In the Time of the Butterflies By Julia Alvarez

Julia Alvarez American writer and poet Born on March 27, 1950, in New York City. Raised in the Dominican Republic, but had to leave the country when she was ten years old. Her family supported an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow dictator Rafael Trujillo. Graduated from Middlebury College in 1971 Earned a master's degree from Syracuse University in 1975 The theme of being caught between two cultures can be found throughout Alvarez's work in her poetry as well as her fiction.

Julia Alvarez Novel 1 - How the García Girls Lost Their Accents (1991) – critical and commercial success Novel 2 - In the Time of Butterflies (1994) Several more works of fiction have followed. One of her most recent novels is Saving the World (2006). Children’s Books - The Secret Footprints (2000) and Tía Lola Came to Visit Stay (2001) A novel for young adults - Before We Were Free (2002). Essays and poetry. Her latest volume of poetry, The Woman I Kept to Myself, was published in 2004. Married to Bill Eichner since 1989 Lives in Vermont and serves as a writer-in-residence at Middlebury College.

Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic History Explored by Columbus on his first voyage in 1492 He named it La Española 1496 - the capital, Santo Domingo, is the oldest European settlement in the Western Hemisphere. 1775 – Spain ceded the colony to France 1801 - Haitian blacks under Toussaint L'Ouverture conquered 1808 - the people revolted and set up the first republic 1814 - Spain regained title to the colony 1822 - the colony was reconquered by the Haitians. 1844 – Haitians thrown out and the Dominican Republic established, headed by Pedro Santana.

Dominican Republic History (cont.) 1861-1865 - Uprisings and Haitian attacks led Santana to make the country a province of Spain 1870 - President Buenaventura Báez attempted to have the country annexed to the U.S., but the U.S. Senate refused to ratify a treaty. 1916 - Disorder continued until the dictatorship of Ulíses Heureaux 1916 – 1924 U.S. marines stay to suppress uprisings 1930 - Rafaél Trujillo overthrew Horacio Vásquez and established a dictatorship 1961 – Trujillo’s assassination 1962 - Juan Bosch became the first democratically elected president in 40 years

Rafael Trujillo Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina October 24, 1891 – May 30, 1961 Nicknamed El Jefe (The Chief or The Boss) Ruled as a dictator of the Dominican republic from 1930 until his assassination in 1961. Served as president from 1930 to 1938 and 1942 to 1952 Otherwise ruling as an unelected military strongman 30 years in power - the Trujillo Era One of the bloodiest eras ever in the Americas A time of a classic personality cult when monuments to Trujillo were in abundance Responsible for the death of more than 50,000 people, including 20,000 to 30,000 in the infamous Parsley Massacre

Trujillo Background Cult of personality An individual uses mass media, propaganda, or other methods creates an idealized, heroic, and, at times god-like public image The Parsley Massacre Trujillo ordered all Haitians living in the Dominican Republic killed. Over 20,000 killed Origin of name – Myth holds that soldiers would ask the people to pronounce ‘parsley’ in Spanish – those who pronounced it with a ‘trill’ would live.

The Mirabal Sisters

The Sisters: Patria, Dede, Minerva, & Maria Teresa (Mate) Four Dominican political dissidents Opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo November 25, 1960 - Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa assassinated Dedé Mirabal lived and tells the stories of the death of her sisters. 1999 - the United Nations named November 25 the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

Early Life Daughters of a farmer Grew up in an upper class, well-cultured environment All four sisters became married, family women. Influenced by her uncle, Minerva became more involved in the anti-Trujillo movement.

Opposition Movement The sisters formed a group of opponents to the Trujillo regime The Movement of the Fourteenth of June. Within that group, they were known as "The Butterflies” (Las Mariposas in Spanish) Butterfly – Minerva’s underground name Three of the sisters' husbands were incarcerated at La Victoria Penitentiary in Santo Domingo.

A Sad Ending Despite setbacks, they fought to end Trujillo's leadership. After the sisters' numerous imprisonments, Trujillo eventually had them murdered, along with their driver, Rufino de la Cruz, on November 25, 1960.

In the Time of the Butterflies 1986 – In the Dominican Republic, Alvarez became aware that there was no proper story about the sisters. “What happened on that trip was that the past turned into the present in my imagination.” She wrote In the Time of the Butterflies as historical fiction (a blend of history and fiction).

Alvarez’s Journey Dede Mirabal Alvarez met Dede Mirabal in 1992. “It was after this meeting that I decided to write a novel about the Mirabal sisters…. I believed that only by making them real, alive, could I make them mean anything to the rest of us.” Dede Mirabal