ITB motif

Darkness and light

Symbolizes hope vs. fear. The Mirabal sisters often anticipate safety (“lighted house around the bend”) amid political danger.

Moths

Represent people drawn to power or danger, blinded by it. Peña and Dede are compared to moths, showing temptation or vulnerability.

Butterfly

Symbol of freedom, transformation, and the Mirabal sisters themselves (“Las Mariposas”).

Dede’s gardening

Pruning flowers symbolizes letting go of the past, nurturing growth, and maintaining life despite loss.

Burial

Represents loss, memory, and sacrifice: Patria’s baby, Mate’s diary, the sisters’ deaths, and military weapons all connect to death and legacy.

Pearls

Symbolize innocence and purity. Patria’s “pearl of great price” represents spiritual and moral value.

Flowers/blossoms

Symbolize beauty, remembrance, and respect; flowers are thrown on the sisters’ coffins.

Storms/rain

Symbolize danger, chaos, and suffering: hurricanes, the eye of the storm, and events like the Discovery Day dance.

Memories

Characters replay memories to preserve the past and find comfort in dangerous times.

Truth/rumors

Represents censorship, manipulation, and secrecy: Mate in prison, torn pages in diaries, and gossip reflect the distortion of reality under Trujillo.

Physical reactions to truth

Shows the emotional and physical toll of oppression. Example: Mate’s asthma worsens when facing injustice.

Spirits

Dede senses the presence of her deceased sisters in the epilogue, symbolizing memory, legacy, and ongoing influence.

Counting stars/lists

Represents control, organization, and order amid political chaos. Characters like Mate use lists to cope with uncertainty.

Feeling trapped / trapped animals

Symbolizes confinement and oppression. Example: Caged bunnies reflect Minerva’s feeling of being trapped under Trujillo’s regime.

Houses

Represent security, home, and vulnerability: the motherhouse is safe, while rock and sand houses symbolize impermanence and fragility.

Hammer and nail

Symbolizes oppression and forced labor. Lisa’s and Trujillo’s work is connected to control and power.

Mountains

Represent hiding, secrecy, and challenges; the sisters use mountains to plan and escape danger.

Dreams

Reflect fears, guilt, and unresolved trauma. Example: Mate dreams of her father in the coffin, confronting death and family ties.

Marriage

Symbolizes social expectations, personal compromise, and political alliances.

Corner of eyes

Watching secretly; symbolizes fear, caution, and hidden truths.

Performances

Represent public vs. private identity. Example: Minerva “performs” her old self to mask fear and conform to expectations.

Coming of age

Menstruation and exposure to political truth signal maturity and transition to adulthood.

Sacrificial lamb

Patria sacrifices her safety and comfort for her son’s release from prison, symbolizing selflessness.

Threes/resurrection

Religious symbolism of renewal and hope; “on the third day he rose again.”

Survivor’s guilt

Dede struggles with keeping her sisters’ memory alive and accepting that she survived when they did not.

Fear of cars

Dede is scared of cars in the first chapter; symbolizes vulnerability and lingering trauma.