In the book, "In the time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez, examples of oppression takes place within the Mirabal sister's lives. Censorship, search and seizure, and fear of life and liberty are three examples of such oppression. Censorship prevented the citizens to express their feelings and opinions about their political system. The regime of the Dominican Republic tried very hard to keep the people from speaking their minds or from disobeying its dictator. For instance, Patria, who was a religiously devoted individual tried to convince Minerva, her younger sister, to attend church, but Minerva told her that a friend...
for rebelling against the regime. Minerva, learned from then on that her life was at risk if she chose to act upon her liberty.

The Mirabal sisters were active opponents of the dictatorship of Trujillo. The examples illustrate the oppressive power of the regime intimidating specific lives and the tyranny behind it. Trujillo's rule manifested in the hearts of the Dominicans and he influenced their every day living. Just as Sinita feared her life, and was censored against her own will, she learned that someone would have to be "stupid enough to say anything bad about the government" 10.