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  • Essay / The theme of women's rights in The Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

    “She plucks the bird of paradise from its dead branches, bending around the plant every time she hears a car.” This is the first line of In the Time of Butterflies by Julia Alvarez in her book; Alvarez touches on many themes throughout the book, ranging from family and education to democracy. However, among these themes, there is one which is the most important, and which will also concern the modern world, that of women's rights. This comes up again and again in the plot, whether in terms of education or polygamy. As Minerva's father says, "Trujillo had many girlfriends, installed in large luxurious houses." It was not uncommon for wealthy men to have multiple wives and girlfriends during this era and Trujillo was a classic example. This problem still persists today, only increasing gender roles and the disparity between men and women. The Mirabal sisters and their fight against the government not only challenged tyranny but also the social constructs that still prevail today. In fact, Alvarez demonstrates the need to train or educate women, whether in the mid-1900s or today. For example, the sister's mother herself "can't even read", highlighting the low literacy rate of women in Latin America. But the Mirabal sisters should avoid this and hopefully give birth to a new generation of women who believe they can be educated and live meaningful lives. As each of the Mirabal sisters obtains a university degree; which, for a woman at that time, was an unusual accomplishment. Such challenges tend to be common today, with women in many third world countries having fewer resources than men to access sufficient education. Although Alvarez explores many themes in In the Time of Butterflies, the theme of women's rights is the most captivating and specific of our times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get an original essay Alvarez's views on women's rights can also be seen in his various interviews and articles which show his definitive ideas on the development women. , especially in third world countries like Latin America. Colón presents a comprehensive interview with Alvarez and discusses with Alvarez multiple perspectives on the multifaceted issue of women's rights in the essay "Julia Alvarez: Importance for Women in a Male-Led Culture" by Devina Colón. Lack of education will have a detrimental effect on both men and women and the well-being of a country for current and future generations. That’s why Alvarez strives to emphasize the value of education for everyone, regardless of gender. Throughout the interview, Alvarez talks about these views, while In Time of the Butterflies presents similar views. Alvarez, for example, asserts throughout the interview with Devina Colón that in Trujillo's law, reading was considered "subversive" while calling you "disruptive." These references frequently highlight Alvarez's ideas throughout the book. In "In the Time of Butterflies", Alvarez suggests that most people in the Dominican Republic view politics as "women shouldn't be active" in the Dominican Republic of the mid-1900s. Álvarez points out, while asserting that the women should not participate in politics, that they should be educated or educated, to shed light and give them a voice on a very popular opinion of people livingin the Dominican Republic. These two roots of Julia Alvarez's texts reveal one of the central themes of women's rights in In the Time of Butterflies. She also highlights the same concerns in her interview with Devina Colón, while Alvarez highlights the importance of women's rights in her book. Additionally, Alvarez explained in his interview that only a very small portion of schooling was allowed to women and that it was "manipulated by the Trujillo system." Trujillo would do anything to ensure that no one ascends to his throne, one of which is to reduce schooling and exploit the education system. Trujillo was able to brainwash an entire country using manipulation or outright lies, and it started in school at a young age. Trujillo made it even more difficult for women to access college and live on their own in a country where women's education was already restricted and minimized. In the Dominican Republic, women were expected to “follow their spouse.” Alverez seeks, through Moment with Devin Colon and In the Time of Butterflies, to combat the gender gap in Latin American countries. Because when women joined the battle against Trujillo, he saw flaws in his power. Through history and Alvarez's articles on women's rights; it is common for women to have the ability to do anything, regardless of the circumstances in which they live. The challenges faced in other countries and around the world seem to blind you to a highly industrialized country like the United States and especially to a very metropolitan area like Austin. Even though these issues are not occurring in the United States, it is important to recognize the challenges faced by countless people around the world. After reading In the Time of Butterflies, the question arises whether the problems that existed in the Dominican Republic in the mid-1900s still persist. Beatrice Edwards addresses this very issue in the article “Women, Jobs and Democracy”. Latin American countries still face these problems today. Male hegemony and domination are particularly prevalent in third world countries such as those in Latin America. Women have far fewer rights in countries like these and are therefore limited to very few resources. According to Edwards, “male superiority is an important cultural aspect” in Latin American society. Male superiority remains a problem today. Since male dominance in the United States and especially Austin is not that prevalent, most people say there isn't any. However, women are constantly marginalized in many third world countries, especially in Latin America, resulting in fewer resources and seriously compromising a country's prosperity and growth. This point is clearly explained by Julia Alvarez in her book. One example is a rather misogynistic woman who is referred to as a "senator's wife" by one of the book's main antagonists. By highlighting the chauvinism of the regime's central tyrant, Rafael Trujillo, Alvarez will highlight the enormous injustice faced by women in the mid-1900s Dominican Republic. Furthermore, the policy for women is also very strict even today. The definition of “democracy is limited” to women, as Edwards describes it. Politics and independence are generally considered to be reserved for men in most Latin American societies. Women are generally limited to family and domestic life, while men earn money and work in politics. As a result, in most of these countries, women.