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!!!!