From the secret government agent who thwarts the plans of dastardly supervillains to Prince Charming who saves Disney princesses, courage conjures up many spectacular images in the minds of people. Yet courage also appears in more subtle forms — the resident nerd awkwardly asking for a crush on Prom, the demeaned girl holding her head high amid gossip, or the concerned citizen stopping to fix a broken down vehicle on the roadside. As a former resident of the Dominican Republic during the Trujillo regime, Julia Alvarez understands these different types of courage, and this knowledge permeates the pages of her book, In the Time of Butterflies. Published in 1994, Alvarez's book explores the concept of courage by taking the reader on a captivating journey through the minds of Maria Teresa, Patria and Dede. Each character expresses different types of courage; Maria Teresa demonstrates courage through her ability to maintain self-discipline during times of desolation, Patria demonstrates courage through her ability to reconcile her religious beliefs with those of the revolution, and Dede illustrates courage through her willingness to care for his extended family and to keep the legend of Mirabal alive. Maria Teresa's ability to remain calm and collected despite the sadness around her demonstrates true courage. At the beginning of the novel, Maria Teresa appears innocent and naive, always writing in her diary about nonsensical topics such as "those new patent leather shoes... [and] Minerva giving up swimming in our lagoon [and a pretty costume] in exchange for help divine to become a lawyer” (Alvarez 35). As the novel progresses, Maria Teresa still writes in her diary, but now she must face the horrors of Trujillo's regime with resolve and strength...... middle of paper ...... in 1994 , Alvarez's novel In the Time of Butterflies delves deeper into the concept of courage by analyzing the thoughts of Maria Teresa, Patria, and Dede. Each sister demonstrates a different type of courage: Maria Teresa demonstrates self-discipline in the face of adversity, Patria struggles head-on with her religious doubts, and Dede perpetuates the legend of Mirabal. Yet you don't have to travel back in time to the Dominican Republic under Trujillo's regime to become brave. After all, courage begins at home, and the small, courageous actions of millions of people who freely express their opinions can be more effective than the martyrdom of a single person. Works Cited Alvarez, Julia. In the time of butterflies. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books, 1994. Print. Overy, Richard. “The Blitz.” and History of the Second World War. Internet. March 19, 2014. The New King James Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982. Print.