Patria's Role In Butterflies By Julia Alvarez

Patria was always helpful and played a motherly role. She was the eldest sister of four. Her younger siblings were Bélgica Adela Mirabal Reyes, María Argentina Minerva Mirabal Reyes, Antonia María Teresa Mirabal Reyes. Her parents were Enrique Mirabal Fernández & Mercedes Reyes Camilo. They were the “Butterflies”, a group of sisters who went against Trujillo, the brutal dictator of the Dominican Republic. They were assassinated November 25,1960 for wanting freedom for their country.
When she was younger she wanted to become a nun. Her mother taught her that religion was always important. She was always a “goody two shoes”. Patria set standards for her younger sisters that were too high to meet. They always felt as if they didn’t do enough.. She treated them all

She cried for days. Patria wondered what she had done to lose her child. When her child died, her faith did too. Patria didn’t want to go to church anymore and she started questioning herself. Is this who I really want to believe in and I just lost my third child?
Patria goes on a pilgrimage with her mother and sisters. When she prays to Virgencita, Patria feels as if she was looking up to God and heaven when really she needed to be looking at the people behind her. She is still questioning her faith. She does blame her third child’s death on God. Patria long after realizes that going to church isn’t for her anymore.
She tries to comfort her mom in Higuey. Her mother is now realizing that her husband is stepping out on her. Minerva is still rebellious. Mate (Maria Teresa) asthma attacks are getting worse. Dede still has decisions to make. Patria has completely lost her faith.
Fast forwarding, Patria helps Minerva and others that are going against Trujillo by letting them meet at her house and store weapons there. They later on go and see their husbands in prison. Later on that evening, they had a car accident but most people say they were clubbed to death. November