How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
The town was jammed with eager pilgrims, and though we tried at all the decent boarding houses, we could not find a single room. Finally we called on some distant relations, who scolded us profusely for not having come to them in the first place. (1.4.115)
This tiny detail is just a little clue to the culture of family on the island. The Mirabal girls and their mothers show up unannounced at a distant relative's house and are welcomed with a place to stay and a warm meal.
Quote #5
One time, I stopped at the side of the road and stared at their Mirabal eyes. "Who is your father?" I asked point blank. (2.6.13)
Minerva can tell by looking that the little girls in the poor house are her half sisters. That shows the power of genetics, which gives them the same eyes that she has. She asks them who their father is to confirm what she already knows, and this is the first step she takes towards recognizing them as her relatives.
Quote #6
His hand slammed into the side of my face as it never had before on any part of my body. […]
"That's to remind you that you owe your father some respect!"
"I don't owe you a thing," I said. My voice was as sure and commanding as his. "You've lost my respect." (2.6.43-45)
The violence of Papá's action is shocking to Minerva, but what's even crazier is that he thinks that slapping her will teach her to respect him. In this moment, the rebellious daughter takes control of her life, proving herself to be as strong as her father.