Development Unit: In the Time of the Butterflies
How does one exhibit bravery in the face of extreme danger? What does it mean to fight for what you believe in? In this unit, we will consider the question What makes a revolutionary? by exploring the Dominican Republic under the Trujillo regime. To do this, we will read Julia Alvarez’s historical fiction novel In the Time of the Butterflies, examine relevant informational material, and view a documentary film to supplement background knowledge. We will develop skills for closely analyzing the use and function of literary, rhetorical, and stylistic elements within multiple genres. To demonstrate our understanding of In the Time of the Butterflies, we will construct a literary analysis essay that analyzes the novel through the perspective of a single literary criticism lens.