Part 2 & 3, Chapters 8, 9, 10

1/16/2014

Post a forum posting for Chapters 8, 9, 10 OR turn in this packet by Monday, January 20th.

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

87 Comments

Loren Li Cloes link

1/17/2014 05:06:07 pm

Quote:
"I couldn't believe this was the same Padre de Jesus talking who several months back hadn't known his faith from his fear! But then again, here in the little room was the same Patria Mercedes, who wouldn't have hurt a butterfly, shouting,"Amen to the revolution"."

Significance:
In these three chapters there is a lot of troubling events happing. In chapter 8 Patria decides to return on believing and having fate in God, She addends a retreat while she is pregnant with a baby boy. Only later to be witness to a booming and to witness her child being shot and fall dead to the ground. After that Patria changed and she was ready to be part of the underground and take down Trujillo. In Chapter 9 Dede is back talking to the women who is interviewing her and she stats the its getting late, however then the story changes back when Dede was a not yet apart of the underground. Through out this chapter she is having problems with her marriage. However her marriage tureens around and she joins the underground, but it took a lot of convincing. Also in this chapter the first arrest has happened. Then later in the chapter Minerva gets arrested and then more and more arrest keep happing. Lastly in chapter 10 Patria has had her baby and she is fully apart of the underground revolution. However things change and her husband and son are arrested. But later the SIM are willing to release her son. This quote is significant because at first she didn't want anything to do with the underground, just like Dede. However that all changed the day she witnessed her own son being shot and laying life less on the ground. This says that Patria is a strong willed women who wants freedom and her own rights, so she does not live in fear anymore. Also it shows that she has a lot of conflict with God and the Fates.
Connection:
A connection I made is to the Great Gatsby because Nick Caraway the narrator of the story is guarding someone else secrets, and in the underground there is a lot of secrets from family and friends. Its not until later that the girls mother has knowledge of their plains and that they are even apart of the revolution. Just like Tom was un aware until later on in the book that his wife Daisy was having an affair with Jay Gatsby.
Supposition:
I predict that in the next chapters Minerva and Maria Teresa won't be able to get out of jail because Trujillo request that they stay in jail because of what they have planed to over throw him. Also I think that the children will take over the rebelling in case their parents do not succeed.

Tanner Ragan link

1/19/2014 10:44:28 am

Loren,
I like your connection with the Great Gatsby. I also liked how you were precise on secrets with the mother not knowing just as Tom didn't know.

Ashley Seymour link

1/20/2014 06:53:54 am

Hey Loren,
I really like how you connected this book to the great Gatsby and I especially like it how the great Gatsby was set back in the 1900's so it fit perfect with this book. I also think that your significance was really detailed and it was just a great response from these chapters.

Nikki

1/20/2014 07:09:02 am

Hey Loren,
I absolutly love how you connected this to the Great Gatsby! It think it fitted seamlessly on the whole metaphoric "mistress fling" between Tom and Mama. I think that this is a crazy thing to think about that it only took place in the 1960's. A little past Gatsby's time but pretty close to the time that we where born. Overall, great post Loren :)

Jasmin Diaz link

1/20/2014 08:31:13 am

Loren!
I really enjoy the detail you put into the significance. I think you explained the last three chapters very well. I also like how you made a connection to The Great Gatsby. I thought that it was very interesting that you said Nick was guarding other people's secrets.

Dominic Dudley link

1/22/2014 09:59:25 am

Loren,
I really liked how detailed your significance part is and how you connected the book to The Great Gatsby, it is very good because of how similar the two books are in this way.

Tanner Ragan link

1/19/2014 10:38:43 am

Quote: "Hear my cry, Jefe. Release my sisters and their husbands and mine. But most especially, I beg you, oh Jefe, give me back my son. Take me instead, I'll be your sacrificial lamb.

Significance:
In chapter 8, Patria is pregnant with Enrique causing her to bring back some memories eighteen years ago. Nelson is getting involved with his uncle Leandro and Manolo with attacks against Trujillo causing further problems in the future. Patria witnessed a boy (about Noris's age) get shot in the back which Patria will remember for the rest of her life. In chapter 9, Dede explains the reason why she wasn't involved was because of her husband. The three sisters wanted Dede to join the revolution but Jaimito wouldn't allow it. Dede went to a few of the meetings causing their relationship to fall apart. Leandro, Maria, Pedrito, Minerva, and Nelson were arrested and devasted the family. In chapter 10, Patria at one point prayed to bring the badness out of Pano and agreed to help her with any power he has. Patria eventually freed Nelson in front of an audience.

Connections: I can connect this with the Hunger Games as Katniss swapped positions with Prim during the reapings. As I suspect Patria will swap positions with Nelson.

Supposition: I believe that Trujillo is still playing a trick on Patria. Just as soon Patria and Nelson are reunited, Patria will be arrested.

Loren Cloes

1/20/2014 08:51:45 am

Hey Tanner,
I really like your post it was well thought out. I also really liked how your made your connection to The Hunger Games. Also your supposition it very interesting because of how you think that Trujillo is playing tricks on Patria. However I don't see how Trujillo is playing tricks on Patria, so I was wondering how you suspected the Patria is being tricked. You don't have to respond, just my curiosity is getting to me. Over all great job.

Tanner link

1/21/2014 10:57:52 am

What I mean by being tricked is once Nelson and Patria are back together, Patria is arrested and thrown in jail because I am referring back a significant quote,
"I beg you, oh Jefe, give me back my son. Take me instead, I'll be your sacrificial lamb."

Sol Manuel Garza

1/21/2014 11:37:16 am

Hello Tanner.
Great connection and supposition! I agree that the next big thing that will happen in the book is that Patria will go to jail. I think that it will not only be her but also the other Mirabal sisters involved in the revolution. I wonder how long they will be in Prison.

Sol Manuel Garza

1/21/2014 11:48:17 am

What I mean to say is that Patria will join her other sisters in jail. Do you think Dede will also end up in jail?

Miranda Vega link

1/21/2014 12:43:31 pm

Tanner,
I love how you are connecting the book to the Hunger Games. I never would have though of connecting the two books to each other. I do feel as if your supposition is correct, I can totally see Trujillo doing something like that. Again, great connection!

Dominic Dudley link

1/22/2014 10:05:59 am

Tanner,
I think you have a really solid and put together post, the significance makes a lot of sense and the connection is very unique. I like how you thought of something really out of the ordinary for your supposition, I didn't even think of that. All around, good job.

Aaron Nguyen link

1/20/2014 02:46:58 am

Quote: "The two photographs were side by side: Noris giving her hand to a smiling Jefe (Young Offender Softens Jefe;s heart); and me. kneeling, my hands clutched in prayer (Grateful Madre Thanks her Benefactor).

