Chapters 11, 12 & Epilogue

1/23/2014

Post a forum posting for Chapters 11, 12 & Epilogue by Friday, January 24th.

Posts for these sections should include:
1. Quote and analysis of quote- Why is this quote important?

And then 2 of the following three options:
1. Significance paragraph
2. Connections paragraph
3. Supposition paragraph

73 Comments

Tanner Ragan link

1/23/2014 07:54:59 am

Quote:
“It was as if we were girls again, walking through the dark part of the yard, a little afraid, a little excited about our fears, anticipating the lighted house around the bend.”

Significance:
In Chapter 11, I think it was pretty important how Maria Teresa was living throughout her days in prison based on how to contain her sanity. I believe that it was important for Santiclo to be Carmen’s cousin because if there were no connections between the guard and prisoners, there won’t be any smuggling supplies from Santiclo. The most important part of this chapter is when Maria is treated with the electric chair in front of Leandro her husband so he would go with Trujillo’s men. In chapter 12, the sisters were in house arrest while the men were still in prison and the sisters heard about the men getting killed devastating everyone. Minerva was famous as everyone looked up to her in the revolution. They learned that Sina abandoned their struggle from Delia. Minerva and her sisters visited the men in prison and left at night when the men wanted them to stay until the next day. Minerva went shopping and received a note from Jorge and when the sisters drove by La Cumbre, they saw Pena’s car parked and expected an ambush. They passed by and kept on driving. In the epilogue, The three Mirabal sisters and Rufino were clubbed to death outside their car. Their bodies were then thrown back into the car and pushed the car over the edge to make it look like an accident. Trujillo was assassinated and everyone won their freedom. Later the men were free from prison and Manolo died during a battle on the mountains. Olga told Dede that she is holding on to the past but Dede told her that she is bringing the past with her into the future.

Connection:
I can connect this to the Hunger Games because Katniss was the symbol of freedom as the Mirabal sisters were. They each had to pay a price. Katniss had her friends killed including her sister during the revolution and the Mirabal sisters had to pay with their life.

Prediction:
I asked the question why was Dede chosen to be the survivor? First, we know that the purpose was to tell the story. But maybe it can be because she would be the best mother figure for Minou. One possibility is that if Dede died, this book would have never been published. Let’s say it’s Minerva who survived. She may have been with Manolo in the battle on the mountains and would have probably died so not many people would have known the story of the Mirabal sisters. There are endless possibilities of what would have happened but this outcome came out the best.

Peter Fisher link

1/25/2014 12:14:49 pm

I also drew a connection to the Hunger Games from In the Time of the Butterflies. Mine was between Minou and Katniss' children in the Epilogue of Mockingjay. I like your connection to Katniss; I hadn't seen that before, but it seems very obvious now that you've pointed it out.

Anna Ryburn

1/25/2014 01:05:17 pm

I like your connection to the Hunger Games series. It's not one that I had thought of before but it is, in fact, very similar to this story. I also think your prediction is interesting. What if Dede wasn't the survivor, but rather, one of the other sisters? Would their story be told differently, or perhaps not at all?

Dominic Dudley link

1/25/2014 02:42:57 pm

Tanner,
I like your quote because it really captures the characters and their personalities very well. You didn't put a quote reflection. Pretty good altogether though.

Sol Manuel Garza

1/26/2014 11:29:36 am

Hello Tanner.
I agree with your supposition. I think that it is better that Dede survived. She was the one who was the least active but at the same time in the midst of everything that was happening with the revolution. I think that she provides a more realistic interpretation of events than Minerva would have if she had survived. I imagine that Minerva would have romanticized the struggle for freedom more. Also, when things are happening to a person, they may not be completely aware of their significance as opposed to the one watching something happen. Finally, I really like your connection to the Hunger Games. I have not read the books but am interested in reading them.

Jasmin Diaz link

1/23/2014 08:32:47 am

Quote:
"When did it turn, I wonder, from my being the one who listened to the stories people brought to being the one whom people came to for the story of the Mirabal sisters?"

Quote Analysis:
This quote shows how when three of the Mirabal sisters died, many people who saw them or talked to them before their death came to Dede to talk to her about what they saw. Now, once everyone told their story, everyone came to her for Dede to tell the story of the Mirabal sisters. She was shocked that this happened, she became the Oracle and was now telling their story.

Significance:
Many important events take place in the last few chapters. In chapter 11, Maria Teresa writes about he experiences in prison with Minerva. How she cries every night, how she misses her family. She and Minerva receive gifts from the family through one of the guards, Santiclo. They have secret meetings in their jail cell about the Revolution. According to what Maria Teresa writes, prison is a tough place to be, isolated from the world. In chapter 12, the girls get released from prison, but are under house arrest. We get to see this chapter through Minerva's eyes, and we get to see the struggle of her adapting to being home. Patria, Maria Teresa, and Minerva's husbands are still locked up, but were transferred to a different prison. They travel over a mountain pass to get to the jail. Before they left to go see their husbands, they heard and saw warning signs about going through the pass. Everyone didn't want them to go, and once they saw their husbands, Manolo told Minerva not to go back over the pass in the evening. He insisted on having them stay at a friend's house, but she refused and said they will be fine. In the epilogue, we learn that Minerva, Maria Teresa, Patria and Rufino were ambushed. The people who saw this happen brought the news to Dede. The men killed Rufino and the sisters, then put them in the Jeep and pushed the car over the cliff to look like an accident. Dede and the family were overcome with sadness. Many people came to tell her what they knew, but now she is telling their story and letting them live on, even after death.

Supposition:
I predict that even after Dede has lived her life and has stopped telling the story, that the story of the Mirabal sisters will still live on. The story will continue to inspire young women into standing up for what they believe in. In many people's eyes, they may be a sign of hope and freedom. Viva las Mariposas.

Loren Cloes

1/23/2014 01:15:11 pm

Hey Jazzy!
I really like how in your supposition you sate that it might be to painful for Dede to talk about her and her sisters story. Also I like how you realized that this is a very inspiring story to you women who do not believe that they should not have rights for them selves. Viva las Mariposas.

Aaron Nguyen link

1/23/2014 09:28:44 am

Quote: "And once, Minou got hold of a piece of pipe and was rattling it against the galeria rail. It was a sound recalling the guards in prison running their nightsticks against the bars. I ran out and yanked the pipe from her hand, screaming "No!""

Significance: The final chapters of the book really show the nervous breakdown of the once powerful sisters. For example, Minerva, the strongest supporter to the revolution is weak, traumatized, and shattered after prison. She is shattered enough to act violent and yell at her child. Maria Teresa however, seemed to take prison the worst. She had constant anxiety attacks and mental breakdowns. However, I felt chapter 12 was very long and hard to read. I felt like it was very boring, and I found myself actually struggling to finish it.

