Critique Paper

A heartbreaking short story entitled "Dead Stars" by Paz Marquez Benitez published in
the Philippine Herald in 1925. It talks about love, choices, and regrets. This is the first story in
the Philippine that is written in Modern English language. The story wandered in views of love
and how does really a person know that the choice we choose is the choice we want. This
story presents the first point of view of a man named Alfredo Salazar. The author emphasizes
how love can be deep that it bruises the soul can also be shallow that it eventually fades.
Alfredo Salazar is a remarkably handsome and composed child of Don Julian and the
brother of Carmen. He only had one relationship and that also became his fiancé. She is
Esperanza, an elegant lady, and above-average woman. Alfredo was walled in their
engagement. However, things get worse when he met Julia Salas. On a peaceful day, when he
comes with Don to visit Judge Del Valle's house, he met Julia Salas. Alfredo was amused when
he first met Julia as she radiates positive vibes, such a lively person, and has a charm. Every
Sunday morning, Alfredo visits, and every time this happens, he would end up chatting with
Julia. That friendship and feelings got deeper and deeper. The feeling of happiness fades
when the real problem comes. Julia Salas will leave and his marriage with Esperanza is coming.
He hopes and dreams that Julia is her wife, that will bring him home he needed, but then that
dream and hope will remain like that until it died like a star. As 8 years passed by, he becomes
what he had to do. A husband of Esperanza, he was not unhappy but he sorrows. He wonders
all the time what will it feel like to be married to Julia, he could never forget her. Until they
met again, he felt different or because the situation is different.
What I like about this story is that the author creates an imperfect main character,
because his mistakes can be avoided for audience. That love isn’t the same as infatuation. It
isn’t something that we should consider deep to even marry someone when it will eventually
fade because we grew tired and changed. Alfredo's character taught me not to get carried
away so easily by our feelings. Nevertheless, I don’t like the fact that Julia never said her
feeling if ever she had. A person complicates things, if ever I was in the shoes of Alfredo I
would probably ask if Julia has a feeling for me, or even she cared for me. Maybe that fact
would have been changed my decision.
Overall, the story has an interesting plot. The story gives the audience a sad feeling
because of what happened. I highly recommend this to someone because I want them to
know what this story gives me. A story that showed two types of love, a love that lasts and
love that fades like how Alfredo's love for Esperanza fades and his love for Julia lasts.