Significance: These three chapters are crucial to the plot of the story, because it really shows the power and control of Trujillo. The Mirabel sisters, who are independent and reject Trujillo's rule, are forced to beg to him. Trujillo also has the power to arrest them on the spot, with out them being able to do anything about it. For example, in chapter 9, Minerva and Maria are both taken to jail in an instant, and they couldn't even put up a fight. The quote is significant because it shows how media can be manipulated and almost used as propaganda. Patria was not thanking El Jefe, she was praying to god. However, the media used the pictures in the wrong manners, and put them into wrong context.

Connection: I can connect these chapters with tabloids and media magazines. The magazines are always full of lies, and always put pictures into wrong context. It seems like media lies to people to get views/sales.

Supposition: I am foreshadowing that when the sisters get released from jail, they will be killed on the way home.

Ashley Seymour link

1/20/2014 06:56:39 am

Hey Aaron,
I really like the connection you made to magazines and I thought it was interesting how you wrote how the lies in the magazines are connected in this book. I also think it will be interesting if your supposition is correct.

Chase Leon

1/21/2014 12:44:38 pm

Hello Aaron!
I like the way you connected the story with media and tabloids because I wouldn't of thought of that. But I also like the Significance because it tells a lot in little amount. Good job!

Jacob Fikes

1/21/2014 01:59:17 pm

Aaron,
I really like your significance paragraph because you have evidence of how these chapters are a significant part of the book. I also like your connection. Good Job!

Natalie Au link

1/20/2014 02:59:48 am

Quote: "Oh lord, release my son , I prayed. And then I added what I'd been holding back. Let me be your sacrificial lamb."

Quote analysis: I chose this quote because it touches me to understand how much Patria loves her son. Patria says the quote above when she is praying and asking God to release her son Nelson from jail. All she cares about is her children and so she is willing to let them do anything to her as long as her children are safe.

Significance: A lot of important events happen in chapters 8, 9, and 10. These chapters are significant because is narrates the thoughts of Patria and Dede while horrible/significant events were taking place. In chapter 8, Patria found out she was pregnant and decided his name would be Raul Ernesto. One day while they were having a midafternoon cursillo with Brother Daniel, gun shots were delivered and explosions were flying in the air. In chapter 9, Dede explains the struggle in her marriage. She realizes that she is in with the revolution and she finds out that Leandro has been arrested. The SIM also came and arrested Nelson and Pedrito, and later Minerva and Mate. In chapter 10, a man named Pena showed up and later helped the Mirabals. One of the Mirabals girls half sister showed up and gave Patria a note from Mate. Lastly Patria gets to see Nelson, and El Jefe shows an interest in Noris.

Connection: I can connect the quote that I chose, to many mothers across the world. Mothers have a special connection to their children and many of them would do anything to keep their children safe. They often put their children before them and would rather have their self be tortured instead of their children.

Nikki

1/20/2014 07:02:27 am

Hello Natile!
I like how strong your theme is in this post. I also think that something in motherhood makes the mother's do anything for their children. Overall, you did a very good job! One think that I was pondering was If you were Patria's shoes would you do the same thing for Nelson? Or how has your mother sacrificed for you? (You don't have to answer those questions if you don't want to :)

Loren Cloes

1/20/2014 08:37:07 am

Hey Natalie,
I really like your connection, and how it relates to the relationships today with a mother and child.Also you did a really good job on the significants of the quote. Over all great job Natalie.

Jasmin Diaz link

1/20/2014 08:37:10 am

Tallie!
I like how you said that the quote touched you. It was very interesting to see why it was touching and your quote analysis is very detailed. You also did a very good job of explaining the significance of the three chapters because there was a lot of detail in the chapters. I like how you connected the quote to mothers across the world. It made me think that mothers will do anything to save their children.

Sophie Godarzi link

1/22/2014 09:50:49 am

Hi Natalie,
I really loved your quote that you used for this post, it is very touching. I also like how you listed the events that happened in each chapter. Good job!

Ashley Seymour link

1/20/2014 06:50:16 am

Quote:
I didn’t keep count how many had died. I kept my hand on my stomach, concentrating on what was alive.

Quote Analysis :
I chose this quote because I feel like Patria becomes stronger in these chapters because when she was on the retreat and the bombing and gun shots start she was just thankful that she still had her baby and even though a lot of people died like her son she was very sad but still was thankful she still had someone alive. I also chose this because it stood out to me how she pushed a side all the negative and focused on the bright side which was still having her baby boy.

Significance:
I think these 3 chapters are on of the most important section in this book. In chapter 8 patria starts to reconnect to God specially during her retreat, and we learn that Patria is pregnant and wants to name her boy Raul Ernesto. Then In chapter 9 the interview women realizes that its getting late and once she gets in her car Minou pulls up to the house and wants to talk to Dede. They go back into the past and talk about why dede was so close but didn't go with them. She explains that it was because of her Husband she didn't go with them and talks about her marriage problems. Dede starts to plan to runaway but then worries about her sons. In chapter IO we read about a man named Pena and how all the sisters wish the worse for him.

Supposition:
I predict that the sisters will be released from jail, As they go on their mission to kill Trujillo one of the sisters will be captured by Trujillo soldiers and will be tortuded and then killed. But Trujillo won't tell them that they killed one of the sisters and will say if you want her then come get her and then everyone in the revolution will try and rescue her and as they do this they will kill Trujillo.

Natalie Boyle link

1/20/2014 12:51:09 pm

I really liked the quote you chose. It was a very strong quote on its own but explanation gave a lot more depth and meaning. I thought your supposition was very interesting. I did not think of that happening until I read it. Now reading it, I could definitely see it happening. Trujillo has shown to be merciless and brutal in the previous chapters so this could definitely happen.

Miranda Vega link

1/21/2014 12:48:09 pm

Ashely,
I love your explanation of the quote. I had already thought of it as something different than the way you described it but now I can see it in a different light. I love your quote, along with its analysis. Great job!

Nidhal Dawood

1/21/2014 02:11:42 pm

Hey Ash!

I wouldnt even be able to breath if I was in her position! Im serious, imagin having to go through something like that in your life, it would just be terrible. Your forum grabbed my attention because nobody really chooses quotes of death from the other peoples perspectives as in witnesses. So good job!

Zach Schroeder

1/22/2014 08:52:45 am

Ashley, I really like the quote. I really can agree to your predictions, a specially with the part where you said that Trujillo will lie about having a sister and basically sneak attack the revolution.

Nikki

1/20/2014 06:56:19 am

Quote:

"Why give out valuable truth to a hidden microphone?"