Connection: I can connect these chapters to Night. An example would be in chapter 11, when Maria Teresa was dying to look out the window, to get a glimpse of the outside world. In Night, the Jews were dying to get the piece of bread inside of the trains. In conclusion, I felt like they both made such a normal, everyday object, a big deal.

Supposition: The book is over, but I think that Dede will meet up with Lio a lot more afterwards.

Nikki

1/23/2014 11:50:13 am

Hey Aaron!
I like the quote you chose!! It does show how the nervous breakdown of the once powerful sisters. I think it also reiterates the effects of how dehumanizing jail can be and events like that in our lives can chance us for the worse. Nice Aaron! Powerful last post :)

Bonnie May link

1/23/2014 12:31:19 pm

Aaron-
I really like your responses to the last few chapters. I agree that Minerva had changed dramatically from a strong, powerful, fearless heroine to a scared, helpless girl. I also found the quote you chose very powerful. I can't imagine what prison life must have been like, not to mention little things that could trigger horrific memories in the days to follow. You made a strong connection to "Night", too, in that when everything is taken away, people will do anything for the slightest bit of joy or comfort.

Johana Guatemala link

1/23/2014 12:32:33 pm

Hey Aaron!
I also struggled finishing chapter 12. I like the connection you made to Night on how the Jewish people were dehumanized just like the prisoners. It is odd to hear the girls fell weak after experiencing jail time. Do you wonder how and if the book would have turned out if Dede had not been the one to survive?

Tanner Ragan link

1/24/2014 01:45:02 am

Aaron,
I liked how you connected the book Night with ITTOTB and how they both made the smallest things big deals because of what they are going through.

Anna Ryburn

1/25/2014 01:17:10 pm

I think the quote you chose was very powerful. It shows how Minerva, the strongest, boldest and most defiant of the sisters, has been broken down into someone who is weak and fearful. It shows how the prison has traumatized her so much that even the simplest things can bring back horrible memories. I also like your comparison to Night. Another way that I think this could be compared to Night would be when Elie starts to hate the sound of bells. Like Elie, Minerva becomes afraid of a sound that reminds her of her imprisonment.

Dominic Dudley link

1/25/2014 02:45:31 pm

Anna,
I also used Night as my connection piece. You did a good job explaining the mental state of the sisters by the end of the book. I don't really think your supposition was necessary though.

Anna Ryburn

1/23/2014 11:08:07 am

QUOTE: "Tears came to my eyes. Something big and powerful spread its wings inside me. Courage, I told myself. And this time, I felt it."

SIGNIFICANCE: In these last chapters, we learn about what finally happened to the Mirabel sisters, leading up to the deaths of Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa. When Minerva and Mate are in prison, they struggle to survive the poor conditions and cruel guards. They rely a lot on each other to keep themselves going most of the time. Later, after they are released, they are put under house arrest. It is apparent that Trujillo is growing frantic, afraid of losing power. Because of that, he has three of the sisters murdered. Dede is the only survivor, and therefore is responsible for retelling her sisters' story.

CONNECTION: I can connect this to the book Night, because while Elie and his father are imprisoned in the camps, they stay together and rely greatly on each other for support. Being with each other was one of the few things that they could hold on to for hope, just as it was for Maria Teresa and Minerva.

Nikki

1/23/2014 11:43:25 am

Hello Anna!
I really like how you connected the lean on support from Minerva and Maria to Elie & his dad. (I totally missed that) Yeah, I think it kinda helps to have someone to lean on in a situation like that because you make someone accountable. Like you matter to someone so you shouldn't give up on life. Overall, Great Job Anna! Best post so far :)

Bonnie May link

1/23/2014 12:38:37 pm

Anna-
I really like the strong comparison you made between Maria Teresa and Minerva and Elie Wiesel and his father. Like Nicole, I hadn't even though of that. I think that since Minerva and Maria Teresa were there for each other and could help each other out, they lasted much longer in prison than they would have on their own. I think Maria Teresa would have given up much sooner without the encouragement of Minerva, and Minerva would have stayed and protested and fought much longer, even to her own detriment, if Maria Teresa hadn't been there to remind her of her family and the life she needed to return to. I think that being in prison helped them grow closer together and support each other more. Good job Anna!

Tyler Gange

1/29/2014 07:43:02 am

Hi Anna,
I like how you connected the sisters time in prison to Night, now that I think of it, those situations were very similar. Really good overall post, I thought the quote you picked was powerful.

Sol Manuel Garza

1/23/2014 11:20:45 am

Quote
“ I am not stuck in the past, I’ve just brought it with me into the present. And the problem is not enough of us have done that. What is it the gringos say, if you don’t study your history, you are going to repeat it?”
Significance
This is a quote from Dede in the epilogue. In this quote, Dede states that she is not living in the past, back when her sisters were murdered. She says that she has “brought the past into the present” by telling the story of her sisters. She says that history will repeat itself if people do not “bring the past into the present” and remember the mistakes they have made. By telling the story of her sisters and her country she is cultivating an accurate historical memory. She has assumed the role as the “oracle” because she is the only one left to tell the story. If she does not take the responsibility to tell the story, nobody else will. I feel that this quote sums up her role. She is not a martyr, she is the story-teller.
Connection
I can connect Dede’s courage to live and become the oracle for the history of the Dominican Republic to Elie Wiesel’s courage to tell the events of the Holocaust. Elie Wiesel felt an obligation to tell people about what happened to him in the Holocaust. By the end of the book, Dede felt that same obligation. She knows the way she will make a difference is to tell the story. In both novels, the main characters do not die for something but rather live for something. When people live through an experience, they carry their wisdom about that experience with them. I think that it is more powerful to live for something than to die for something for this reason. When Dede decided not to go crazy earlier in the book, she began to develop the courage to live. This is like Elie Wiesel when he was running in the snow to the final concentration camp. He had frozen feet, he saw other people fall to the ground and die, he was starving and yet he decided to keep running and survive. Although Elie Wiesel clearly went through a more traumatic experience his internal decision to live is similar to Dede’s.
Supposition: I think that Dede continues to tell her story to those who want to hear. I imagine that she will continue to do so for the rest of her life, in a way, it is her purpose.

Tanner Ragan link

1/24/2014 01:49:19 am

Sol,
I love your connection to the book Night and how both survivors tell the story. It's really cool how both characters wanted to survive. Elie for his bravery and courage and Dede because of her intelligence and safety.

Nikki

1/23/2014 11:39:48 am

Quote:
But I know if I do that, I'll be giving in to a low part of myself, and I'll feel even less human. And that is what they want to do, yes, that is what they want to do.

Quote Analysis:
In this quote, I realize the massive change in Maria Teresa. She has grown, and thinks differently from that at her young age. This segment shows Maria Teresa’s courage, belief, and intelligence. Although she is scared, she does not want to give up and give into them. She wants to keep her opinion, which is something these chapters share a theme in.

