Homeland, from The Time of Butterflies by Julia Álvarez, juxtaposes devastating acts of courage with moments of uncertain fragility. He lives in a time when his country is ruled by the strictest leader, Raphael Trujillo. After taking power, Trujillo established a secret police force that tortured and killed opponents of his government. The Mirabel sisters manage to defeat the regime of one of the cruelest dictators in history thanks to their determination. Patria in particular indicates that she is mentally and morally prepared to overcome adversity. As the eldest of the Mirabel sisters, she uses her experience and religious beliefs to help her survive. Throughout the journey, Patria depends on various characters to help her overcome the challenges she faces. Although Patria encounters moments of weakness, she shows the strength of her character by persevering to the end. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Patria displays her first example of courage when she shows concern for her sister Minerva. Minerva speaks out against the government because she has lost her religious faith. Worrying about Minerva, Patria begins to question her faith. His confession comes as a shock. He describes it like this: “[…] I admit, Minerva's speeches had begun to influence me. I began to notice the insensitivity in Father Ignacio's voice, the tedium between the Gospel and communion [...] My faith was changing and I was afraid" (Álvarez 52). Patria feels confused and questions her religious beliefs because she realizes that it may not be a necessity for her life. Patria almost gives up her faith, but then realizes that it is an essential part of her life. He doesn't want to give up his religion because he's afraid; he never lived like a secular person. Ultimately, she maintains her religious faith due to her husband's grief. Patria puts aside her own suffering to free him from his and, in doing so, realizes that religion is part of her. Patria's mini-epiphany demonstrates that Patria not only cares immensely about her husband to put his needs before her own, but also has the courage to push through, even in the most difficult circumstances. Furthermore, while listening to Brother Daniele talk about the Assumption, the mountain is bombed and chaos immediately breaks out. Patria reveals how drastically the accident affected her when she says: “Coming down that mountain, I was a changed woman. I may have had the same sweet face, but now I carried not only my son but also that dead boy” (162). Trujillo's men bomb the mountain and Patria watches an innocent boy die, scarring her memory. After his death, Patria struggles to reconcile her commitment to God and begins to question her identity and morality. While this incident scars Patria for the rest of his life, it also strengthens his shattered morale. He is now able to tolerate more than he could before. In response to the bombing, Patria vows to aid in the resistance against Trujillo and his men, a promise he bravely keeps. Patria uses religion to cope with the loss of her family. She also uses it to help her believe that one day Trujillo will be no more and her family will be able to live in peace: “Maybe because I was used to the Good Shepherd and Trujillo side by side in the old house, I caught myself praying a little goodbye while I passed […] I wanted something from him, and prayer was the only way I knew how to ask” (202). The theme of Trujillo being compared to Jesus is important to Homeland in this chapter. She relies on praying to him because she desperately wants her family's return from Trujillo. His religious faith.