Significance:

These the three chapters are significant to the novel's story line, because we see the true turmoil in the Mirabal family and the unraveling of emotions. In chapter eight, Patria is pregnant with another son only to watch it be killed later in the novel. This was something that messed her up so much that she without a dout joined the revelation. In chapter nine, we learn that Dede was still yet apart of the revelation but also brings up unresolved memories of her past causing her trouble with her marriage because she struggles to with the choice of joining the revelation or not because she knows for sure that her husband would disapprove. This is also the time were the Maribal family faith and courage is tested as their own get arrested by the SIM. Finally in chapter ten, we see that everyone, whether they like it or not, is on the revelation side. Because Trojillo has disgraced everything that was important to the MIrabal family they are forced to shift their perspective towards hate for their dictator.

Connection:

These last three chapters were very powerful. I got to see the true side of the Mirabal sisters and Trojillo. It reminded me of the relationship between Hiters and the Jews. Hitler was also a dictator and did what ever please him and the the Jews suffered under his rule. It reminded me of this because the feeling of being trapped described by the Maribal sisters I think would be the same feeling that the Jews had.The flustering feeling of wanting to be free and have a revelation but the dictator always being one step ahead.

Supposition:

I'm foreshadowing that in the next chapters were going to learn about that crash where the sisters die and only Dede is left (I think it might happen of their way back from the pardon) and the impact that it had on everyone to rise above their dictator.

Natalie Boyle link

1/20/2014 12:55:02 pm

Hey Nikki! I agree with your explanation of the significance. These chapters unveiled their feelings and trust for each other. I did not think of them getting in a car crash before but now after reading your supposition I could definitely see that happening. I like how you mentioned that they are forced to hate their dictator. I thought that was very interesting and well worded. Good job! :)

Sol Manuel Garza

1/21/2014 11:59:23 am

Hello Nikki.
I agree that the whole Mirabal family is "forced" to hate Trujillo. By this point in the book, Trujillo has done something bad to everyone. He has imprisoned Minerva and Maria, he has burned down Patria's house and has Dede terrified. This atmosphere of hate seems to beg for the resistance to try to assassinate him or overthrow the regime.
I like how you compared Trujillo to Hitler. it makes sense to me that both dictators used terror to rule their government.

Evan Mark

1/21/2014 12:02:49 pm

I totally forgot that Hitler was a dictator. I definitely see and understand your connection. I especially liked the part about the dictator being one step ahead, which I definitely see with Hitler, but less so with Trujillo. However I see it in his dictator-ship as well.

Scot Wade

1/23/2014 02:18:42 pm

Hey Nikki,
I like your connection with Hitler being a dictator. Also the part about their being a "flustering feeling". I also like your Supposition about dede being the only sister left.

Sandra Mendoza

1/20/2014 08:06:40 am

Quote:
"Next day, we were famous. On the front page of El Caribe, the two photographs were side by side: Noris giving her hand to a smiling Jefe (Young Offender Softens El Jefe’s Heart); and me, kneeling, my hands clutched in prayer (Grateful Madre Thanks Her Benefactor)."

Quote Analysis:
I chose this quote because it really stood out. It stood out to me because this is really a lie. They make it seem like Noris and Patria like Trujillo and they are thankful to him for letting Nelson go. When in reality they don't like him at all and they aren't really thankful to him. I think this quote is important because it shows us how a lot of hings are lies. Most importantly it tell us that Nelson cam back and Patria and Noris are really happy.

Significant:
In these chapters a lot of important things happened. Minerva and Maria Teresa got arrested. A lot of other people got arrested like Patria's son and husband, Nelson and Pedrito. Also during these chapters we got to know more about Dede because in the last chapters we didn't know much about her. Also, Patria got pregnant again and while she was at a retreat there were bombings. She survived but after that day she was different. She became part of the revolution.

Supposition:
I feel like Minerva and the rest of the girls might have a plan or something because when Patria talked to Pena about Trujillo forgiving Nelson she asked if they girls would also get forgiven and he said the girls refused and it seem they liked being in jail. Or maybe Trujillo won't let them leave and Pena is just lying to Patria.

Aaron Nguyen link

1/21/2014 12:48:39 pm

Sandra,
Your quote analysis is very true. I can connect with it. I feel like Trujillo is indeed a liar, and spreads rumors to give his people a false sense of security. I chose the same quote as you, and had a closely related quote analysis. Good job!

Jacob Fikes

1/21/2014 01:56:19 pm

Sandra,
I like your analysis because it does make sense of a lot of things and goes into detail as to why they are lying to Trujillo. I also think that you have a well backed up supposition.
Good Job!

Jasmin Diaz link

1/20/2014 09:28:07 am

Quote:
"No, no, no. Nothing like that. I offered Our Lord to take me instead of my Nelson." Mama sighed. "Ay, m'ija, don't even say so. I have enough crosses." Then she admitted, "I offered Him to take me instead of any of you. And since I'm the mother, He's got to listen to me first."

Quote Analysis:
I chose this quote because it really speaks to me in saying that mothers will do anything for their children. Patria is sacrificing herself to save Nelson, but her mama is sacrificing herself for everyone. Her mama is saying that He has to listen to her prayer first because she is the mother of everyone, meaning mother or grandmother. She's offering herself to save the ones she loves.

Significance:
In chapters 8, 9 and 10, many things happen so quickly that it's hard to get a grasp on it. In chapter 8, Patria is pregnant with a son and decides to go on a retreat to a quiet paradise. The quiet area where Patria is at gets attacked and everyone's in a panic. She decides to join the revolution to stop El Jefe. In chapter 9, we're taken into the present to where Dede is being interviewed by the woman when Minou comes over to ask about her mother. Dede is asked to be part of the revolution, but Dede is only half into it so she doesn't get taken away. Minerva and Manolo were taken by the SIM and later Maria Teresa was taken as well. Their children were left in the care of Mama and Dede. Soon, Pedrito and Nelson were taken and Patria was overwhelmed by grief. In chapter 10, Patria tries to deal with the grief of losing her husband and son to the SIM. She gets a note from Mate delivered by Margarita Mirabal that tells Patria and everyone where they are located and how they are doing. Patria sends a package filled with everything they need to survive prison. The package was given to Margarita then given to Margarita's cousin who worked for the place that Mate and Minerva were being held at. Later, Patria attends an event where families of prisoners are given their loved ones back. Patria is given her son, Nelson, back and her daughter, Noris, catches the eye of Trujillo.

Connection:
I can connect this quote to the movie Harry Potter because Harry's mother sacrificed herself to save him from being killed. This is what Mama is implying that she will do to protect her family. This just shows that mothers will do anything to save their children and family.

Supposition:
I predict that Trujillo will take Minerva and Maria Teresa out of jail just so he can kill them. Giving them freedom then suddenly taking all they have away from them and taking their lives. I think El Jefe will take Noris away from Patria and if she comes to save Noris, then he will lock Patria up.

