Forced Love

The relationship between Ashima and Ashoke is overwhelmingly interesting considering that they are two people with no real connections living with each other in a foreign country.  Ashoke has the better end of this because he got to chose his woman and has been to America before, but Ashima is almost ripped from her day to day life with another man in another world.  Ashoke and Ashima portray that even though love isn't there initially, it can be found.  Their relationship has lasted through the beginning of their journey in America, and whether it lasts in the future is entirely up to their character.    

The Importance of Culture

When moving to a new country, it is especially difficult to maintain past culture in a society that is so different.  This struggle is noticed, but one might ask himself why.  Why would one want to maintain his cultures, customs, and beliefs? I almost sounds like a dumb question,  but this topic needs consideration considering wars have started because people have not wanted to change their culture.   It could be a mixture of reasons of why someone might maintain their culture like for comfort, routine, family, or purpose.  In many ways those are the reasons for why people protect their culture.   Though, on a deeper level of thinking, there is an interesting  view to why we hold culture so dear.  To be oneself is something that many people strive for; to realize that trying to fit in only allows one to disappear with the average.  To know oneself is to be able to form independent opinions and to have developed likes and dislikes.  Our culture is apart of us that we contently know, and is held as a framework to our individuality.  One's culture is his baseline, apart of him to fall back on when he sees a stranger in the mirror.  To stay true to a culture in a new country is especially impressive.  Some might wear their culture in a way that is described as a "this is who I am, even though all of you are different" look.   One's culture is vital to knowing himself and stands strong when he stands weak.

Why is Ashima so sad?

Being able to relate to Ashima is tough when trying to understand what she is going through.  Even if one has had to live in a different country each experience is completely different making the feelings Ashima is experiencing quite hard to comprehend.  Even Ashoke cannot understand why she feels so glum sometimes.  Although, what seems most evident in the book is that she misses her family dearly.  The culture shock from Bengali to America must be very acute considering that she is a female.  Ashoke, a male, would have gone work if he still lived in Bengali, which is not any different from what he does now. Ashima, a female, would typically be surrounded by her family working at home.  Not only in America is she away from her family, but the American lifestyle is not nearly as familial.  The elimination of her family and this loss of community is the prominent reason why she is so sad. One particular event that supports this is when Ashima could not stop thinking of her family and how she is missing the equivalent of christmas back home.  She is shopping thinking of everyone she cares of to get them gifts.  After she had put so much effort into her odd gifts for her family and endured a crowded train ride home, she realizes that she left all of her gifts on the train.  She breaks into tears before the public so sad that she wont be able to get gifts for her family she misses so.  When she then finds that no one had stolen her gifts and receives 100% of them back, she establishes her first connection with her city.  This connection was formed because someone saving her bags for her is something only her family would do in Bengali.  This first connection is the start of her settlement into her new world, a sense of community that has long been forgotten.

Names

Although it is so easy to judge someone based on his name, does it really define him?  I say no.  Our names may tell us where we are from, but our names have no such influence on our personalities.  A name doesn't define a person, a person defines his name. For example, lets imagine a hypothetical person named Mark.   When people say: you don't look like a Mark, or: the name Mark suits you, there is no ultimate definition of how all Marks should act or look like which they relate to.  In reality, these people are just relating Mark to other people they know also with the name Mark.  They are basing someone off the personalities of others with the same name, because those others didn't only define their name for themselves, but for other people as well.   Names are not some final ultimatum, that define who one is and who he will ever be.   Never forget that the way people remember one's name is how he defines it, and it is up to him to decide how he will do so.

Compare and Contrast Dede and Minerva. How are they alike? How are they different?

             Some might say that Dede and Minerva are at complete opposite ends of a spectrum considering their personalities, but they can also be considered alike as well.  Minerva and Dede are alike because they both stand up for what they most prominently believe in.

             Dede believes in the direct protection of her family and loved ones.  She does things that protect her family and avoid situations that might put herself and others in danger.  For example: Dede burned the letter that had potential of putting minerva in serious trouble.  Also she did not join with her sisters to rebel because she had  her protection in mind (considering any rebels in her town were killed).  It is also true that she did not join with her sisters largely to the fact that her husband, Jamito, was against Dede putting herself in danger.  Dede wanted to protect Jamito from hurting emotionally by not agreeing to rebel with her sisters.


             Minerva believes in the indirect protection of not only her family, but everyone on the island.  She stood up against Trujillo and rebeled with her sister for the betterment of society for the future.  She thought less of herself and the danger to her and thought more of the people and the things they deserved.  Her rebellions started an uprising against Trujillo, and she influenced the locals to fight back which eventually led to the assassination of Trujillo.

            Overall both girls have their differences, but in the deepest parts of each other's personalities, one word rings clear: Mirabal.

Why is fact over fiction important to the In the Time of the Butterflies and why did Avarez choose not to add more fiction to make the book more interesting?

   The overall truth of the novel gave the writing so much more value because when the reader puts him/herself in the shoes of the protagonist, they are experiencing a story that is actually real.  It is so much more valuable than adding more fiction to make it more interesting because it actually happened and it gives the reader such a deep connection with the characters because there is no doubt in fact.  If the author decided to make the story less based on how accurate it was, the reader would have less immersion into the novel because doubt still remains.  Expecially to the people of the Dominican Republic, the story would have contradictions to what they remember when Trujillo was is rein.  It is almost an insult to the people of the island because the book would by lying about what really happened there.   Avarez referenced it as a web.  Her web would trap her readers in her immediate accuracy in the novel so there is complete immersion into the novel.  It is also personally gratifying to the reader to know that this thrilling novel actually has truth behind it, and that it is not only an interesting story, it's history (to an extent) . In conclusion, the truth of the novel is vital to its success because of its immersion and relation to the people of the Dominican Republic.  Overall the extra mile taken for accuracy was completely, utterly worth it.