much courage as the rest of her siblings. The fact that she uses her Jaimito’s opposition towards the revolution as a way to avoid getting involved is somewhat disloyal towards her sisters. Her sisters have tried to get her to join them, however, she continued to refuse all the way to the point after they had passed. She said herself during her interview with the woman that it was too late when she decided to join them. Because of this I see that Dede could be seen as the pickle minded sister who is afraid of getting into trouble.
In my opinion the strongest of the sisters would have to be Minerva because of her bravery but all in all because of the way the book is structured, there really isn’t a main character in this story. Each sister is given a spotlight because they have their own chapters.
Dede :Dede is the second Mirabal sister who was the only one who survived the revolution. Because she is the only one who survived she feels a bit weaker. She had mixed feelings about joining the revolution but then her husband Jamilito convinced her to not join. Therefore saving her life, even thought it almost tore their marriage apart. They have three boys which both her and Jamilito care deeply about.
ReplyDeleteMinerva: Minerva was the third sister of the four Mirbal sisters who is very headstrong. She is determined to go to law school despite Trujillo saying that is it not allowed. Trujillo finally lets her go but then tells her she can’t get a license so the schooling was not useful at all. Before she went to law school she was in a relationship with Lio who was a revolutionary leader. Then at law school she met Manolo and ends up marrying him and they had their daughter Minou and their son Manolito.
Patria: Patria is the oldest of the sisters and she is very religious. She marries her husband Pedrito at age 16. She had children but one of them didn’t survive, that led her into a deep depression. Partia starts a Christian revolution group that meets in her barn house. Because when she was younger she insisted on becoming a nun, that’s how all the sisters got to get their education.
Maria Teresa: Maria Teresa is the youngest sister who is very materialistic. She married Leandro and had a child Jaqueline. She joined the revolution to feel worthy of Leandro and she had to move in with Minerva before they got arrested. Throughout the book Maria Teresa slowly becomes more and more mature, instead of being the young naive sister.
I don’t think that there is one main character but all of the sisters are the main characters. Each of them have their own stories that all combine into the one story of the sisters. Everyone has different parts of the book but it’s all shared.
~Lindsay Price-Friend
The Mirabel sisters, though identical at heart, are different in numerous ways. Dede is more conservative than the others; more traditional also. Unlike her sisters she didn’t push the cause yet let her spouse take the lead who wasn’t very much involved to begin with. Patria, the oldest of the group and also the most religious, may be the most mature. She’s the sibling who takes time to inquire the wonders of life; why things happen and where she fits. Maria Teresa, Mate, I believe is the most impulsive. As her innocence transcends into a firey flame she doesn’t think twice about making her own decisions.
ReplyDeleteFinally, Minerva – perhaps my favorite out the pack – took passion to greater lengths. She perhaps is the most aggressive. Conceivably the main character within the bunch, Minerva risked it all; her sisters’ intrigued partnership, Don Enrique’s sudden arrest &’d death. Always one to watch, her cause didn’t die unnoted. She, inevitably, steals the spotlight whether that’s her beauty or comebacks.
--- Uneek La