Bonnie May link

1/21/2014 06:42:38 am

Hey Jasmin,
I like the way you connected this to Harry Potter. Though I have never seen/read that series, I find it fascinating how many other books/events this book can be related to. Also, your supposition section makes sense, and sounds like the time Trujillo allowed Minerva to go to law school, but not get a license. I think he will get their hopes up of leaving and being safe, but will trick them again.

Natalie Au link

1/21/2014 06:44:32 am

Hi Jasmin!
I love your connection! I actually thought about connecting mothers love with Harry Potter as well! You did a really good job explaining how they both connect with each other and how mothers would do anything to save their children.

Chase Leon

1/21/2014 12:50:47 pm

Hello Jasmin!
I like how you connected it with Harry Potter because it's so creative! But at the same time a great connection! But good job putting detail in the Significance, summed it up in a good summary! Good job!

Natalie Boyle link

1/20/2014 12:46:10 pm

Quote - "The rumors were everywhere. Trujillo wanted her killed. She was becoming too dangerous,the secret heroine of the whole nation."

Quote analysis: I chose this quote because it represents how Minerva was creating a huge impact on her country. Minerva's rebellious acts against the government first started with the Liberty Performance and have now escalated to her joining the underground. Minerva is not concerned about her safety or her family's safety anymore. Her main focus was getting their opinions out about Trujillo.

Connection: I think these chapters relate to the book the Hunger Games. Katniss and the sisters act very similarly to the government. All of them disagree and want to change the way they work. Katniss is most like Minerva. Both of them are very out spoken and disobey rules. The underground rebellion group that the sisters are a part of is like District 13 in the Hunger Games. They act under the radar, have strong opinions, and want to make a difference. The Mirabel sisters are hated by the government for their opinions and so is Katniss and Peeta. What makes these two stories so similar is the passion and dedication they have for making their country, district, group, better.

Supposition: I think Trujillo will try to lure Patria out by releasing Noris but then arrest Patria as well. Trujillo will not stop until all the Mirabals are either arrested or killed.

Bonnie May link

1/21/2014 06:45:50 am

Natalie-

I really like the quote you chose and connection you made. I agree that Minerva is a lot like Katniss, and their fight against the government is similar. I also agree that Trujillo is trying to capture, arrest, and possibly kill all the sisters.

Peter Fisher link

1/21/2014 11:17:20 am

I think that your connection to The Hunger Games is strong and well-explained. Snow is also a lot like Trujillo, because Trujillo likes to play games with Minerva, who keeps outwitting him, and Snow is the same way with Katniss. A good example is the gamble between Trujillo and Minerva, when Minerva cheated along with Trujillo and earned his respect. Katniss did something similar with Snow when she tricked him into letting two tributes win. I would be curious to see where the connection would be with Peeta.

Josh Chiero link

1/21/2014 01:54:10 pm

Natalie,
I love your connection to the Hunger games and how you pointed out the similarities between Katniss and Minerva and how they both disobey the laws of their country/district

Douglas Hunter

1/21/2014 02:08:13 pm

Natalie,

I was really surprised to see a post connecting this book to the Hunger Games, but it really makes sense. The settings are so different but Minerva and Katniss are so similar it's kind of creepy. Great job with your connection.

Lizzy Young link

1/22/2014 12:36:20 pm

Hi Natalie,
I agree that these chapters relate to the Hunger Games, and I can totally see Minerva being the Mocking jay figure in this book. I think if any of these girls really make a difference in the way things are going, it will be Minerva, with the support of her sisters of course.

Nidhal Dawood

1/20/2014 01:23:26 pm

Quote: " But this year—he was too dead tired to argue."

Analysis Of Quote: I chose this quote because we can all relate to this no matter how old or young a person is today. Sometimes you don't even care what your parents restrict you from you just go with it because you know you cant get anywhere anyways, only making the situation worse. Civilization now in days have changed in America compared to the 1900's. Everyone had manners, the kids respected their elders and parents and now in 2014 everyone has seemed to forget about whats important.

Connection: I can connect to The Great Gatsby and how back in those times nobody cared if you were a stranger or a best friend they treated you with respect and friendliness. The problem with parents and their kids is their relationships because as a teenager we argue manly because we think we are right, parents should hear what we have to say and our opinions or simply just for attention. Nonetheless, we don't try to make whoever we argue with mad we just feel the need to always be right all the time and to be honest that is not good. American children have taken the advantage of the freedom this land brings us but we need to have limits and respect others for what they believe in. And if we are wrong we need to understand that being wrong is not bad, in fact on the contrary its great because we are learning.

Supposition: While half the family is debating on weather they are free or not and some people think its a trap by Trujillo, I think that he is going to continue tricking them until he finds a way to kill everyone including there kids.

Sandra Mendoza

1/20/2014 02:57:22 pm

Hey Nidhal,
I really like how you were able to connect this to the Great Gatsby and to people in general. You made a good point and I like how detailed you were. Good Job!

Peter Fisher link

1/21/2014 11:25:23 am

You make an interesting argument in your connections paragraph. I think that you are right that people need to accept that no one can be right all of the time. However, I disagree that people are taking advantage of America's freedoms per se; I think that stubbornness is something brought on by America's freedoms, not abuse of it. Because people can get what they want if they work at it, people at a young age who haven't yet experienced the limitations of those freedoms do think that they can always have their own ways, you are right, and this lesson is just something that people learn as they grow and begin to have more responsibilities. I think that it ultimately makes people more enterprising, actually, because they have experienced both ends of the spectrum and know exactly what is and isn't feasible. Excellent insight!

Douglas Hunter

1/21/2014 01:42:40 pm

Hey Niddle,
I agree that we need to learn that we are not right 100% of the time, this is a critical lesson that humans need to learn of we are to coexist in the future, however I agree with Peter that people America are not abusing freedoms, old values have merely deteriorated.

Chase Leon

1/20/2014 01:31:10 pm

Quote:
Chapter 9, page 199 "Voz del pueblo, voz del cielo." I found out what this means, so I put it up here, this is what it means. "Talk of the people, voice of God," and it is an old quote. Dede says it to Minerva as she tries to convince her that the rumors that Trujillo wants her dead are not silly. She takes it to mean that popular opinion is always right. Minerva refuses to listen to her sister, talking about "silly rumors," but this is a mistake and she is killed. Mama also uses this quote to warn Minerva about traveling to visit Puerto Plata. This quote is also the title of the last section of the last chapter of the book, told from Minerva's point of view. It is as if this section serves as proof that rumors are usually true, that the people have a certain wisdom, and that one should take warnings seriously.

