Minerva - Get Up, Stand Up

Minerva is a strong feminist who never gives up fighting for what she believes in. Minerva takes huge risks by going against the normal beliefs of the Dominican government and the Catholic Church.

I was surprised when Minerva told Maria Theresa (in chapter 3) where she really was when she was skipping class. Maria Theresa wrote in her diary, "It turns out she (Minerva) and Elsa and Lourdes and Sinita have been going to some secret meetings over at Don Horacio's house...I asked Minerva why she was doing such a dangerous thing. And then, she said the strangest thing. She wanted me to grow up in a free country" (39). I was surprised by this passage because it's the introduction of Minerva's excessive pride of fighting against the government for her rights as a human and as a girl.

Bob Marley's song Get Up, Stand Up reminds me of Minerva because of the repeated line in the chorus that encourages fighting for your rights: "Get Up stand Up: Stand Up for your Rights!" Minerva sees the many problems with the Dominican Republic. Minerva wants to stand up for her inalienable rights as a human, not as a typical woman. This song also reminds me of Minerva's fading belief in the Catholic Church: “Preacherman, don't tell me / Heaven is under the earth / I know you don't know / What life is really worth / It's not all that glitters is gold / 'Alf the story has never been told / So now you see the light, eh / Stand up for your rights. Come on!” From this verse of the song you see Bob Marley's disbelief of the Catholic Church just like Minerva doesn't believe in the Catholic Church.