While he is being exposed to a storm on the outside, Gregory Orr is “hunkered down… in the cave of self… praying for sparks / in that dark” (1-5). In this passage from “Trauma”, Orr is employing a well defined symbol of the storm as the external conflict that he is struggling with at the time. The storm is crushing him, and he unsuccessfully searches for an answer within himself. Orr is fragile in this poem, vulnerable to the harsh storm that is bearing upon him. Problems like these are not uncommon throughout writing pieces, and it can be identified within a countless number of works. Similarly, Julia Alvarez uses the symbol of a storm in her novel In the Time of the Butterflies. In Alvarez’s case, the storm is not as much of an external problem, …show more content…
When she committed the act of slapping Trujillo during their dance, Minerva is scared and fears that the guards will “take her away to La Fortaleza” (100). Although she somehow gained the courage to actually slap the dictator, she is intimidated by the fear that the guards and Trujillo instill into all of the citizens. She feels good about sticking up and making a name for herself, but she feels scared of the consequences that may face her. Afterwards, she hides in her home, staying in her bed, “not wanting to get up and face the dreary day” (102). She is very uncertain of what may follow, whether the government will simply allow it to happen, or respond with brutal and unforgiving force. The idea of the possibility of her having a successful future is very weak now because she knows the power the government has. While she looks out the window with her mom for their impending fate, “every time it thunders [they] jump as if guards had opened fire on the house” (102). She fears the worst, that she has now brought in her family, which means so much to her. To see her own mother have so much fear is paralyzing, and to say she is discouraged at this point would be an understatement. The last thing she wants is to hurt her own family member, but she fears that she has done that through her slapping of Trujillo. Minerva feels a lot of discouragement and fear after she decides to publicly show her revolutionary
Minerva is very rebellious, she doesn't like to listen when told to do something and she doesn't
Out of all the Mirabal sisters, being courageous was Minerva’s specialty to show how she feels without being verbal with her emotions, and to get her point across. Right from the beginning of the book Minerva chose to create actions that were not only courageous, but reckless. After Minerva found out about her other sisters she crashed her father’s Jeep into his Ford at his other lover’s house. As always, she wanted to make a scene, “My voice was as commanding as his. ‘You’ve lost my respect,’” (Alvarez 89). Her father was extremely disappointed with her, but she wanted him to know that what he was doing was extremely wrong. Crashing her father’s cars was definitely brave, and especially since she did it in front of her other family without any second thoughts. Towards the middle of the book, Minerva informed Mate about some things she did not know, “Manolo and Minerva have explained everything. A national underground is forming,” and this is when Minerva explained more about how they created a national underground to try to get everybody freedom no matter what happened (Alvarez 142). This national underground was a h...
Over the course of the novel, the Mirabal sisters have shown a strong desire to be in the revolution and free their country from the cruel hands of Trujillo and his regime whilst putting their families in danger. Minerva is the first to give into the revolution as she leaves her children with her sisters and mother while she goes on to try and free the country. “I, who treasured my children more than my own life, couldn’t believe my sister would leave her son for anything…..”(155).Though abandoning her child must be a hard thing to do, Minerva does this, which strongly portrays her dedication to the revolution is stronger than her dedications to her children. They allow their homes to be ‘invaded’ by the revolutionaries; allow their hom...
her killed, but she kept going. Minerva had to also go against Trujillo to go to school.
The title of 'The Storm'; gives the reader a peek into the underlying meaning of the story. It obviously portrays feelings of sexual energy, passion, and explosiveness, but the storm refers to nature, which historically has a feminine association. The storm takes on the personification of a deep, rumbling cloud of feminine sexuality and passion waiting to explode. Throughout the story, the intensity of the storm is symbolic of the intensity of Calixta's passion.
slap Trujillo, for he has taken advantage of her. Trujillo later talks to Minerva in a meeting as
Through the novel In the Time of the Butterflies, Julia Alvarez paints a picture of life in the Dominican Republic under the dictatorship of Rafael Leónidas Trujillo Molina, also known as El Jefe. His rise to power started with National Guard and eventually by 1928, led to the role of Commander in Chief in the new National Armed Forces. By thirty-seven, through the “Secret of Trujillo” – or intimidation tactics, manipulation of his military control, and fraud - he secured the position of president and control of the residents (Alvarez 17). Life under the dictator was very restrained as he had banned anyone or anything that could express dissent, took control of trade and property, and established a secret police to do his bidding. In the
The historical fiction novel In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alvarez, has an interesting story about four sisters who rebel against Trujillo, their cruel dictator. The book starts years after the event, focusing on the surviving sister, Dedé, as she recounts the time when her father predicts what he thinks will become of his girls in the future. In the next chapter, narrated by Minerva, the three girls, excluding Dedé, go to religious school. There, Minerva learns the cruelty of Trujillo towards Sinita’s family. Soon after, Trujillo visits the school interested in Lina. But one day, Lina never returns; she has become pregnant and is sent to Miami for safety. In a new wing of the school, a recitation contest is being hosted, and Minerva and her three friends decide to enter together.