Connection:
How I can connect this is in Romeo and juliet there is tons of opinions like the King doesn't like Romeo and others. But you get it. But it relates because like Trujillo wants Minerva dead. Out of these two chapters nothing relates to my life. It doesn't connect with the learning. Other than the actual book, none. It almost relates me to Romeo and Juliet because there is so much opinions running around everywhere it seems like it is in Romeo and Juliet with all of the problems. I can’t pull any connections that I can draw.

Supposition:
What Is going to happen is when they are in the prison, they might break out. Or escape and find like hidden things they weren't supposed to see or just like secrets. Or someone might break them out and it might be surprising who it is.

Sandra Mendoza

1/20/2014 03:01:31 pm

Hey Chase,
Nice way of connecting this to Romeo and Juliet. I like your supposition and I think it would be very interesting if that actually happened. Good Job!

Sophie Godarzi link

1/20/2014 01:42:43 pm

Quote: "Things had gotten so bad, even people like me who didn't want anything to do with politics were thinking about it all the time. "

Analysis of quote: This seems to be one of the key reasons why Patrica helped the society against Trullijo. Other factors such as her son's death also helped, but the constant reminder of what was happening must have really shook her. This quote is important because the topic, politics, seems to come up quite often in each and every chapter.

Connections paragraph: I can relate the rebels in these chapters to the current uprisings happening in Iran. Iran has somewhat of a dictatorship. In Iran main religious leaders will choose a group of presidents for the country to vote on. This means they would choose presidents that would carry through what they would like see in the country. The president of Iran is almost like a puppet, and religious leaders are pulling the strings. Some of Iran's people are risking their lives just like in this book.

Supposition paragraph: I think the sister lives may come to the end soon, but the reason Dede survives is because she is stuck and can't travel or chooses to stay away by choice. I think this will happen due to her lack of interest in interviews.

Natalie Au link

1/21/2014 06:54:45 am

Hi Sophie!

I really like your connection and how you related it to the current uprising in Iran. When I read this book I often forget that things like this are still happening today. Your connection opens up new possibilities for me to connect the book with so thank you!

Annette Garcia

1/22/2014 12:25:41 pm

Hey Sophie

I really like the connection you made with a conflict that is currently going on in the world and how it is affecting a lot of people in many in many ways, I also liked how you said that people are risking there lives just like the Marabel sisters in the book and they are fighting for there rights.

Josh Chiero link

1/20/2014 01:54:57 pm

"Next day, we were famous. On the front page of El Caribe, the two photographs were side by side: Noris giving her hand to a smiling Jefe and me, kneeling, my hands clutched in prayer."

Quote Analysis-
This quote is very strong and really sums up everything that happened in these three chapters. The revolution is started and many of the family members are thrown into jail including Nelson. When he's released they pretend to show sympathy and thankfulness for the government.

Significance:
These chapters start the revolution which is the biggest part of the book where the most action occurs. These chapters show you how serious things will get. In these chapters many people were thrown in jail and patria had another baby. They went to a retreat for their relation ship and there were bombings which started the revolution

Connection:
I can connect to this in my life when I act differently to impress/ or benefit my own situation. Being respectful to adults is very important and something we do every day. Even when I'm in a bad mood I always try to be respectful. This can also be used in a bad way which we have seen before. Some people use this in order to gain power or position in the government such as Hitler. He lied to parents taking their children with disabilities to a "Special Hospital" but it was really a death camp

Supposition:
In the next few chapters the revolution will progress and more death will occur. Trujillo will do something to hurt the Miribal family to make them angry and lash out. I believe one of the miribal sisters will be killed.

Peter Fisher link

1/20/2014 02:41:02 pm

Quote & Analysis:
"Recently, in Vaidades, she had read how starlight took years to travel down to earth. ... If in that dark heaven she traced a ram when already half its brilliant horn might be gone? False hopes, she thought. Let the nights be totally dark! But even that dark wish she made on one of those stars (Alvarez 190)."

This quote centers around the theme that not everything is as sturdy as it appears to be. For example, everyone thought that Trujillo was a good ruler, and everyone followed him -- with encouragement from the government, of course. That changed, though, when Cuba won its freedom, tried to give the Dominican Republic its liberation, and Trujillo's government responded with severe violence. The false hope that this quote specifically refers to is Dedé's hope that she and Jaimito could be close as they once were, and that they could be content with each other. The last part of the quote refers to the tendency of humans to be lulled into a false sense of security; in fact, we are drawn to that sense. Even if we know that it cannot be as sturdy as it appears to be, we put our faith in our hopes anyways because we have nothing else to do. Dedé and Jaimito know that there is something in between them, but they try to fix things anyways. Sometimes, this works; we can only hope that is does.

Connection:
My mind is instantly gone when I read this quote; there are a great multitude of scientific discoveries that have resulted from moments of relativity such as the one described in the above quote. The nobel prize for physics was won a few years ago by scientists who discovered that the universe's expansion was actually accelerating, and it was won many years before that by physicists who actually recorded light from the original big bang, found in the form of microwaves hitting the Earth. The principle of relativity has greatly increased our knowledge of the universe and our potential to discover more. With each new discovery, our understanding of the universe changes. Principles that we thought were sturdy are disproven, and others are proven, only to be potentially disproven at a later time. In this way, science - specifically, physics - is a lot like human psychology: we know that we are not always right, and in fact we are disproven more than we are vindicated, but we keep putting our faith in our hopes and beliefs because we cannot do otherwise. Everyone needs something to believe in, whether it is freedom or a greater understanding of our universe.

Supposition:
During chapters 8, 9, and 10, Minerva and Maria Teresa, the original two rebels, are arrested, as well as their husbands, Pedrito, and Nelson. The implicit assumption in the book thus far is that Nelson has been pardoned and returned to Patria. I predict that the next chapter will be primarily about the visitations with Pedrito, Minerva, and Maria Teresa. I expect that in chapter 12 the prisoners will be pardoned by Trujillo, although I am going to conjecture that Manolo and Leandro will not be released at all until Trujillo's reign is ended, since Trujillo seems to be watching them especially closely.

Johana Guatemala link

1/20/2014 04:34:38 pm

Quote:
"Hear my cry, Jefe. Release my sisters and their husbands and mine. But most especially, I beg you, oh Jefe, give me back my son. Take me instead, I'll be your sacrificial lamb."

