Minerva's Faith example essay topic

The main themes of this book is not to far from the reality of every persons life. Not everyone has to live in a tyranny and fight for freedom to live but the fact is you still need to fight for something. Life is filled with struggles and that goes to different extents for different people. For the sisters in, In The Time of The Butterflies they had to go through an extreme part of their lives together and ended up not coming out the same.

They were dependent on each other yet they were independent at the same time. The main theme I picked up from this book was the faith they had. The faith they had with each other, the faith they had to survive but most importantly the faith they had for themselves. They had faith as independent woman that they will survive no matter what the cost was and if they did not then they would die trying.

The other theme I picked up was independency of these woman. They did not need anything from anyone else just each other. This faith and independence I look at with the growth of my favorite character, Minerva. In the beginning of the novel, Alvarez introduces Minerva to the reader with Minerva's excitement that her Pap plans to send her away to school.

School becomes Minerva's first victory and step towards her life as a revolutionary fighter. The faith she has in herself to go out into the world as an independent woman will shape her future greatly. Minerva says referring to going to school, "is how I got free" (13). Alvarez uses Minerva's departure for school and her excitement for it to signify Minerva's independence, which can bring up the theme of independence that Minerva shows through out the book. Minerva goes from need for her parents approval and dependence on their value system to being an independent person. This is why liked Minerva the most because she showed more faith in her self and being independent then her sisters did.

She was strong-minded and no one could take that away from her. At school, Minerva experiences what truly makes her into a woman. Till then she believes in the propaganda that Trujillo and his administration have spread. Her friend Sinita tells Minerva a story of Trujillo's evil when they whispered under the blankets late one night. Minerva says to Sinita, ' 'Bad things? ...

Trujillo was doing bad things?' It was as if I had just heard Jesus had slapped a baby' (17). Although Minerva does not fully accept the image of Trujillo as a tyrant she shows faith in her friend. It is hard for her to accept it but she understands it. When Trujillo seduces a classmate named Lina, she comes to realize his corruption.

This is were the theme of faith becomes so important. It changes from the perception of a child that everything in the world is good and having faith for whoever has power over you is right. When she realizes that this is not the case she has grown up into a independent adult. This growth happened so quickly but it is so important to her future faith in the world. Here Minerva is in a position from which she may step into her new role as a rebel. As Minerva grows older, she uses her faith to allow her to realize her own strength.

Minerva confronts Pap after finding that he has fathered illegitimate children, and 'saw his shoulders droop... right then and there, it hit me harder than his slap: I was much stronger than Pap... He was the weakest one of all' (89). From this moment of reality Minerva discovered her faith by her own actions. She is now drawing faith from herself while also giving it to those around her. The faith she is gaining carries her into a role in the underground and then carries her through La 40. Through this Minerva assumed a leading role in the uprising.

However, after Trujillo grants Minerva and her sister release and puts them under house arrest, Minerva's faith takes a turn for the worse. She says, 'I was shocked at what I was letting happen to me. I had been so much stronger and braver in prison. Now at home I was falling apart' (258).

She started to lose faith in herself and her beliefs. This is where I believe people really find themselves when things are at the worst. The faith that Minerva has shown throughout the book would become stronger. This was just another growing point in her life. When the sisters husbands where going to be executed for unjust reasons Minerva said "By now in my life I should have known. Adversity was like a key in the lock for me.

As I began to work to get our men out of prison, it was the old Minerva I set free' (269). She reflects back on her growth and faith but she is springing forward faster and stronger then ever. Becoming a even more faithful and independent person. Although each sister has a great amount of faith, only Minerva has enough to both fortify herself and sustain others.

She passes through many stages of life in the novel as her country's political situation continued to grow worse. Minerva is killed much sooner then her foe Trujillo but she is still a hero from the life of faith and independence brought upon by her outstanding growth.