Significance:
At first these chapters are written by Maria Teresa in a secret notebook were she writes about her experiences in prison. One of them being of the women being interrogated by the guards, especially Minerva and Sina. Maria Teresa is also writes about being taken out of prison and tortured in front of Leandro and other things like that. On the flip side the novel moves on to Minerva and her life after getting out of prison. After getting out of prison, Minerva becomes a heroine and celebrated in the whole country for her courage and strength. Meanwhile, she learns from the men in prison that small groups have been taken away to be killed everyday. From then on, she works to find a way to get their men free. These actions lead into the girls dying in a "car crash" from El Jefe. Leaving Dede to re-tell this story of her past.

Connection:
These last chapters were pretty wild. It gave me a picture of what possibly the the jails in like a foreign country would be like. Shaby buildings, mean/misunderstood criminals, a melting pot of cultures, bad justice security... It also reminded me how de-humanizing a experience like that could be. Just thinking of having to go through all of that for years on end and then having the whole world wanting you to re-tell those stories...Its like an eye opener.

Johana Guatemala link

1/23/2014 12:54:41 pm

Hey Nikki!
I like the quote you chose it really shows how we got to see Maria Teresa grow up unlike Minerva, Patria, or Dede. Isn't it crazy that Dede is the one that survived? I started thinking how things would have worked out if it had been Minerva to survive or Dede or Pizza? I like how you related the other country jails to ours and how much worse they seem to be.

Miranda Vega link

1/26/2014 07:37:33 am

Nicole,
Wow! I love this post of yours! Your quote analysis is great, the significance is dead on, and your connection is amazing. I agree with your connection and how these chapters were very visual and descriptive. It really does make me feel lucky that we have things as nice as we do. Amazing post!

Peter Fisher link

1/23/2014 11:56:19 am

Quote:
"Up north in those beautiful mountains where both your mother and father were murdered! But all this is a sign of my success, isn't it? She's not haunted and full of hate. She claims it, this beautiful country (Alvarez 319) …"

Analysis:
This quote shows how completely the Mirabel sisters healed the Dominican Republic. The Fourteenth of June Movement was thinking of the later generations, and the Dominican Republic was made free so that the later generations could enjoy life completely. Dedé does not want to burden Minou, though, so her freedom does come with a price: ignorance, at least in part. She never learns what happened to her mother and father, and the significance of their deaths.

Significance:
The final two chapters of the book describe Minerva's and Maria Teresa's times in prison, and their final days under house arrest before the ambush on the pass. While in prison, both Maria Teresa and Minerva begin to weaken on the inside, although Minerva makes a conscious effort to remain strong for her sister and thus is less affected. Both sisters react differently to their releases from prison, though. Maria Teresa loses her previous shyness and becomes more outspoken and confident, happy not to be confined in a small cell anymore. Minerva, though, just wants to be around her family, and her facade of the strongest and most rebellious of the sisters begins to crumble. She feels a responsibility, unlike Maria Teresa, to retain that facade for the benefit of her fellow citizens, and so she is fraught with inner turmoil. The sisters, once Minerva and Maria Teresa are released, make the majority of their outings to visit Pedrito, Manolo, and Leandro, since Minerva and Maria Teresa are still under house arrest. This is very significant, because it is the only way that they see and get news to and from their husbands, because it is how they are able to occupy their time, and because it is now Trujillo is finally able to manipulate them into his ambush. During the epilogue, Dedé describes the devastation of her family and the community in the aftermath of her sisters' deaths, and the Dominican Republic's rebirth.

Connection:
When I thought of Minou living her life carefree on the island, never knowing the significance of her parents' deaths to that freedom, I think of the children of Katniss and Peeta from the Hunger Games. Their children grew up in what was District 12, never knowing that the place of their rearing and playing was the cite of one of the rebellion's largest massacres. In fact, the book ends with their playing as children do on a grassy knoll that they don't know is the grave of the eternal residents of the former District 12. This is very similar to Minou's plan to make her home in the mountains where her parents were killed. Minou does not know that her parents died in those mountains; she was too young to know when it happened, and Dedé never told her exactly what happened.

Natalie Boyle

1/23/2014 02:25:07 pm

Hello Peter! I really liked the quote you chose. It related very well with your connection as well. This book also reminded me of the Hunger Games. Rather than just connecting the whole book and story, I like how you related very specific parts. Great job!

John Contreras

2/4/2014 08:11:29 am

Peter,
I really like your quote and how you explored it. I think you are a really smart guy and a good reader.

Bonnie May link

1/23/2014 12:24:49 pm

Quote:
"As we stood in the dark a while longer, calming ourselves, I had this eerie feeling that we were already dead and looking longingly at the house where our children were growing up without us."

Analysis:
I chose this quote because it stood out to me and stuck with me after reading. Minerva wasn't very open with her emotions throughout the story, and it seemed like she was the strongest sister who was afraid to show weakness. At this point in the book, she appeared so helpless, knowing what her future was bound to become.

Significance:
The last few chapters of the book focused more on Maria Teresa's experiences in prison and the life of the girls while under house arrest. Chapter 11 went thoroughly into detail about the conditions and terrors of the prison, and the way the women learned to live and cope. I liked the way Maria Teresa's chapters were formatted because they were more emotional and personal. Reading excerpts from a diary gave more of an insight to what what really might have been going through her mind. I think chapter 11 brought to light the fact the Maria Teresa was urged and inspired to join the revolution by Minerva. Mate was the youngest, and she loved and supported her sisters, sometimes to the point that she was being controlled. I felt like Minerva was telling her how to act and behave, and though she meant well for the others and their cause, Mate did not end up having much of a voice. Chapter 12 transitions to Minerva's perspective of life after prison. Though she was free from captivity, she was still held down in her own home with many restrictions. She stayed connected as best as she could (without causing suspicion) and visited the men weekly. I think the time of house arrest humbled Minerva more than anything, because the revolution was out of her hands and she was once again a powerless, helpless girl. The epilogue lays out the details of the murders of Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Rufino, and how Dede and Mama raised all the children. It fascinated me that Trujillo felt so threatened that he had to murder four people with lives, spouses, and children.

Connection:
While I was reading the last few chapters, I was constantly reminded of Elie Wiesel's "Night". I feel the quote I chose also reflects that. Elie explains in his memoir that the prisoners in the concentration camps felt dead long before their lives were taken. They had lost all hope and meaning, and questioned their existence daily. Minerva had lost control of the revolution, her husband was in jail, and she knew that Trujillo was out to get her. Though she was free from prison, I think she was still living in fear that she would be killed and her children would have to raised with no mother. She felt it coming for a long time, and she expected it.

Loren Cloes

1/23/2014 01:10:43 pm

Hey Bonnie,
I really like who your connection is related to Night. I think that its great that you can connect our currant book that we are reading to a book we just previously read. Also I really like how your wrote not only on how this quote is significant to the book but how it connects to you personally.