Significance:
This chapter focuses on Patria and how she has gotten involved with the revolution. We also learn more about her strong faith and how it impacts her decisions in life. This chapter provides insight on her marriage and her children and we see how much she loves and cares for them. Her lifestyle is very different from her sisters and she takes pride in that. However due to influences from the church, her family, and more she feels the need to join them and work towards freedom. Chapter nine is all about Dede and starts with a modern look at her and the interviewer. It then goes back in time, and we learn about how Dede becomes involved with the revolution. Dede and her husband have a very different relationship than that of her sisters and their spouses. Her husband, Jaimito, feels the need to control everything she does and seems to have the “upper hand” in their relationship. This begins to cause friction when Dede is inspired to join her sisters in their work for freedom. Her husband is strongly against it and threatens her. However when their family is put in danger, they all put their differences aside. Chapter 10 focuses on Patria and all the struggles and heartaches she goes though while her loved ones are in prison. She misses everyone so much but the thought of loosing her son is unbearable. She later talks to Captain Pena who is able to help arrange them to get out. Eventually, she goes with some of her family to El Jefe, and her imprisoned family is released. The struggle is very emotional for Patria, as her family means so much to her.

Connection:
In a way, it is pretty cool that the family fights against El Jefe as if it was their family time or their game night. Most families find a time where they spend quality time doing something they all love but in the girls case they spend time together fighting for something above and beyond them. If they really bonded over this or were as close as politicians, I am not sure but it seems like they would bond.

Evan Mark

1/21/2014 11:59:28 am

Your connection was a unique view. It surprised me first and foremost, and although I don't agree, I think it is cool that you think that way. You're significance was spot on in my opinion, so cheers to that. I will definitely look out for your post next time to get your unique perspective

Nidhal Dawood

1/21/2014 02:07:02 pm

Hey Jo,

I really like the quote you chose because it holds so much meaning within like any mother or father who cares about their children can relate to this. When I become a parent in the future, or even now with my friends and family I would rather "them" take my life and spare whoever is in danger out of friends and family. Thats the way I grew up, to defend and hekp the unprotected and if death is part of that, well I know Im dying in the place of someone I love and for a good cause.

Douglas Hunter

1/20/2014 04:43:52 pm

"I'm not going to sit back and watch my babies die"
Significance: The significance of these chapters is that the sisters changed a lot. The revolution is really coming to a head, and open defiance has yet to assert itself but change is in the air. The sisters are more completely committing themselves to the revolution which leads to the deterioration of the marriage between Dede and Jaimito.

Connection: I can connect the development of the characters, mainly Patria in these chapters to Night. Elie changes the more death that he witnesses, which when Patria loses a second child spurs her to support the revolution. Just as Elie was reforged in the concentration camps, Patria losing her children has destroyed a very inner part of her soul.

Tanner Ragan link

1/21/2014 10:55:17 am

Doug,
I believe your connection with Elie in Night is generally accurate. But I do think they both have different personalities towards the end because Patria right now still has feelings towards her sons as Elie didn't feel anything at all as his father died.

Sophie Godarzi link

1/22/2014 09:55:50 am

Hi Doug,
I agree that the sister have changed a lot and the sisters are all committing themselves. I think your connection to Elie in Night was very powerful. Good job!

Natasha Oslinger link

1/20/2014 11:28:20 pm

Quote:
(Patria notices) "a change in her, as if her soul had at last matured and began its cycles."

Analysis:
In these chapters, the sisters change a lot. The revolution turns from being just rumors to being close to full on war, and now the sisters are fully committed and invested in it. A lot of changing happens in these chapters, including the death of one of Patria's children and Trujillo's full power awaking. This quote is important to the chapters because it is like a metaphor, comparing someones soul maturing to the menstrual cycle, which is symbolic of change.

Connection:
I can connect this to the chapters earlier in the book, in which Minerva begins her "complications." Minerva feels both physically and emotionally that the country she loves is in danger, and she finally understands the true power and evil of Trujillo. This is so different from back in Chapter 2, when Minerva starts her 'complications', because then she worshiped Trujillo, she has changed so much that now she would be willing to die in order to take him down. I think this changing is like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, the girls start as caterpillar and change into butterflies, and much like butterflies, they have a tragically short life span. This quote also is reminiscent of Maria Teresa, who wrote in her diaries about wanting to discover her soul, where as now, Maria is not a child, she is a soldier in the revolution.

Supposition:
I believe one of the sisters is going to die soon, I believe they will either be killed by Trujillo to make a point to the rebels, or be locked in prison.

Evan Mark

1/21/2014 10:14:02 am

Quote: "Next day, we were famous. On the front page of El Caribe, the two photographs were side by side: Noris giving her hand to a smiling Jefe (Young Offender softens El Jefe's Heart); and me, kneeling, my hands clutched in prayer (Grateful Madre Thanks Her Benefactor).

Significance: This quote is significant because it shows how media is corrupting what happened. The media is afraid to put (El Jefe finds a young girl to have sex with) and (Woman thanks God for her child) The things they did write make El Jefe seem like a good person.

Supposition: I think that Minerva and others will attempt to liberate the prison which explains why They wanted to stay in the prison

Johana Guatemala link

1/21/2014 01:26:23 pm

Hey Evan!
I agree with the the significance of the quote. In the newspaper, they do the same thing the country has done throughout this period of time which is comparing El Jefe as a equal or greater to God. We saw it done before with Maria Teresa's young view of El Jefe. I like how you found a reason behind the odd thing that Minerva and others wanted in your suppostion.

Zach Schroeder

1/22/2014 08:55:26 am

Evan, I completely agree with you significance and your prediction. I like how you said how they were afraid to things against Trujillo. You right how they need to make El Jefe sound like a good person in order to stay alive.

Sol Manuel Garza

1/21/2014 11:30:35 am

Quote
“I saw the wonder in his young face as the life drained out of him, and I thought, oh my God, he’s one of mine!
Coming down from that mountain, I was a changed woman. I may have worn the same sweet face, but now I was not only carrying my child but that dead boy as well” (Alvarez 162)
Significance
This quote is through the eyes of Patria after Trujillo’s forces attack rebels in the mountains. In chapter eight, Patria went on a religious retreat with her church in the mountains. At the end of her visit, the mountain was shelled and then raided by Trujillo’s military. Patria got to see the conflict up close. When she saw a young rebel die, she was a “changed woman”. This experience “politicized” her into joining the revolution with her sisters. While the other Mirabal sisters were politicized because they learned who Trujillo really was, Patria became politicized as a result of seeing a young man killed in the struggle for freedom. Patria’s reason is much more personal than the other sisters. She saw her child in the face of the man who was killed. As she says in the quote, “He’s one of mine”. She joined the revolution to protect her family and the families of other Dominicans.
Connection
The changes in Patria’s way of thinking remind me of Frederick Douglas. He was a famous Abolitionist who escaped to the North to become a free man. Once he was free, he worked hard to end slavery because it was a personal commitment. He saw himself in the people stilkl trapped in slavery. Even though he was safe in the North, he took the risk to speak out against slavery and lead the Abolitionist movement. Similar to the way Patria realized that the Dominicans were her people, Douglas also refused to sit back and watch his people die.
Supposition
I wonder if Trujillo’s popularity will increase as a result of freeing Patria’s son. Although I do not think that Patria will be shunned by the resistance, I wonder if the pictures of her in the pro-regime newspapers will decrease the popularity of the resistance. I also wonder if Nelson going to jail is foreshadowing that the Mirabal sisters will go to jail in the coming chapters.

