Part III: Chapter 9-12
Chapter 9
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
This chapter 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.
Chapter 11
Written by Maria Teresa in a notebook smuggled in by one of the guards, she writes about Minerva and her experiences in prison. Many of the women are interrogated by the guards, especially Minerva and Sina. Another thing that happens in the prison is the Crucifix Plot. In order to display solidarity, all the prisoners secretly wear crucifixes and sing. Because of the suspicion about the Catholic Church rebelling, the guards force the crucifixes off them. Maria Teresa is also taken out of prison and tortured in front of Leandro in order to make him give in to doing something not specified in the book.
Chapter 12
This chapter focuses on Minerva and her life after getting out of prison. After writing a letter to Trujillo, she and her sisters are able to visit their husbands in prison. Also 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. She searches for people who are still involved in the revolution, and she also learns that Trujillo sees her and her sisters as a big problem in his plan. In the last part of her story, Minerva talks about her prison visit and how they
Key Questions:
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
This chapter 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.
Chapter 11
Written by Maria Teresa in a notebook smuggled in by one of the guards, she writes about Minerva and her experiences in prison. Many of the women are interrogated by the guards, especially Minerva and Sina. Another thing that happens in the prison is the Crucifix Plot. In order to display solidarity, all the prisoners secretly wear crucifixes and sing. Because of the suspicion about the Catholic Church rebelling, the guards force the crucifixes off them. Maria Teresa is also taken out of prison and tortured in front of Leandro in order to make him give in to doing something not specified in the book.
Chapter 12
This chapter focuses on Minerva and her life after getting out of prison. After writing a letter to Trujillo, she and her sisters are able to visit their husbands in prison. Also 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. She searches for people who are still involved in the revolution, and she also learns that Trujillo sees her and her sisters as a big problem in his plan. In the last part of her story, Minerva talks about her prison visit and how they
Key Questions:
- How does Dede, the only Mirabal sister who does not participate in the revolution movement, participate in a way? How does this affect the story plot and the relationships between the characters?
- In chapter 10, Dede confesses to Partia that even though her relationship with Jamito is fine, he would be happier with someone else. Do you agree?
- In these chapters, several characters are arrested and put into jail. How do you think this would affect the story plot later on?