Celina Enriquez link

1/23/2014 01:36:30 pm

Hey Bonnie,
I personally love the connection you had made with Night by: Elie Wiesel to In The Time of The Butterflies, love how you took the quote into consideration while relating to the events that had took place in Night by: Elie Wiesel in which had reflected back on the Mirabal sisters in the book In The Time of The Butterflies.

Natalie Au link

1/24/2014 05:16:56 am

Hi Bonnie!

I love the quote you chose, and your explanation for the quote analysis. The quote that you chose is really strong and i like how you explained that it showed Minerva's weakness. It also made me see a little bit of regret from Minerva to see her children growing up without their parents. Good job!!

Jasmin Diaz link

1/24/2014 10:26:00 am

Hey Bonnie!
I really like the quote you chose because it seemed as if she already knew she was going to die. It was very interesting to see your thoughts on this quote. I also like the significance area because you described why you liked the chapters and what you thought about them. The connection you made with Night made me think about how much this book relates to Night. It was very interesting, good job!

Douglas Hunter

1/23/2014 12:53:55 pm

Significance: These last chapters were the grand finale, the big finish, the final conclusion to a long and deep story. Trujillo sees that while the Mirabal sisters are not fighting him directly they are becoming faces to rally behind which could give courage to those that he had oppressed, but he did not account for the aftermath of their murders, mainly the outrage that sparked the assassination attempt that did succeed. To understand the significance of this chapter is to look back into the past. I remember the beginning of the book, when Patria compares Trujillo to Jesus, although completely different, in their behavior, Trujillo wields so much power in The Dominican Republic, that he is a god in his own right. This comparison right before the car is ambushed really hit home to me how there is no escape once a dictator wants you dead. The sister's time in prison was meant to be a slap on the wrist, to steer them clear of rebellion but the plan backfired because the butterflies remembered their time is prison which did nothing but stoke the fires of freedom.

Connection: I can connect the ending to hope that totalitarianism will not prevail. I have a deep intense fear that the world will eventually be reduced to a society much like that prevalent in 1984, by George Orwell. The difference between the two regimes is that Trujillo's regime ended with his death . The Party is eternal.

Douglas Hunter

1/23/2014 01:02:28 pm

Quote: "'My only two problems are the damn church and the Mirabal sisters.'"

Loren Cloes link

1/23/2014 01:05:50 pm

Quote:
"As she was being marched down the hall,a voice from one of the cells they passed called out, Mariposa does not belong to herself alone. She belongs to quisqueya! Then everyone was beating on the bars,calling out Viva La Mariposa! Tears came to my eyes.Something big and powerful spread its wings inside me."

Significance:
In the last chapters, Maria Teresa and Minerva describe their time in prison. How Maria Teresa, cried almost every day and how she made friends with a guard, along with how she kept her diary hidden. Also as she spent time in prison she kept a log and later as she spent more time in prison she began to lose her mind a little bit. However with the help of Minerva she kept her mind busy enough to not go crazy by having the walls close in on her. In these chapters Minerva never lost her courage to fight and get out of prison then later in the chapters they go on house arrest and try to get the men out of prison before they are executed. This quote is significant because it shows that nobody has lost fate that the Mariposa's will set things right. They still wan't to fight for freedom. Also its significant because when Maria Teresa says "Something big and powerful spread its wings inside me." it states that her courage is growing and that Maria Teresa is tired of being the more sensitive sister in the rebellion.
Connection:
A connection I made to the last chapters when the sisters are trying to save the men is to Harry Potter. In Harry Potter Hermione is the brains behind their plains and he intelligence always keeps Harry and Ron out of trouble. In the book the sisters are the brains behind most of the operations and they tried to keep both their men and children out of danger just like Hermione is always trying to keep Ron and Harry from doing extremely risky things. Another connection I made is to Pirates Of The Caribbean when Will saves Jack from being hung after he caused trouble by capturing Elisabeth. Will and Elisabeth are always saving Jack when he gets in trouble however they usually start the trouble to begin with, because the sisters are the ones who really decide to start the revolution just like Will and Elisabeth are always trying to find a way to turn in Jack so he will pay for his crimes that they started. Over all this book can have multiple connections and interpretations and thats what makes this book such a good book to read.

Jasmin Diaz link

1/24/2014 10:30:34 am

Hey Loren!
I really like the quote you chose because I feel that really showed how much people looked up to Minerva and everyone part of the Revolution. I think you really went into detail with the significance and I like why you think the quote is important. I loved your connection because you connected it to one of my favorite movies (Pirates of the Caribbean) and also the connection you made with Harry Potter. Good job!

Sandra Mendoza

1/25/2014 07:31:02 am

Hey Loren,
I really like the quote you choose because I feel like that was a very significant quote in that chapter. It really shows how a lot of people really look up to Minerva. I also thought it was interesting how you connected it to Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. It really makes sense and its two good connections.Good Job!

Johana Guatemala link

1/23/2014 01:09:53 pm

Quote:
“ I am not stuck in the past, I’ve just brought it with me into the present. And the problem is not enough of us have done that. What is it the gringos say, if you don’t study your history, you are going to repeat it?”

Significance:
I find this quote significant because it is applicable to almost every situation. Now a days, most kids in public schools find learning history is a giant drag and pointless until the teacher spends the whole period explaining points where we see history being repeated time after time. These chapters are significant because they talk about the girls death and their paranoia after jail since those are their weakest moments in time.

Connection:
Dede's quote hear reminds me of Ellie's prologue where he talks about knowing the truth behind. The quote also reminds me of Martin Luther King Jr. how his story lives on in the country like the recent day we had off because it was his birthday. Like the Mariposas, Dr. King fought for freedom but he did it in a more peaceful way.

Sandra Mendoza

1/25/2014 07:36:19 am

Hey Johana,
I really like the quote you chose because I also feel like you can relate this to many situations. I like how you were able to connect it to Ellie and Martin Luther King Jr. Those are two very good connections. Nice Job!

Sol Manuel Garza

1/26/2014 11:36:23 am

Hello Johana,
I really like the quote you chose. (I chose that one too). I also think that you make a strong connection to Night and MLK. You are right, most people who fight for freedom are remembered after they die. They are remembered for what they fought to change in their country.

Chase Leon

1/23/2014 01:16:44 pm

Quote:
Ch 12 (257-301): "Adversity was like a key in a lock for me. As I began to work to get our men out of prison, it was the old Minerva I set free" Why this is important, is for Minerva, life must have a purpose and a cause to be worth living. Although she discovers in Part II that love is also a necessary part of her life, it is not enough to make her feel completely alive. Minerva needs to do something.

Significance:
What happens in these two chapters that feel important is when Minerva sings and gets solitar when they arrive. Just for singing! But also Maria is pregnant and mate wants to about it so the SIM doesn't take it. But then the SIM takes the baby. Then rumors that spread was that leandro was a traitor. Minerva is under house arrest then fears it. Then has self doubts. Mate, Minerva and patria picked up a lone soldier. Then they try to call home and no one answers. So they leave and follows the truck away. What matters is that it ends well and doesn’t end in blood. It just ends lonely. Why people should care about the story is because it shows so many perspectives and opinions.

