how does minerva change over the course of the novel? what causes her to change?

Life causes her to change. She begins with opportunity (the opportunity to go to law school), and finishes that forbidden to pratice that law. She is then sent to jail, where she is treated beyond badly, but then refuses to share her story. The deeper Minerva gets into the revolution the harder it becomes; she has two children. She changes for many reasons, but I will say the beginning of the change definitely came when Trujillo denied her license to practice law.

Minerva has trouble adjusting to all the freedom and stimuli at Moma's house. Minerva survives by putting on "that hardest of all performances, being my old self again," though she feels frail. Minerva still refuses to write a thank you letter for her release.