In the Time of the Butterflies Lesson Plan

Why are Mamá and Dedé nervous for the safety of the other three sisters going to visit the men? What makes their concern both legitimate and foreboding?

Mamá and Dedé (but especially Dedé) become increasingly concerned with the sisters' trips to visit the men in prison. Although they trust the safety of their driver, Rufino, Dedé tells them, "you're exposing yourselves to an accident by going down all together...that's what you're doing" (265). It seems that political opponents of Trujillo have been the victims of an increasingly large number of "accidents" in recent months--"We all knew what kind of accident she meant. Just a...