Connection:
How you can connect this to current is, alot of people want change or change happens in life. So when they revolt against it. They get punished, and that happens to alot of people if they don’t like the change. I can’t pull any personal connections. It doesn't relate to anything of learning. They don’t relate because I don't read. Other connections I could draw is anything that has a group or big thing. And the people who don’t want it. Usually gets punished. Or some of the time.

Celina Enriquez link

1/23/2014 01:28:18 pm

Quote:
“ I am not stuck in the past, I’ve just brought it with me into the present. And the problem is not enough of us have done that. What is it the gringos say, if you don’t study your history, you are going to repeat it?”
Quote Analysis:
This quote had been said by Dede in the epilogue. This quote, that Dede states that she no longer is living in the past, when her sisters had been murdered. She said this quote cause history tends to repeat itself when people don't “bring the past into the present”. Dede the only survivor of the three sisters who in which was the only one left to tell the story behind her siblings. I feel that this quote expresses a lot about Dede and how she shows bravery within herself while following the role of being the story-teller.

Significance:
The last two chapters had focused on Maria Teresa's experiences that took place such as, in prison, the time the girls had struggled with while under house arrest.The last few chapters of the book focused more on Maria Teresa's experiences in prison and the life of the girls while under house arrest. Chapter 11 went thoroughly into detail about the conditions and terrors of the prison, and the way the women learned to live and cope. I liked the way Maria Teresa's chapters were formatted because they were more emotional and personal. Reading excerpts from a diary gave more of an insight to what really might have been going through her mind. I think chapter 11 brought to light the fact that Maria Teresa was urged and inspired to join the revolution by Minerva. Mate was the youngest, and she loved and supported her sisters, sometimes to the point that she was being controlled. I felt like Minerva was telling her how to act and behave, and though she meant well for the others and their cause, Mate did not end up having much of a voice. Chapter 12 transitions to Minerva's perspective of life after prison. Though she was free from captivity, she was still held down in her own home with many restrictions. She stayed connected as best as she could (without causing suspicion) and visited the men weekly. I think the time of house arrest humbled Minerva more than anything, because the revolution was out of her hands and she was once again a powerless, helpless girl. The epilogue lays out the details of the murders of Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Rufino, and how Dede and Mama raised all the children. It fascinated me that Trujillo felt so threatened that he had to murder four people with lives, spouses, and children. The epilogue lays out the details of the murders of Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Rufino, and how Dede and Mama raised all the children. It fascinated me that Trujillo felt so threatened that he had to murder four people with lives, spouses, and children. The epilogue has a detailed perception of the murdered Mirabal sisters Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Rufino, Dede and Mama had to raise the children.

Connection: I can make connections within Night by: Elie Weisel, they had lost hope within others, had questioned daily on why they are still in existence. Minerva had lost control hadn't had the Revolution in her hands any longer, including her husband whom was in jail. She had been in fear since she knew that Trujillo was after her, she hadn't wanted to have her children be raised with no mother but, she had felt the death of her coming at any moment.

what page is this on???

12/9/2014 06:39:47 am

Josh Chiero link

1/23/2014 01:51:24 pm

Quote: “It was as if we were girls again, walking through the dark part of the yard, a little afraid, a little excited about our fears, anticipating the lighted house around the bend.”

Significance- These last chapters were the end of the book and told us what really happened to the three Miribal sisters and how they died. We learned all about the life in prison from the three sisters and what happened while they were there. During their time a lot happened and they almost wanted to give up but kept strong. Minerva went through a lot and was placed into solitary confinement for misbehaving and endured a lot.

Connection-
These last chapters remind me a lot of Night by Elie Wiesel and how we learned about their life in camp. They both endured horrible things that made them stronger as a person. The only difference is that Night ended by the rescue of the americans and In the Time of The Butterflies it didn't end as peaceful

Natalie Au link

1/23/2014 02:09:46 pm

Quote: "When we got to the SIM post at the first little town, I cried Assassins! Assassins!"

Quote Analysis: I chose this quote because I found it very significant to see how much Dede has changed. Dede was always scared for her and her family, and didn't want them to have anything to do with the revolution. She, unlike Minerva and the others was afraid to speak her mind due to the consequences that came with it. However, once her three sisters died she completely changed. She yelled at the SIM calling them assassins for killing her beloved sisters, and for the first time she was no longer afraid of them.

Significance: In these two last chapter and epilogue, a lot of important events happen. Maria Teresa and Minerva explain their life in prison. They finally get out of prison and had house arrest. Minerva becomes very different when she gets out of prison, she was no longer her self. Instead she was weak and scared. After a while she got her spark back and started acting like her self again. She realizes that the revolution was out of her hands, and so she felt very helpless. They go to visit their husbands in prison, and when they come back all three Mirabal sisters are murdered along with Rufino. Dede talks about the stories that are told to her, and explains the rebirth of the government. These last chapters are significant in the remembrance of the amazing butterfly sisters.

Connection: I can connect this book to the novel Night. Dede was the only survivor of the butterflies, while Elie wiesel was the only survivor in his family. Both of them did not want their families to be forgotten, they have both told their stories over and over again to educate us about the past.

Natalie Boyle

1/23/2014 02:28:55 pm

Hello Natalie! I thought the quote you chose was very strong. I like how you highlighted how Dede has changed because she definitely has. The connection was you made between Dede and Elie was very interesting. I liked how you didn't just relate it to the Holocaust but to specific people. Great job!

Natalie Boyle link

1/23/2014 02:20:06 pm

Quote: And I see them all there in my memory, as still as statues, Mama and Papa, and Minerva and Mate and Patria, and I’m thinking something is missing now. And I count them all twice before I realize- it’s me, Dede, it’s me, the one who survived to tell the story. (Alvarez 321)

Quote analysis: Dede is the only sister still alive and this quote highlights how she is not used to it and never will be. Obviously it is very depressing and saddening to loose almost all of your family members, but for me and I'm sure other people, it is hard to relate to. I like this quote because it explains how she is reacting to it.

Significance: These last few chapters are probably the most important chapters of the book. In chapter 11, we learn how Maria Teresa and Minerva are doing in prison. Maria befriends one of the guards so they are able to send out information and get things. Maria Teresa got a little diary. She writes about how prison is very depressing and hard to live in. We also learn in chapter 11 that Maria Teresa was sent into isolation and tortured. In chapter 12 Minerva reveals the struggles of being home under house arrest. She is now the face of the revolution and everyone wants talk to her about her story. She is becoming a heroine of the Dominican Republic. Dede also expresses concerns she has with the girls all traveling together to visit the men in prison. The epilogue shares how Dede finds out her sisters were murdered by Trujillo and how he tried to cover it up. After the sisters are killed, Trujillo is assassinated and his reign ends.