Tanner Ragan

1/22/2014 12:15:16 pm

Sol,
I feel bad for not responding to any of your posts when you did to mine. haha. anyways, I love your supposition about the popularity based off of what happened live. I believe Trujillo wanted to give back Nelson to get people more on his side. And I believe that is also why Patria was arrested recently after his freedom

Sam Klein

1/21/2014 12:09:25 pm

The quote I chose was. "The rumors were everywhere. Trujillo wanted her killed. She was becoming too dangerous,the secret heroine of the whole nation."

I think this quote is very important because it shows how she is willing to die for her cause, she is less worried about her life and more worried about her message getting a crossed .

Significance, I think these chapters are very significant to the story because you really get to understand Trujillo's power and how much these people fear him. He has the right to what ever he wants with no consequence really. The revolution also becomes a much bigger problem through out these chapters, what a lot of people viewed as rumors is now true.
Connection, I can connect this to Romeo and Juliet because of the hatred between Trujillo and Minerva is similar to the hatred between the Capulets and Montague's. They both want each other basically dead.

Josh Chiero link

1/21/2014 01:51:58 pm

Sam,
I like the connection you made to Romeo and Juliet and can see the similarities. It seems like to summarized the chapters pretty well and gave a good understanding

Anna Ryburn

1/21/2014 12:13:53 pm

QUOTE:
"Coming down that mountain, I was a changed woman. I may have worn the same sweet face, but now I was carrying not just my child but that dead boy as well.
My stillborn of thirteen years ago. My murdered son of a few hours ago."
SIGNIFICANCE
In these chapters, the sisters become a lot more involved in the revolution. Patria, who last we saw was losing her faith, has started to try and repair it as she finds that she is pregnant again. However, her faith is changed again when she witnesses an attack and watches a boy Noris's age get shot and die in front of her. Dede, however, is still reluctant to join the cause. Later, when Minerva, Pedrito, Nelson and Maria Teresa are arrested, the family gets involved in trying to free them.
SUPPOSITION:
I think the rebellion will soon take action, and the oppression by the government will increase drastically as a result. Family members will be hurt and killed as a result of this, probably causing some to doubt and turn away from the cause.

Aaron Nguyen link

1/21/2014 12:40:37 pm

Anna!
I think that your significance paragraph is very good! I felt the same way about Patria. It seems like she has tried over and over again to renew her faith, and something gets in her way. It also seems like it takes a lot to get Dede involved, because she is rarely talking in the book, and she sort of seems absent. Good job!

Celina Enriquez link

1/21/2014 01:46:04 pm

Hey Anna,
Great reflection on what had occurred in chapters 8,9,10. I had been able to feel the same about Patria having trouble with renewing her faith within God, alot of times others or actions tend to get in her way of trying to renew her faith. I also truly agree with your prediction of what will happen next I feel that the family members are gonna start turning there backs on one another while not having faith with one another.

Miranda Vega link

1/21/2014 12:37:13 pm

Quote:

"Things had gotten so bad, even people like me who didn't want anything to do with politics were thinking about it all the time. "

Analysis of quote:

This quote really shows the some of the reasoning behind why Patrica suddenly decided to join the revolution against Trujillo. Other contributing events such as her son's death also took part in her choice, but I think that what changed her the most was when
she "saw" her child in the face of the man who was killed as he was struggling for freedom.

Significance:

In these three chapters the revolution has begun, which is what the book is mainly about. A lot of people were out in prison, and Patria had another son and joined the revolution so that she would be able to protect her family and other families. At the retreat there were bombs which had signaled the start of the revolution

Supposition:

I think that in the coming chapters the girls are going to try to find a way to help everyone escape the prison, and be killed on their way home.

Johana Guatemala link

1/21/2014 01:39:08 pm

Hey Miranda!
The analysis of the quote is dead on. Patria seemed to only want to get involved because El Jefe was taking blows at her family and she was not going to have any more. In these chapters, like you said, the revolution begins or is iniciated by a bomb.

Lizzy Young link

1/22/2014 12:42:40 pm

Heyy Miranda!
I also think that everyone is going to come together to get all of the others out of prison, and I do think that they could possibly get caught, in trouble, or even harmed, but I don't think they will be killed doing it. I think in order for the book to end the way it does, with all of the sisters dead and Dede being interviewed by loads of people, the girls will have to do something pretty significant.

Celina Enriquez link

1/21/2014 01:19:50 pm

Quote:
I didn’t keep count how many had died. I kept my hand on my stomach, concentrating on what was alive.

Quote Analysis :
I had chosen this quote because throughout these chapters Patria is able to become a strong commited person, for example; when she had been on the retreat in which the bombing had occured along with gun shots, she was able to see the positive side which was that her baby had still been alive. Many people had been killed when the bombing and gun shots had occurred. In these chapters to me I had felt that Patria was slowly but surely producing the relationship with god that she had begun with while looking at the positive side of things, being able to keep her baby alive.

Connection: I can make a connection within Patria, When I had a strong belief within god and I felt it slowly beginning to fade because, my own mother and father had turned there backs on me including my brothers. Slowly but surely after I had been able to gain trust within my grandparents even though they hadn't put me in harms way I was just worried that something like this would occur again, I was suddenly able to see the positive side while following within god just as when I had begun.

Jacob Fikes

1/21/2014 01:53:02 pm

Quote:
"Things had gotten so bad, even people like me who wanted nothing to do with politics were thinking about it all the time."

Significance:
This quote brings significance because of how it describes how bad the situation is with politics and how the dictator, Trujillo. You can tell that people try to ignore politics as to not get in the way of
Trujillo's rule and get killed.

Connection:
I can connect this to Hitler's rule in Germany because while Jews were being sent to concentration camps, many, not all, of German citizens tried to ignore their Jewish neighbors be evacuated to a camp.

Zach Schroeder

1/22/2014 08:50:17 am

Couldn't find quote, but the part where they use Chea Mirabal's bedroom as an ammunition room.

Significance... I find this interesting because what if for some reason, someone went in there, and found a heck ton of ammo. With there "nipple" bombs. I think the ACC is really powerful, but i think they would be easy to overcome. There just really powerful weapons wise, but no where near as smart as the actual government.

