Quarter 4 Blog 6

IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES
After finishing this book I have gotten a full view on the unfair treatment that went on in the Dominican Republic. Once the sisters were released from jail, they were put on house arrest. Which still left them feeling bottled up. They were released from jail but their husbands were not, which left them devastated. But they were allowed to visit them once a week. One of the visits was what unfortunately got them killed. I do not think it was right for Trujillo to treat these girls like he did. I think that Trujillo was scared of these girls and the power that they had to get lots of other people to agree with them and fight with them for their cause. I think he did not know what else to do then to get rid of them, they were more intimidating than they thought. Alvarez does a good job telling the story then having the surviving sister, Dede, explain what life was like after her sisters died and what happened and how it effected the country. I really enjoyed this book because it went into more detail than what the movie did. I also liked how much the individual girls personality and characteristics showed out through their actions.

Quarter 4 Blog 5

IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES
I am a little more than half way through In the Time of the Butterflies. I really enjoy how Julie Alvarez uses each chapter in a different point of view from each sister to explain the events in their time. Reading things in journal entries, for example in Mate's chapters are very interesting to read because Mate's ideas and opinions are expressed openly, when in truth that may be the only place she could have done that. Now that the girls are going through college and meeting their husbands things are really starting to pick up. Also, I can really tell which of the sisters really are devoted to the underground system, for example, Dede is too worried about her marriage to have anything to do with the Mariposas. But then there is Minerva who is willing to let her children live with her sister so she can pursue her dreams for fighting for her country. I think there is somewhat of a connection between this book and the book read the first half of quarter 4. They are going on about the same time, but in different countries. In The Secret Life of Bee's Rosaleen, Lily's maid is discriminated against because of the color of her skin, so pretty much she is an innocent person who is not treated right. Like in the Mariposas, the girls close friends and family get persecuted because they know or are related to the Mirabel sisters. So there is unfair discrimination in both of these books.

Quarter 4 Blog 4

IN THE TIME OF THE BUTTERFLIES
So far in In the Time of the Butterflies, by Julia Alverez, the four Mirabel sisters' early life has been introduced. I have already learned about the Mirabel sisters, so with taking my known information and applying it to what I have been reading I can see the different characteristics in the girls that eventually will push them in doing what they believe in and being such strong willed people. For example, as Minerva is going through nun school she is starting to rebel and become friends with people who do not like their current government, Minerva shows characteristics of being a very strong willed and out spoken young women and these attributes will be shown out more in her later life. I think that having the girls go to school is a very good thing, this way they will be able to get a good education and have many job opportunities later on in life. I think that their intelligence is really shown through their ability to speak what they think is right, with the right people of course, but early on in the book their strong will is very present.

Quarter 4 Blog 3

I finished the book, and in the end Lily finally did bring up her mother to August, and it turns out that August and her sisters knew Debrah and they were very close with her. August also told Lily that from when she got there she knew that Lily was related to Debrah because she looked like her and she acted like her. After Lily came out with the truth to August and the sisters Lilys father T. Ray came and found them there. He demanded that Lily came back to thier home with him, but Lily refused. Sheked her new life better, she could relate to the sisters and she did not like T. Ray because he would abuse her. I think that Lily did the right thing by coming out with the truth to August, and I think it is really sad that her father abuses her and I think that it would be better for her not to live with him, so good thing that he finally did leave her there to live with them. I think that Lily had better positive influenced living with August and her sisters and Lily was fine also because Rosaleen was there too. I really enjoied this book because it somewhat put things in perspective for me. Hearing both sides of the predujeice againist the african americans back then. I also liked this book because it showed that if you believe in something and want it to happen it can if you put your mind to it.

Quarter 4 Blog 2

Now that Lily and Rosaleen 'ran' away from Sylvan they are on their way to Tiburn. They spent the night sleeping by a creek but they are determined to make it to this city so they can find out more information about Lily's mother, Deborah. Lily found some of her mothers things and there was a picture of an African American virgin Mary and it said Tiburn, South Carolina on the back and so Lily wants to find out what that picture is all about. So while in Tiburn they meet August, May and June. These sisters have a bee keeping business and they let Rosaleen and Lily stay with them if they work. I think that August, May and June are really nice to let Lily and Rosaleen stay with them. They probably want to protect a little white girl and her African American maid. I feel like they have a connection with Lily and Rosaleen somehow. Lily and Rosaleen made up a story as to why they were in Tiburn, Lily was scared to bring up her mother right away but she was going to August about her when the time is right. I think this book is a great example about the prejudice that when on back in the 60's against African Americans. And I think that back then the African Americans somewhat looked out for each other, and in this case they were looking out for Lily as well.

Quarter 4, Blog # 1

The book I am reading for quarter 4 outside reading is The Secret Life of Bee's, by Sue Monk Kidd. So far I have read to page 100. The book so far is about a girl who is 13 years old named Lily Owens who is growing up on a farm in South Carolina without a mother. Her mother died when she was very young, so she is living with her father, T. Ray and Rosaleen thier maid. Lily really does not like her father, beacuse he is mean to her and makes her do lots of chores. Lily also has problems making and keeping friends so she does not like the social aspect of school but she loves learning at school, she especially like reading and writing. Where I am in the book Lily and Rosaleen have 'ran' away from their farm in Sylvan, South Carolina. I think that Lily and Rosaleen did the right thing by leaving that farm because T. Ray did not treat them with respect, and Rosaleen is an african american, who also did not recieve respect from people in the town. Right before they left for Tiburn, Lily broke Rosaleen out of jail. But so far I think that Lily did something that was risky but I can see where she is coming from.

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