Connection: I think Tujlllo's empire falling is similar to Hilter's. After Hilter died in the bunker explosion the US and other countries invaded the camps and Nazi Germany had fallen. Maria Teresa and Minerva also feel similarly to the members of the concentration camps. In Night, Elie talks about feeling dead long before they die, that how the girls felt; depressed, isolated, and lifeless.

Zach Schroeder

1/26/2014 08:41:05 am

Natalie, I really liked how you connected Trujillo to Hitler. I have felt like they are the same ever since the beginning of the book where we understand who he is. Good job!

John Contreras

2/4/2014 08:16:53 am

Natalie,
I like your quote and your explanations. You are right that Dede is depressed and will never get used to the fact that she is the only mirabal sister left.

Miranda Vega link

1/23/2014 02:25:12 pm

Quote:

" I remembered Papa's prediction. Dede will bury us all in silk and pearls. But I said no. They all died the same, let them all be buried the same. "

Quote Analysis:

This quote is very powerful to me. At this point in the book Dede has found out that her sisters and their favorite chauffeur have been killed. In this quote Dede is saying that all of them had died the same way so they should all be buried the same way. Dede had the opportunity to have her sisters treated with more care and respect than Rufino, who isn't even related to her and yet she chooses to say that if they don't all get the same treatment then none of them get any special treatment. She has already lost a lot of people she knew and didn't know, and I think that it all got to her and made her feel like even though he wasn't family he needed someone to still treat him with respect and care about him. and I think that everyone that she sees has died is now a part of something that she took part of. I think that because she had a connection with everyone she felt more sympathy for everyone who was in the rebellion.

Significance:

In chapter eleven Maria is again found writing in a secret journal about being in prison. Maria also talks about being tortured in front of Leandro. Minerva talks about being released from prison and her life after prison. After getting out of prison, Minerva is celebrated throughout the whole country for her courage. She also tries to find a way to get the men and most importantly their husbands freed from prison, as she has found out that small groups of men have been being taken and killed in the night. In chapter twelve Dede is told that the girls have died in a car accident. They were actually beaten and clubbed to death then shoved into the back of a Jeep. Leaving Dede the only remaining sister left to tell their story of struggle, torture, and rebellion.

Supposition:

I think that this book will be acknowledged for its powerful story, along with showing the courage that each girl had, and the the strength that Dede had to continue living and being able to tell the story for everyone to be able to see what they went through for freedom.

p.s. I cried at the end..

Natalie Au link

1/24/2014 05:29:37 am

Hi Miranda,

The quote that you chose is really powerful and you did an amazing job explaining it as well. I love how you explained how Dede felt connected to all of the rebellions who have died. I think it really shows what type of character Dede has when she cares for Rufino the same way as her sisters after they died. Good job!

Scot Wade

1/23/2014 03:25:25 pm

Quote "My only two problems are the damn church and the Mirabal sisters."

Significance This quote was said by Trujllio. When I read that, an instant red flag came to mind. I thought that that was practically him saying, I want them dead. When I heard it it made me think, Oh, thats how they all died. Also when Dede was warning not to travel together.
Connection
I connected this quote to the Holocaust. This may be a stretch, but I felt like the sisters felt uncomfortable and that they needed to hide. That must have felt a lot like how the jews felt when they were hiding from any Nazis.

Anonymous (Tanner *-*) link

1/24/2014 01:54:32 am

Scot,
I sorry to say this but I do have to disagree that the Mirabal sisters wanted to hide from Trujillo. Especially Minerva, she was really famous after she got out of prison and everyone knew her. Pena who is apart of the SIM knows every where they go and what they do. Other than that, it looks good!

Miranda Vega link

1/26/2014 07:48:11 am

Hey Scot!
For your connection I agree with Tanner. The sisters were wanting to put themselves out there in the rebellion rather than hiding. Minerva was also famous after she was released from prison and almost everyone knew who the the sisters were. Besides that you have a great quote and significance!

Sophie Godarzi link

1/23/2014 03:53:15 pm

Quote:
"She's got two new teeth, and has learned to say, Free Mama, Free Papa, every time she passes Trullijo's picture in the entryway."

Analysis of quote:
Maria Teresa had left many items and people back home when she was in prison. One being her daughter, Jacqueline. It surprises me to see a small child not repeating a verse, but being aware and thinking for herself.

Significance paragraph:
During the readings of Chapter 11, I analyzed Maria Teresa to be very sensitive and sometimes being fearful to stand up for what she believes in. This can proven by Maria Teresa's morning tear jerkers and fear of noises in the halls. Maria Teresa's writing has evolved, she no longer questions due to her increase in wisdom and takes on more adult content. In chapter 12, Minerva is released from prison along with Maria Teresa and has become a hero in the Dominican Republic. Minerva has lost some courage after being released, but afterwards is released in short bursts. Minerva, and her sisters take a trip by car to visit their husbands. They also plan on rescuing them. In both chapters 11 and 12 Minerva and Maria Teresa show and explore their emotions more deeply. This showed me what both sisters were really like.

Connections paragraph:
I can relate the road trip the sisters take to the book, "Walk Two Moons" written by Sharon Creech. In "Walk Two Moons" the main character, Sal, travels from Ohio to Idaho in the search for her mother. In, "The Time of the Butterflies", the sisters also take a road trip to find and see their loved ones.

Peter Fisher link

1/25/2014 12:23:03 pm

I have not read "Walk Two Moons," so I cannot sympathize with your connection. I would like, however, to hear more about a psychological connection between the sisters and Sal. Was Sal also desperate, alone, or on the run from something? I think that, although your connection between The Sisters' trip and Sal's trip is a valid one, a psychological connection in motive or emotion would make it even stronger.

Jacob Fikes

1/24/2014 03:23:31 pm

Quote:
I didn’t want to hear how they did it. I saw the marks on Minerva’s throat; fingerprints sure as day on Mate’s pale neck. They also clubbed them, I could see that when I went to cut her hair. They killed them good and dead. But I do not believe they violated my sisters, no. I checked as best I could. I think it is safe to say they acted like gentlemen murderers in that way.

Significance:
The epilogue is a very significant part of the novel considering the fact that it wraps up the book with the three Mirabelle sisters' gruesome demise. This quote from the novel display the horrid way these sisters were brutally murdered.

Connection:
I can connect this to my world conflict, the Rwandan Genocide, because of the gruesome way that the Hutus would slay there victims. They slew them in such similarity by using clubs, knives and brute force to murder the sisters.

Dominic Dudley link

1/24/2014 03:33:29 pm

Quote: Courage, I told myself. And this time, I felt it.

Quote analysis: This quote is by Maria Teresa and is important because she finally started believing in herself and not relying on her sisters for strength. It shows just how mature she had become.

Significance: In these chapters we learn about the conditions Minerva and Mate face when they are in prison, and when they are placed under house arrest. and ultimately lead up to the murders of the three sisters, Minerva, Patria, and Maria Teresa.