Minerva was never scared in the novel she said “ I was the one always standing up to him”. Because Minerva speaks her mind. She stood up for what was right even if it was against the dictator, Trujillo. She was kind and giving because when she meet Sinita she gave her a button and it made
Throughout history writers have offered readers lessons through themes and often symbolized. In the story, “The Storm” by Kate Chopin is quite different from “The Girl” by Jamaica Kincaid; both have a different theme, symbol, throughout the stories. “The Storm” in Kate Chopin 's story can symbolize a number of different things: temporary, fleeting and quick action, and without consequences.
The dictator, Rafael Trujillo, invites Minerva to the Discovery Day Dance in an attempt to seduce her. While dancing together he gets too close to Minerva and nears a sexual assault. The situation unfolds, "He yanks me by the wrist, thrusting his pelvis at me in a vulgar way, and I can see my hand rise in an endless slow motion rise - a mind all its own - and come down upon the astonished, made-up face" (Alvarez 100). Minerva knows she could be imprisoned for hitting a powerful leader, but she also knows that it is wrong for him to try to touch her and make advances on her. Trujillo "yanks" her, already a violent act, then "[thrusts] his pelvis," clearly acting in a predatory way to Minerva. Nonetheless Minerva brings her hand "down upon" Trujillo, defending herself against his crude behavior. A lot of bravery is needed to slap the leader of your country in the face, and Minerva shows that she has that
Both men had adulterous affairs, Trujillo with Minerva’s school friend Lina Lovaton while Enrique Mirabal had another family altogether, two circumstances which led to Minerva’s disillusionment with the very men she had been taught to love and respect. Another similarity between these men is that both of them attempt to control Minerva but fail due to the sheer force of her will. Enrique Mirabal was reluctant to send Minerva to boarding school and away from him but is forced to send all four daughters to school while Trujillo tried to manipulate Minerva into having sexual intercourse with him by putting her father in jail. However, not only was he forced to release her father but also has to allow Minerva to attend law school, a first for women
They attended secret meetings with politicals who spoke against Trujillo. Dede and her husband hid them on her property so they wouldn’t be captured while Minerva and Maria Teresa recruited men and women for all over. One evening, Minerva was invited to the Discovery Day Dance with her father where she met the cruel and lustful Trujillo. Not only men feared him, but women as well. He was known to drug women and steal them from their families for his own “pleasures”. Minerva catches his eye and he asks her to dance. Replaying the event, she says, “He yanks me by my wrist, thrusting his pelvis at me in a vulgar way, and I can see my hand in a slow motion rise-- a mind all its own-- and come down on the astonished, made-up face” (Alvarez 100). Nobody manhandles Minerva. She was not afraid to stand up for herself, even against the leader of her desperate nation. Maria Teresa had her own secret, she was smuggling weapons in her house for the revolution. She learns how to make bombs, clean guns, and create code names for the revolution. Maria Teresa explains, “Deliveries coming back from the capital are dropped off here… Certainly some must think the worst, what with men stopping by at all hours. I always make them stay for as long as cafecito to give the illusion that they are real visitors. I’m a natural at this, really. I’ve always liked men, receiving them, paying them attention, listening to what they have to say. Now I can use my talents for the revolution” (Alvarez 143). Maria Teresa may be the youngest, but she in very independent. She uses her charm to get men to spit out secrets from the capital and revolutionary movements that weren’t supposed to be for her ears. Later, Patria joins the cause with her sisters. She initially didn't believe in the violence and looked toward God for wisdom. But that changed on her way home from a church retreat. While up in the
Trujillo is worshiped and praised by most everyone in the Dominican Republic. Minerva knows that his doings do not deserve to be praised, and she does something about it. The first time Minerva truly confronts Trujillo is when the Mirabals are invited to a dinner hosted by Trujillo. When they arrive to the dinner, Minerva discovers that Trujillo has invited her to his table. She does not have the comfort of sitting with her family but instead is put in the spotlight right next to him. Eventually Minerva dances with Trujillo. While they are dancing together, Trujillo makes some very vulgar remarks about Minerva. Clearly Minerva is not comfortable with his comments. Then Minerva does the unthinkable. She slaps Trujillo in the face. Minerva says, “I can see my hand in an endless slow motion rise- a mind all of it’s own-and come down on the astonished made-up face.” (Alvarez 100). Minerva shows a great deal of courage when she slaps him in the face. Most people wouldn’t even think about standing up to Trujillo because they know the power that he holds over them. Minerva
...way that the story is being interpreted and how the storm influences the story as a whole. Sometimes people need a wakeup call or a 'storm' to make them aware of how good they have things. In this short story Alcee and Calixta both come to realization of how good they have things with their spouses and how that they already found the ones that they love, which weren't each other. This made me aware of how we as people can take things for granted or believing we know what’s best for us. In reality we don't always know what’s best until something occurs and shows us that what we already have is the best.