Patria Losing, then Gaining Back Her Religion

For todays reading Patria's section of the book really stuck out to me, because I feel like everything came full circle for the reader in terms of Patria's faith. In the beginning of the novel on page 7, when Dede is talking about her sister to the reporter she says that her religion was so important to her and when the interviewer questioned that statement Dede said "Always...Well almost always". This statement was forshadowing what we see later in the novel especially in the readings for today. Patria had a lapse in faith after her baby passed. However, at the end of the section we see her regain her religion specifically in the Virgin Mary. We talked about this in class last week about how she shifted from a patriarchal stand point of religion to a matriarchal stand point. I think of this as somewhat radical because if one is religious it goes against our stereotypical views. In this chapter we see Patria become very radical by using her religion to fight the regime with her two sisters. She helps start an underground revolution within her church called Accion Clero-Cultural (Clergy-Cultural Action) (164). Patria said they would spread the word that they were "all brothers and sisters in Christ" and that basically if they allowed this to conitune their chances of entering heaven would be very slim.  While Patria was physically fighting against the regime with the ACC she was also fighting Trujillo in another way, through prayer.  Patria starts praying to the portrait of El Jefe in their house and starts a mini shrine under it because she wanted her family to come home and the only way she thought she could do it was through prayer. This was also forshadowed early on in the book on page 53 when she said that the pciture of Trujillo and Christ blended together. It's not until the end of the section on page 217 that we see her prayers work a little. When she goes to visit General Pena she starts praying in front of him and finally (whether it was divine grace or just his annoyance) he picks up the phone and calls to make arrangments. While nothing happens right away you can tell that Patria still has hope that something good will happen.

I think it is very interesting how Alvarez incorporates religion into the novel. Every sister seems to have their own story of losing their religion around the same time they found out about the horros happening in the Trujillo regime. It's also interesting how Patria seems to keep her religion through it all and uses it as a way to manipulate the government.