Connection: I can connect this book to Night, because they spent so much time staying together and trying to be safe but in the end, it all sort of just came crashing down.

Sandra Mendoza

1/25/2014 07:21:55 am

Quote:
"Day by day goes by and I begin to lose courage and wallow in dark thoughts. I’m letting myself go."

Quote Analysis:
This quote is important because it's what Maria Teresa wrote while she was in jail. This makes us understand how she felt in jail. She felt hopeless, she thought she wasn't going to be able to leave prison.

Significance:
There were a lot of very important parts in these chapters. In chapter eleven we see Maria Teresa's perspective while she and Minerva are in jail. In this chapter Maria Teresa is put on an electric chair right in front of her husband. Leandro doesn't want to see her suffer so he agrees to go with Trujillo's men. In chapter twelve we see it in Minerva's perspective. Minerva is under house arrest, while she is under house arrest she struggles with her courageous personality. In this chapter Trujillo also declares his only two problems are the church and the Mirabal sisters. In the epilogue we read about the death of Minerva, Patria, Maria Teresa, and Rufino. Also, how Dede and Mama raised all the children.

Connections:
I can connect this quote to Elie from the book Night. Both Mate and Elie were hopeless. Elie was in a concentration camp feeling like he was never going to leave and be free again. Maria Teresa felt the same way while she was in jail. She felt like she wasn't able to be free again.

Annette Garcia

1/26/2014 05:39:35 am

Sandra I really like the connection you made between the two books I think its a good connection

Evan Mark

1/26/2014 07:50:49 am

Quote: "I have to admit the more time I spend with them, the less I care what they've done or where they came from. What matters is the quality of a person. What someone is inside themselves."

Significance: The significance of chapter 11 is that Maria Teresa enters the last stages of her maturity. Be fore she was very flighty, and I still feel that she only joined the revolution in the beginning because of "the cute delivery boy". She was growing in maturity and understanding slowly after that, but prison was the kick in her pants she needed to reach that final level.

Connection: I can connect this to the holocaust because of the prison conditions. The "plain" prisons (not the slave camps) were definitely worse, but the emotional treatment to women in holocaust prisons was very similar

Zach Schroeder

1/26/2014 08:38:06 am

Quote.... "And I count them all twice before I realize- it’s me, Dede, it’s me, the one who survived to tell the story."

Significance... This is a good quote because it is the end of the story, and talking about all that have died. She is basically finishing her story. She is the last surviving Miribal sister.

Connection... I can connect this to the end of the book Night, where Elie the main character, Just starts to move on from a tragedy. I feel like they are very similar because they are both alone because there family was killed, and have to move on with life

Sam Klein

1/26/2014 11:56:47 am

Quote "My only two problems are the damn church and the Mirabal sisters."
Significance - This is where the book is ended by finally telling us what happens to the sisters. I chose this quote because I think that it represents Trujillo's hatred for the sisters and how he wants them dead. I thought the book was cool and how these girls were so passionate in what they believed in that they were willing to risk their lives and in the end die for it.
Connection - I would connect this to Night do to not only the fact that it talks about the torture and hard times in prison, like such at the holocaust but also in the end only one of the main characters survive. I would also connect this to Atticus Finch and how he stood up for what he believed in because he thought it was right and he was willing to loose all of his social respect to do so just like the sister were willing to loose their lives.

Faris Livingstone link

1/26/2014 04:41:45 pm

Quote: “And I see them all there in my memory, as still as statues, Mama and Papa, and Minerva and Mate and Patria, and I’m thinking something is missing now. And I count them all twice before I realize- it’s me, Dede, it’s me, the one who survived to tell the story.”

Quote Analysis: This quote is from the last paragraph of chapter 12. I really liked this quote because it ends the touching story of the Mirabal sisters. As Dede looks back during the Trujillo regime she realizes all the hardships and struggles that she went through with her sisters. At the end of the book she seems to be very sad but she still has hope in herself to stand tall and stay strong.

Significance: The last chapters of the book sum up the story of the Mirabal sisters. Specifically we look back at the time when Minerva and Maria Teresa were in jail during the crucifix plot, the sister’s life after prison (when they go to visit their husbands) and we also sadly learn about the “accident” that 3 of the Mirabal sisters died in.

Connection: A connection that I made with this quote is from Elie Wiesel’s memoir Night. Elie Wiesel ends his story in a very similar way, looking into the mirror and seeing corpses. Both of the endings of the stories really touched me because both character had some courage and hope that remained inside of them the entire time. The never let it go away.

John Contreras

1/27/2014 04:39:02 am

Paragraph 1 label “significance
What happens that feel important? (Describe the events)
Maria Teresa realizes that her papa wants to start a revolution and is storing guns to fight them.

Why do you think they feel important? (Describe the feeling you get in the quote or the events around the quote)
I think this because a revolution is suicide for both the resistance and the soldiers.
What parts stand out and why?( Write about what words stand out and why)
the words that stand out to me is that there were a lot of guns in the metal box because a revolution would acquire some serious firepower.
Paragraph 2 label this “connection”

What happened in your life or in the world or in another book that relates to this quote? Describe it. Who, what, when, where.
How does it connect?
I once realized my stepdad has a lot of guns like at least 3 rifles and 1 handgun. He owns them for tactical reasons such as defense. He was in the navy. Me and Maria Teresa both have household guns. The household guns make me feel safer but they make Maria Teresa feel betrayed and scared.

Paragraph 3 label this “supposition”

Write about the possibilities you can imagine based on the quote and the situation of the quote. At least
I think that Maria Teresa is worried and felt betrayed by her papa that he wants to start a revolution. I also think that she is scared because he could die of a gunshot or getting seriously injured.

“A little while ago I got up and dragged the heavy box out from under. It was nailed shut, but the nails had some give on one side and I could work the lid loose a little. I held the light up close and peered in. I almost dropped the lamp when I realized what I was looking at. Enough guns to start a revolution.” (142)
Significance-Maria Teresa realizes that her papa wants to start a revolution and is storing guns to fight them. I think this because a revolution is suicide for both the resistance and the soldiers. the words that stand out to me is that there were a lot of guns in the metal box because a revolution would acquire some serious firepower.
Connection-I once realized my stepdad has a lot of guns like at least 3 rifles and 1 handgun. He owns them for tactical reasons such as defense. He was in the navy. Me and Maria Teresa both have household guns. The household guns make me feel safer but they make Maria Teresa feel betrayed and scared.
Supposition-I think that Maria Teresa is worried and felt betrayed by her papa that he wants to start a revolution. I also think that she is scared because he could die of a gunshot or getting seriously injured.

Eli Steria

1/27/2014 05:15:31 am

Quote: “A dark night was falling, one of a different order from the soft, large, kind ones of childhood under the anacahuita tree, Papa parceling out futures and Mama fussing at this drinking. This one was something else, the center of hell maybe, the premonition of which made Dede draw closer to Jaimito until she, too, fell asleep.”

