"Life is a verb."

I recently began Herland, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I am only about thirty pages into it but I can tell already that I will not have a problem getting through it. I like the idea of a civilization run by women, not that I would like to be a part of one, but because it is unexpected. So far, much of the novel has been the three main characters stating that no, this could not be a real civilization without men. ...Why not? I'm curious to see how the truth of this "Herland" surfaces and what the men discover.
While looking at some background information on the book and feminist author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I found a lot of quotes by her that I liked. "Life is a verb" struck me because in so few words, she has said so much. At this point, I do not know enough about the book or her style of writing to relate the quote to directly, but it can be applied to almost any situation. I think this quote is the ultimate way to live life. We have to LIVE it, not watch it go by or wait for something to happen, but take it upon ourselves to make it happen. So far, I can say that the women of Herland have done exactly this. While I do not know much about them, I do know that whatever they are doing is working if they have created their own functioning society. They have gone beyond wishing, hoping, and planning and created something magical. I came across a woman named Patti Digh's blog that I found really moving; it is called 37days. This blog is based on the last 37 days of this woman's father's life and how it should be a life lesson for each and every one of us to basically, consider life to be a verb. "Why 37 days? At some point in your life, you’ll only have thirty-seven days to live. Maybe that day is today. Maybe not. If you're stopping by for the first time, this post will give you insight into what this is all about," (Digh 2007). She also promotes her upcoming novel, LIFE IS A VERB: 37 Days To Wake Up, Be Mindful, and Live Intentionally. I think this is a piece of advice we could all benefit from. =)

The Inner Strength of "Phenomenal Women"

Although I'm having a difficult time getting through In The Time of The Butterflies, there is one thing that keeps jumping out at me: the unwavering strength of the Mirabel women. I think the reason I am not that interested in the novel is because I am having a hard time relating to the unbelievably restrictions and dictatorship in which the characters are living under. However, the strength of the girls and their mother still has the ability to amaze me.
The Mirabel family is "run," if you will, by a father who is very set in his ways, a typical trait I would say. But the family took a turn for the worst when one of the daughters, Minerva, knew better than to believe that her dear old dad was simply "away on business." Minerva followed him one day only to find out that she and her sisters were not the only ones to call this man their father. It was of course a shocking, heart-breaking realization but over an understandable amount of time, the girls proved their maturity. After a blow to the face by the man she once adored, Minerva's face throbbed as he looked at her and said "That's to remind you that you owe your father some respect!" She replied, "I don't owe you a thing. You've lost my respect," (Alvarez 89). The following passage perfectly describes the priorities of the Mirabel family and while I have trouble understanding the history aspect of the novel, it is their values that are crystal clear. "I saw his shoulders droop. I heard him sigh. Right then and there, it hit me harder than his slap: I was much stronger than Papa, Mama was much stronger. He was the weakest one of all. It was he who would have the hardest time living with the shabby choices he'd made. He needed our love," (Alvarez 89).
The women of this novel live day to day with the scars of broken families, miscarraiges, disappointments, and being viewed as "pieces of meat" as opposed to the Phenomenal Women that they are are. The previous link will bring you to a Maya Angelou poem, one that says everything golden about the Mirabel sisters and more.

Picking Up Speed

I'm about one hundred pages into In The Time Of The Butterflies and I'm happy to say it's beginning to come around. I had trouble getting into the novel at first but the more I read, the more I like it. While the different narrations could be confusing at times, I like how it keeps the reader on his toes. It switches between all of four of the Mirabel sisters' perspectives and also journal entries; I find this to be interesting, for it offers a good change of pace. Thus far I have learned a lot about the struggles of the time period including the brewing rebellion against the oppressive Dominican dictator, Rafael Trujillo, and how each of the girls,(Dede, Patria, Minerva, and Maria Teresa), deal with the fiery contempt within. Author Julia Alvarez is careful not to dwell on the seriousness of matters as she takes a significant amount of time focusing on the pure joys of life: love, laughter, and family. Alvarez uses In The Time of The Butterflies to speak of the harsh reality of the time and I know it just a matter of time before her important message is revealed; I'm curious to see how this flashback-styled book unfolds itself into something even greater as I continue reading.