Character Clues

Character Analysis

Actions

Minerva and Mate refuse to accept a pardon from prison because it would be like admitting they had done something wrong. This reflects Minerva's values and Mate's loyalty to her sister and the cause. Their father, meanwhile, is unable to stand up to Trujillo and seems much weaker than his daughters.

Family Life

All three of the butterflies have great relationships with their husbands, even if they have their disagreements or rough patches. Dedé, however, has a very hard time controlling Jaimito, and they end up divorcing. Perhaps this lack of support from her partner prevented her from joining her sisters.

Names

While Alvarez names her characters after the real-life Mirabal sisters, some aspects seem to be played up to go with their names. Patria, for example, literally means "fatherland" in Spanish, so it isn't surprising that she would be a patriotic, brave character. Minerva was the Roman goddess of wisdom, and the character Minerva is a lover of knowledge.