This is very important because it goes back to Dede’s story in Chapter 1, which says that the time before “the darkness” fell, the time when things were still good, when the family was sitting outside, under the anacahuita tree, talking about the future, just a little worried about the future with Trujillo has a dictator. During present time, Dede is very scared because the SIM have arrested many in her family, and her own marriage almost broke up, she is not in bed with her husband and feels a little more safer. This would be frightening for some people not knowing what will happen next, I think that this can cause horror to lots of people

Ashley Seymour link

1/27/2014 06:58:14 am

Quote:
"The fear is the worse part. Every time I hear footsteps coming down the hall, or the clink of the key turning in the lock, I’m tempted to curl up in the comer like a hurt animal, whimpering, wanting to be safe."

Importance of Quote:
I think this quote is important because a big part of this book is being scared to stand up for yourself or just scared in general weather its the government/Trujillo or the little things. So when she felt scared because she heard even footsteps coming down the hall to me it really stood out because it kinda showed her innocents of being scared from just such simple things like footsteps or doors being unlocked with keys.

Significance:
There are many many important events that occur in these last two chapters. In chapter 11 we learn to find out that the sisters were sharing the same cell as some who have committed murder but Maria finds someone she can relate to about being a mother. We also read that the guards take away almost everything that the prisoners have like the crucifix crosses and demands them to stop singing. Then we read about good news about how Leo was released from prison and was safe at home, then we understand that 2 of the Mirabal Sisters are released from prison and are then put on house arrest. Then in chapter 12 minerva starts having trouble being under house arrest. Then all the Mirabel Sisters except for Dede wants to go visit their husbands in jail, as they are on their way there the soldiers find them and beat them to death with clubs.

Connection:
I can connect to the quote because whenever I get scared to do something I always just want to hide and stay in a corner where I feel safe but then I know I have to face my fears or else it's just going to get harder and harder in the end. I can also connect to when Maria and Minerva were release they felt happy and sad because they didn't want to leave their sister behind but they had to. I can connect to this because sometimes when I make decisions I don't want to make I feel happy that I made the decision but then sad about what the consequence will be in the long run.

Connection:
I can connect chapter 12 to a show that I watch called Pretty Little Liars because in one episode the girl gets released from jail and is then on house arrest.

Tyler Gange

1/28/2014 08:22:44 am

Quote: We moved quickly now towards the jeep, hurrying as if we had to catch up with that truck. I don't know quiet how to say this, but it was as if we were girls again.

Significance: In these final chapters, we learn about the girls time in prison, and their last moments of life. Their prison was important because we learned about how evil Trujjio is for leaving them in prison for over 100 days.

Connection: This reminds me of the communism in North Korea, and how Kim Jong Un imprisons and kills people that go against him and his political views. People have also been put in concentration camps because of it.

john contreras

2/3/2014 04:44:44 am

Post #4
“You’re exposing yourselves to an accident by going down all together.”(265)
Significance- Minerva and Maria Teresa are under house arrest after they got out of prison. They went to prison because they cooperated the resistance. The Mirabal Sisters cooperated with the Resistance by handing out guns and messages.
Connection-I am into fighting those who are tyrants to their citizens. We should make sure that the dictators do not hurt anyone any more. To keep tyrants from planning global domination we need to know what they are truly up to. We can try to cut of their resources such as nuclear weapons and any certain donations sent to their military forces.

John Contreras

2/4/2014 08:04:19 am

“In memory of our great hero. When you die for your country you do not die in vain.” (311)
Significance-A radio host said this. This happens after all of her sisters are dead. People usually say that about soldiers who died in battle. When Dede hears this she thinks about her sisters. Before she heard the message she thought her sisters had died for nothing, but now she thinks they have died for their country.
Connection- My step dad told me that when his uncle in the navy was rescued by a medical ship the ship was blown up by an enemy submarine. My step dad’s uncle did not die in vain. He died protecting his country.
Supposition- I believe that Dede will still know that her sisters died for their Republic and are known to be heroes. Dede might want to tell others about her tale from the 30s to the 60s.

Miguel Mendoza

2/11/2014 02:28:12 pm

Quote: "And I count them all twice before I realize - Its me, Dede, Its me, the one who survived to tell the story"

Significance: I thought that this quote was very significant because It somehow explains how Dede answers her own questions from the beginning of the book. Especially when she asks herself why she is still alive. She later finds out that her purpose for being alive was to be able to tell the tale of her and her sisters. It also explains how Dede thought over much of the story and her family but rarely about herself.

Connection: I think that it is really amazing that Dede has figured out what her purpose is. That is also something that I want to do. Many books I have read like The alchemist, and maybe the Percy Jackson series have been about having/telling/creating a great tale while also learning more about the character. I enjoy books like that.

EthanSchnepp

2/23/2014 03:53:38 am

Ethan Schnepp
Carol Cabrera
Humanities
February 20, 2014
Chapter 11-12
"And once, Minou got hold of a piece of pipe and was rattling it against the galeria rail. It was a sound recalling the guards in prison running their nightsticks against the bars. I ran out and yanked the pipe from her hand, screaming "No!""

Significance: This shows that even after Minerva’s encounter with prison for about 7 months, she was still traumatized by the experience and the breakdown of one of most strongest and powerful Mirabal Sisters. Yet during her time in jail, I thought it was incredibly courageous and brave of her to stand up against the guards. An example was when Minerva refused to give up her cross and she started kicking and punching and she got solitary confinement for 3 weeks. Even during Prison she would have routines and try to sing to the men to keep everyone’s spirits up so I thought that even during a time of difficulty, she acted like a leader but when she came out of jail, there were two Minervas inside her and anytime she would go out she would have to keep this fake image of her that she was still strong and had determination and was not weak so I thought it was interesting how she managed to pull through for all her friends, family and supporters.

Connection: I can connect Minerva to Martin Luther King Jr. because they both were sent to jail just because they wanted change and they were voicing their concern and also MLK was a figurehead that a lot of African-Americans looked up to so he constantly had to keep this image of him being strong and courageous just like Minerva had to when she came out of jail. In the end they both ended up dying because of their views which is very sad since no one should die just for voicing their concerns.

EthanSchnepp

2/23/2014 03:53:45 am

Gabriela Schnepp link

3/2/2014 02:40:57 am

"The fear is the worse part. Every time I hear footsteps coming down the hall, or the clink of the key turning in the lock, I’m tempted to curl up in the comer like a hurt animal, whimpering, wanting to be safe."

Significance: Fear changes people. Either it makes them weak and broken on the inside, or stronger after the fact. When the sisters are in jail, they are able to cope with their fears by staying with with other. In the end, this makes them stronger.

Connection: I can connect this quote to quote from 'Night.' Elie expresses fear in both very similar and very different ways than in I.T.T.O.T.B. Both of the writings are very powerful, and make the reader feel the same feelings as the characters.

Chapters 11, 12 & Epilogue

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