ESSAY QUESTIONS: DEAD STARS

Kaori Alday
Gr.12 Gardner

DIRECTIONS: Answer the following questions below. Write your answers in bulleted form.

Discuss the character of Alfredo. What characteristics or attributes does he possess?

• He is a lawyer and a man who is torn between two women: his wife Esperanza and Julia Salas.
His affluent father, Don Julian, accompanies him to Judge Del Valle's court appearances.
Alfredo first meets Julia here. Under the threat of social and public shame, he chooses to go
ahead with the marriage to Esperanza. He, on the other hand, clings to the idea of Julia's
unfulfilled destiny, which strains her marriage to his wife. They live happily ever after, yet
never achieve the potential of a happy marriage. On the other hand, he discovers his lack of
understanding of love and infatuation later in life and regrets his indifference to the woman he
loved first and still has in his life.

Discuss the character of Esperanza. What characteristics or attributes does she possess?

• She is a stunningly beautiful, charming, and witty woman. She looks after her home and
family. She, on the other hand, is consumed by a desire for material wealth and a good name.
Alfredo woos her vigorously, and she marries him. Even after learning of his affair with Julia,
she marries him. She is a woman who knows how to look after herself and emanates a self-
assured demeanor. Even though they get along well, their marriage never had the same ring to
it as Alfredo's affection for her throughout their courting. She is a person of unquestionable
moral character who scrupulously fulfills her marriage vows and responsibilities. She, on the
other hand, does not believe in true love or the romanticization of such feelings.

Discuss the character of Julia. What do you think made Alfredo fall in love with her despite being
committed to someone else?

• She is the other woman in Alfredo Salazar's life. She is a thoughtful, attractive, and charming
woman who is capable of chatting on a wide range of topics. She is the polar opposite of
Alfredo, being energetic, intriguing, and lively. This could be one of the reasons he is drawn to
her. She meets Alfredo when he pays a visit to her brother-in-law (a Judge), where she is
 staying. She never actually loved Alfredo, as seen by her apathy toward him when he pays her
a visit near the end of the novel. Despite this, she never marries and lives as a spinster.

The story was all about a love triangle wherein Alfredo must choose between Esperanza and Julia. But
is the conflict in the story just merely about love? Or does it border on other themes? Explain your
answer.

• For me, it's not simply love that we see in the story; it has a deeper significance if we look at it
from another perspective. Marriage is a sacramental event that is significant to both parties. It
also alludes to how big the globe is in terms of seeing your happiness.

What do you think happened to Julia by the end of the story? It was noted that she had seemed aloof
and cold, seemingly impassionate. What made her become so different from the woman she once was?

• He is obliged to fantasize about a life with her instead of Esperanza because she is still
unmarried. But he quickly realizes that something isn't quite right. Julia has altered and appears
to have lost something. She is a different woman, whether it is because of her beauty, wit,
charm, or even passion. Because she already knows the truth and has learnt from it, she is cold
and aloof, and she no longer extends the same warmth and affection to him.

Explain the title of the story, “Dead Stars”.

• Because the love between Julia and Alfredo looked genuine, the story is titled "Dead Stars." –
hails from a prestigious and successful family. A dream for something that does not exist is
symbolized by dead stars. A female captured the guy's heart. She had always been his fantasy,
his shining star. The guy's love for the female is akin to a dying star, whose light can be seen
for years after they've passed away.