Rhetorical Devices

The Book "In The Time Of The Butterflies" there are all sorts of rhetorical devices in every chapter. One Rhetorical Device that seems to be important through out the book is anaphora and Parallelism. The are both alike but different in many ways. Julia Alvarez uses both very well and portrays both in a good or bad way. For example, when she used anaphora, "over and over again, I saw the SIM approaching, I saw Nelson and Pedrito hurrying out the back way, Noris's stricken face"(Alvarez 201). Alvarez uses this piece of anaphora because she wanted to show what the SIM did and the things that Patria saw. The author wanted to emphasize "I saw" because she wanted to showthat what Patria saw was more important than the other things. Patria watching nelson and pedrito trying to run away was more important than Noris getting stricken because Nelson and Pedrito got arrested and taken away and Noris didn't. This was helpful to the theme Alvarez was trying to provide. That people do things to get out of trouble.

Change/Transformation

Patria Changes in chapter 8, and it seems to be a very influential change for the book. she changes because she went from being a religious girl to being part of a revolution. Patria changed because of what happened at her church retreat, when the little boy was shot. Patria liked the boy a lot because he reminded her of her kid, and she called him son, "get down, son! get down..." (Alvarez 162). As the little boy died, Patria had an Epiphany and she knew what she was going to do. Patria was going to join the Revolution. As in Patrias words "im not going to sit down and watch babies die, Lord, even if that's what you in your wisdom decides." (Alvarez 162). Patria changing helps figure out the theme because people can change for little reason that are a big issue. This means that little things can change ones mind and make a big cause.




Patria Going through her change!!!!

Figurative Language

In the book In the Time of the butterflies there is many varieties of figurative language. For example in chapter 6, there is figurative language that caught my attention. as Julia Alvarez quoted, "......I can see my hand in an endless slow motion rise- a mind of its own- and come down on the astonished, made up face. This Figurative Language is Personification, and its showing that Minerva's Hand is supposedly having a mind when she slaps Trujillo. This helps reveal one theme in the book. It helps reveal the theme about gender roles and power. Its showed that just because Trujillo has power it doesn't mean that people wont stand up to him. Minerva didn't like how she was getting treated so she slapped Trujillo. This Personification was a good help for the theme.




When Minerva Slapped Trujillo!!!!!!!

conflict

In The book "In The Time Of The Butterflies" so far there there are different conflicts both internal and external. One internal conflict that occurs in the book was when Patria was having fear of her sister Minerva. Patria is scared for her sister because Minerva speaks out loud about Trujillo. Minerva knows that Trujillo has ears everywhere but she doesn't care, she has her own opinion and speaks the truth, and this makes patria scared for her sister. One External Conflict that happened was in the party that Minerva was at when she was asked to dance with Trujillo. Trujillo was aggressive and Minerva didn't like that and Minerva slapped Trujillo, "I can see my hand in an endless slow motion rise- a mind all its own-and come down on the astonished, made up face(Alvarez #100). Alvarez showed many Conflicts and gave good details of the conflicts. 



                                                         When Minerva Slaps Trujillo!!