Reading Butterflies ( late blog )

1. I think that Alvarez feels compelled to tell this story because to me I feel like this book was an inspirational novel to young women ( despite the tragic ending ) . To me this novel shows how these 4 young woman and their families who probably felt as if they werent able to do much became such a huge part of a revolution that affected the lives of so many people. I think this story was written to inspire. I think that Alvarez's voice is in the book in the way that she depicts the characters. 2. I think by the end of the novel that not only has the revolution changed the girls, but they have also changed the revolution. By the end of the story I feel the girls have found their " inner power " . I dont think that they ever expected to become part of the Revolution. They sacraficed their families and their lives to make a difference. In the process of them all going through so much I think that it changed them into strong woman. For example Patria who thought that she was going to become a nun. She went from being 100% about her faith, to losing her faith, then gaining it again, to deciding that the best thing for her family to do was for them to join the revolution. It changed the course of her life. I think that the girls changed the revolution because if they hadnt then they wouldnt have been killed. 3. The epilogue is written in the first person unlike the rest of the book. I think that maybe Dede tells the story in previous chapters because it maybe all feels so distant to her. She is looking back on it, & recalling it , but not really feeling all of the emotions that she felt at that time . When it comes to remembering her sisters deaths , I think that it feels more relevant & real & painful to her. She is able to reconnect with herself and come to terms with the decisions that she has made. I also believe that through everything that she has been through she has found her "I". The revolution & loss of her family has changed her. She has grown. She has found the woman inside. 4. In my opinion the girls are killed as an example. Eventhough they are no longer directly involved with the revolution Trujilo has them killed because he knows what a big part they were and how revolutionaries probably looked up to them . 5. By the end of the novel, I have gotten used to Alvarez's writing style. Eventhough she foreshadows the death of the girls , I kept reading because I wanted to see how it all played out in the end. How the girls were killed. 6. I think that Alvarez does take us beyond the legend when she develops the characters. I think this might partly be why the story is told in the third person the entire book. I think that through Dede's description of the girls, Alvarez has her own vision of them in her head. She tries to bring that vision of what the girls were like to life in her book. I think that she acheives this , and you can see it in the Epilogue , I think the story is told through Alvarez's eyes & interpretations of what Dede has told her, and you can see in the Epilogue Dedes voice. 7. I think that this book was written to inspire . Alvarez is showing young woman everywhere that though you may feel like your voice is small, that you have the power to accomplish great things. The story didnt end well for the Mirabel sisters , but they had a voice, a very powerful one that changed their lives as well as the revolution. I think that Alvarez wrote this book to show young girls that they can make a difference.