Connection... I think of the ITTOTB's rebellion is just like the Hunger Games rebellion. They are both just trying to get there freedom that they deserve. Both of the sides in the books are just the same. I think they lash out without thinking to hard and getting a concrete strategy. Yeah the district and the ACC had some strength, but no where near the Capital and Governments strength, power, and war knowledge.

Lizzy Young link

1/22/2014 12:30:47 pm

Quote: "The devil I was so used to seeing disappeared, and for a moment, like his tilting prism, I saw an overgrown fat boy, ashamed of himself for kicking the cat and pulling the wings off butterflies."
This quote is important because I think the butterflies she mentions in this quote could represent her and her sisters. She is so used to Pena holding back her and her sisters and "tearing off their wings, but now that she is coming to him for help as a mother, a sister, and a caretaker, he is ashamed of what he did to her family and is willing to help her.

Significance: These chapters are significant because a lot of important events happen in them. Patria goes on a retreat and is attacked and sees a boy die in the mountains and has an epiphany about her life and wants to leave her husband to join the revolution, but they just wind up resolving the issues in their marriage. Maria Teresa, and Minerva are arrested, and everyone does what they can to find them and help them, and Mate sends a note through Margarita informing them of her and her sisters whereabouts. The rest of the chapter is spent by Patria goes to Pena to try to get her son out of prison and succeeds. Like I said, this was a very eventful read and I feel like these chapters have completely changed the course of the book. Not only did two of the Mirabal sisters get arrested, but now many of the family members are at risk.

Supposition: I think that when/ if the others get out of prison, they will go right back to their role in the revolution. They will definetly be more careful about it, but this time, they would feel that they have something more to prove and they won't back down. I also think something may happen to Patria because she told God to take her instead of her son, and sure enough, she got her son out of prison, so now it is time for her to go.

Faris Livingstone link

1/26/2014 04:17:50 pm

Quote: “But most especially, I beg you, oh Jefe, give me back my son. Take me instead, I'll be your sacrificial lamb.”

Quote Analysis: This quote is showing how much love Patria has for her son. She cares so much about his life and his future and doesn't want him to go through the hardships that she has been through. In this quote Patria is begging Trujillo (El Jefe) to take her son of jail. She is even giving up herself for her son. This here shows how strong a relationship between a mother and son can be.

Connection: I connected to this part of the book (the quote) because I have a really strong relationship with my mother. Even though we may fight or she may tell me to work harder or do this and do that, I always know it is mainly for my own good. Both my parents are always showing me the right path to a successful life in the future.

Supposition: I think that something bad might happen to the Mirabal sisters in jail. Since Trujillo is a very cruel dictator, like most dictators, he might keep Minerva and Maria Teresa in jail till they die. His idea will probably be to weaken the revolution so that he is safe and remains in power.

Daniela Canseco

1/27/2014 04:50:05 am

Quote:Quote:
"I couldn't believe this was the same Padre de Jesus talking who several months back hadn't known his faith from his fear! But then again, here in the little room was the same Patria Mercedes, who wouldn't have hurt a butterfly, shouting,"Amen to the revolution"."

Significance: In these three chapters there has been a lot of chaos. In the 8th chapter they are planning the plan to attack, in chapter 9 a few people get jailed up, and in chapter 9 people are secretly sending messages to the ones in jail. This quote basically explains how everybody in the book over the course of time had changed in someway. In this quote the Padre was with them in the revolution and it had shocked Patria because a month before he was a total different person and this shows how quickly people can change. I really liked how Patria was comparing what they were doing at the moment to what her family had done there before they were in the revolution.

Eli Steria

1/27/2014 05:05:41 am

Quote: "I didn’t keep count how many had died. I kept my hand on my stomach, concentrating on what was alive."

This is amazing because Patricia is full adult now because she is caring for another human being. I think it is incredible that she was freaking out like others that possibly were, she just wanted to make sure her baby is okay.

Significance:
*What matters about these two chapters?
In chapter 8, Patria narrates which covers 1959. She becomes pregnant and names the child Raúl after the Cuban revolutionaries Raúl Castro and Ernesto Guevara. The movement needs a place to meet, and Patria let's the people use her farm. Patria goes on a religious retreat. In June, the retreat is bombed when Trujillo's forces attack rebels hiding in the mountains. Patria watches a boy die. She vows to help in the resistance, and she convinces Pedrito to do the same, though they will lose their farm if they are caught. This is incredible part because this is one of first parts where this is actual war and it really makes you realized and big this was.

Tyler Gange

1/27/2014 11:23:42 am

Quote: As long as the SIM admitted they were in custody, they stood less of a chance of being disappeared.

Significance: It was significant that Maria Teresa and Minerva were arrested and jailed, I think it was wrong to jail the sisters just because they had different political views. They should have had the right to express their view points.

Connection: I can once again connect this to Nelson Mandela and how he spent about 20 years in prison for his political viewpoints.

Dominic Dudley link

2/6/2014 07:45:34 am

Quote:"Things had gotten so bad, even people like me who wanted nothing to do with politics were thinking about it all the time."

Significance: In chapter 8, Patria goes on a retreat and rediscovers her faith. In chapter 10, the interviewer relizes that it's getting late and starts to leave, also, Minou shows up. In chapter 10, we learn about Pena and how much the sisters dislike him.

Connection: I can connect these 3 chapters to Night by Elie Weisel. They really show how the sisters, mainly Patria, are changed by the difficulties, like Elie during the holocaust.

Miguel Mendoza

2/11/2014 03:03:22 pm

Quote: "Coming down that mountain, I was a changed woman. I may have worn the same sweet face, but now I was carrying not just my child but that dead boy as well.
My stillborn of thirteen years ago. My murdered son of a few hours ago."

Significance: This quote really explains how Patria faces with her struggles and her faith as she fumbles it throughout the course of this story. I think that it is really significant because it gives a new beginning for Patria as she finds out more of who she really is or who she should be.

Connection: This reminds me of a time I had heard a man who was framed for a crime was put to jail for 20-50 years. During that time he used it to connect with God more. By the time he was released he knew who he was and had very well restored faith in God.

Gabriela Schnepp link

3/2/2014 02:37:05 am

"I couldn't believe this was the same Padre de Jesus talking who several months back hadn't known his faith from his fear! But then again, here in the little room was the same Patria Mercedes, who wouldn't have hurt a butterfly, shouting,"Amen to the revolution"

Significance: This quote is significant because it begins to show the changing opinions and views of the people. Those who have been keeping silent are beginning to speak up, and those who have followed a path of peace are beginning to take up arms and fight for their rights.

Connection: I can connect this quote to the Civil Rights Movement, because it shows that the will of the people is a strong thing. When people gather together and demanded change, there is little that can stand in their way.

Part 2 & 3, Chapters 8, 9, 10

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories