by Paz Marquez Benitez

ANGELICA P. JOVEN
Subject Teacher
 QUESTION:
Who among you have been in a
relationship? or is currently in a
relationship?
 QUESTION:
What difficulties have you
encountered in your relationship?
 QUESTION:
Have you experienced break-up with
someone you love? If so, what was
the cause of it?
 PAZ MARQUEZ BENITEZ
Born to a prominent family in Quezon province, she
is one of the first generations of Filipinos trained
under the American educational system. After
graduating, she pursued teaching at her alma mater,
the University of the Philippines. She served as an
admired and exceptional mentor in the English
department from 1916 to 1951. She is a strong
supporter of women's rights and education above all
else.
Guiral, A. N. (2023). Paz Márquez-Benítez: the woman whose words led to a literary
breakthrough. Tatler Asia. https://www.tatlerasia.com/lifestyle/arts/paz-marquez-
benitez
PAZ MARQUEZ BENITEZ
She was a member of the first freshman class of the
University of the Philippines, graduating with a Bachelor
of Arts degree in 1912.
She taught at the University’s English department from
1916 to 1951, acquiring a reputation as an outstanding
teacher. Among her students were Loreto Paras Sulit,
Paz Latorena, Bienvenido Santos, Manuel Arguilla, S.P.
Lopez and National Artist Francisco Arcellana, who later
emphatically declared, “She was the mother of us all!”
aliww. (n.d.). http://rizal.lib.admu.edu.ph/aliww/english_pmbenitez.html
MAJOR CHARACTERS
are vital to the development and resolution of the
conflict

MINOR CHARACTERS
serve to complement the major characters and
help and move the plot events forward
CHARACTERS
Alfredo Salazar - He is the son of Don Julian, a
bachelor who is older than 30. Although he is engaged
to Esperanza, he has grown fond of Julia Salas.
Esperanza - She is Alfredo Salazar's spouse. She is a
domesticated woman who has a literal mindset and is
fervently acquisitive.
Julia Salas- She is Alfredo Salazar's other interest and
the sister-in-law of Judge Del Valle. She lives a
perpetually single life.
CHARACTERS
•Don Julian - an old man, a father of Alfredo Salazar
and Carmen.
•Carmen - sister of Alfredo Salazar.
•Judge Del Valle - brother in law of Julia Salas.
•Doña Adela - sister of Julia Salas. She is small and
plump, a pretty woman with a complexion of a baby
with a expression of a likeable cow.
CHARACTERS
•Calixta - note-carrier of Alfredo Salazar and Esperanza.
•Dionisio - husband of Donna Adella.
•Vicente - husand of Carmen.
•Brigida Samuy - She is the illusive woman that Alfredo
is looking for. She lives near the hometown of Julia and
becomes the means for a reunion with what he thought
was his lost opportunity at love and happiness.
SETTING
·Place - Geographical location. Where is the action of the story
taking place?
·Time - When is the story taking place? (historical period, time
of day, year, etc.)
·Weather Conditions - Is it rainy, sunny, stormy, etc.?
·Social Conditions -What is the daily life of the characters like?
Does the story contain local color (writing that focuses on the
speech, dress, mannerisms, customs, etc. of a particular
place)?
 SETTINGS in Dead Stars
DON JULIAN’S HOUSE
Don Julian was being questioned by Carmen about Alfredo's
wedding. Alfredo recalled that time with a mixture of wonder
and shame.

JUDGE DEL VALLE’S HOUSE

- Don Julian went to the neighbors with Alfredo. He first met
Julia Salas during this time. Don Julian was engrossed in a game
of chess with his reticent friend, the judge. He and Julia then
had a conversation outside.
SETTINGS in Dead Stars
•Don Julian's house in Tanda - where there are coconut plantations
and a beach.
CALLE LUZ- the street where Julia’s house is located.

TIME SETTING
The literary piece was written in the 1920's. The author’s writing
captures the language, social mores, and way of thinking of the period
in which the literary work was written.
LENTEN SEASON - in the story, holy week was celebrated proven by
the procession of Our Lady of Sorrows.
 PLOT PATTERNS AND TECHNIQUES
There are numerous concepts in literature which are helpful
to deepen one’s understanding and appreciation of a
fictional work.

In medias res – “in the middle of things” or “in the middle of

the action”. Aside from the classic chronological pattern,
most stories exhibit this as to how events in a story are set
and initiated.
Flashback – a technique which utilizes the inclusion of
episodes or prior events to the base time of the plot.
 PLOT PATTERNS AND TECHNIQUES
Prolepsis of flash-forward – involves the provision of a quick
look or glimpse into what may transpire in the future.

Foreshadowing – this is mainly a technique to provide clues or

hints as to some events or circumstances that may come soon in
the flow of the story.

Frame Story – A larger work having separate narrations found

within or to say it simply, a story within a story.
 In medias res
starting in medias res means beginning a story in
the middle of the action and answering the
reader's questions through flashbacks or dialogue.

AIM OF IN MEDIAS RES

to strip unnecessary backstory
to engage the reader/audience immediately
to leave the reader/audience wanting more
In medias res
 DEAD STARS
This short story stayed away from linear narrative (without using
flashbacks or flash-forwards, linear narratives present stories in a
logical order by describing what occurs from one point in time to the
next before coming back to the present.)
Dead stars used NON-LINEAR NARRATIVE
In a non-linear narrative, the chronological order of the events is
disrupted, so the plot doesn't develop in a linear fashion from start to
finish. Instead, the story may skip around in time, begin in the middle,
and then reveal earlier or later events through flashbacks or
speculation about the future.
Melancholy – a feeling of pensive sadness, typically with no obvious
cause.
Azotea – a flat roof or platform on the top of a house or other building.
Insipid – lacking flavour; weak or tasteless.
Monotonies – tedious sameness or repetitiousness
Tumultuous – making an uproar or loud, confused noise.
Placidity – pleasantly calm or peaceful
Repose – a state of rest, sleep, or tranquillity.
Indolence – avoidance of activity or exertion; laziness.
Incontrovertible – not able to be denied or disputed.
Recalcitrant – having an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards
authority or discipline.
Exuberant – full of energy, excitement, and cheerfulness.
Desultory – lacking a plan, purpose, or enthusiasm.
Trodden – past participle of tread.
Saunter – it is to stroll at a leisurely pace.
Unvexed – free from disturbance : calm, serene.
Tumult – a loud, confused noise, especially one caused by a large mass
of people.
Capitulation – the action of ceasing to resist an opponent or demand.
Encroach – intrude on (a person’s territory, rights, personal life, etc.).
Obstinate – firmly or stubbornly adhering to one’s purpose, opinion,
etc.

sources: google, merriam-webster.com, dictionary.com, vocabulary.com,

thefreedictionary.com
 INTRODUCTION
-the beginning of the story where the characters and setting is
revealed.

Alfredo went "neighboring" with Don Julian, which was unusual

considering he made it a point to avoid giving the impression that
he was trying to win the Judge's favor. They were greeted by a
young woman, Julia Salas, who Alfredo mistakenly identified as the
judge’s sister. This was Alfredo and Julia’s first encounter.
 RISING ACTION
The rising action of a story is the section of the plot leading up to
the climax, in which the tension stemming from the story's central
conflict grows through successive plot developments.

The rising action begins with an inciting incident or complication.

The inciting incident is an event that creates a problem or conflict
for the characters and sets in motion a series of increasingly
significant events that constitute the main events of the story.
 RISING ACTION
It would be the scene in which Alfredo is talking to Julia Salas about how
he feels about her, but Alfredo is in a difficult situation because he has
been engaged to Esperanza for four years and isn't sure whether he
should follow his heart or his commitment.

This also include the events when the father and son tandem would go
crunching up the gravel road to the house on the hill after every Sunday
morning mass. When asked by Esperanza if Alfredo went straight home
after mass, he suddenly realized that He had not waited for Esperanza on
Sundays for a few weeks to leave the church as he was customarily known
to do. He had been itching to visit some "neighbors."
 CONFLICT
The conflict is the big problem of the story. What is your main
character trying to overcome? That is the conflict.

Conflicts can be:

o 1. External – A struggle with a force outside one's self.
o 2. Internal – A struggle within one's self; a person must make
some decision, overcome pain, quiet their temper, resist an
urge, etc.
 CONFLICT
Types of conflict
a. man vs. man - a type of conflict where one character in the story has a
problem with one or more of the other characters
b. man vs. society - a type of conflict where a character has a conflict or
problem with some element of society - the school, the law, the accepted way
of doing things, and so on
c. man vs. nature - a type of conflict where a character has a problem with
some natural happening: snowstorm, typhoon, avalanche, bitter cold, or any
elements common to nature
d.man vs. self -is a type of conflict where a character has trouble deciding
what to do in a particular situation
e. man vs. circumstance - It is a conflict between the main character and the
situations and events that happen in him.
 CONFLICT IN DEAD STARS
The story's central conflict was Alfredo's loyalty to Ezperanza and his
‘infidelity’. Alfredo is already engaged to Esperanza but it seems that he
started to have a change of heart with that commitment because his
feelings toward Julia Salas. It has now become a question between
‘being true to your heart’ or ‘being loyal to your promise’

The story had an Internal conflict- A struggle with a force within one's self.
Specifically a: Man vs. Self - In the story, Alfredo was confused/uncertain
by his decisions. He was torn between doing what is right and what is in his
heart.
 CLIMAX in DEAD STARS
- this is the highest point and the turning point of the story. The
readers wonder what will happen next; will the conflict be resolved
or not?

-Julia Salas bid her goodbye to Alfredo as she is now aware that
Alfredo is already engaged. This is followed by the couple’s
argument regarding Calixta, which then turned into a confrontation
between the two as Esperanza is aware of Alfredo’s attachment
with Julia. Esperanza then dared Alfredo to speak out before it’s
too late since their wedding is approaching.
 FALLING ACTION
In a story, falling action occurs after the turning point of the
climax and signifies that the story’s main conflict is coming to a
close.
Ideally, it resolves any loose ends in the plot and shows the
aftermath of the climax. Falling action also typically leads to the
resolution, which is the very end of the story.
FALLING ACTION in DEAD STARS
Alfredo and Esperanza still continued their wedding, and
after a few years Alfredo went to the town of Julia for a
business purpose and ended up seeing and talking to Julia.

It was also revealed how Alfredo felt in his marriage to

Esperanza. Although he was not unhappy, he was far away
and out of reach from his wife, Esperanza.
 RESOLUTION
During his conversation with Julia, Alfredo considers what
was absent. Alfredo lost interest in Julia, so did she lose
something in herself? Or did Alfredo lose a part of himself
that had a different perspective on Julia? Regardless, years
passed since their last interaction before Alfredo's love for
Julia had vanished.
 POINT OF VIEW
Point of view-the angle from which the story is told.; vantage point as
to how the story unfolds.

1. First person POV–first person is when “I” am telling the story,

relating his or her experiences directly.

2. Second person POV- the story is told to “you.” This POV is not
common in fiction, but it’s still good to know (it is common in
nonfiction)
 POINT OF VIEW
3. Third person POV limited- the story is about “he” or “she.” This is the
most common point of view in commercial fiction. The narrator is
outside of the story and relating the experiences of a SINGLE
character. We know only what the character knows and what the
author allows him/her to tell us.

4.Third person POV omniscient- the story is still about “he”or “she”,
but the narrator has full access to the thoughts and experiences of
SOME/ all characters in the story; story is told based on what the
narrator sees and observe.
DEAD STARS
the story was written using the third person-omniscient point of view
 THIRD PERSON-OMNISCIENT POINT OF VIEW
Omniscient narration is one of the oldest and most widely used
storytelling devices.

when the omniscient pov is used, the narrator:

is not the character in the story
1. knows all
2. can tell us as much or as little as the writer permits
3. may tell as what all - or only some - of the characters are thinking,
feeling, and observing
 THEME VS. SUBJECT
Some simple examples of common themes from literature, TV, and film
are:
-Things are not always as they appear to be -Believe in yourself
-Love is blind - People are afraid of
change
-Don't judge a book by its cover

Subject-usually expressed in a word or two: love, childhood, or death

Two examples of theme vs. subject

The subject of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is slavery.
The theme of Uncle Tom’s Cabin is: Slavery is wrong in all its forms.
 THEME VS. SUBJECT
THEMES IN DEAD STARS
-Temporary happiness or pleasure is not authentic.
-One should be responsible with his/her commitment.
-You should be able to face the painful consequences of making the
wrong decisions in life

SUBJECTS IN DEAD STARS

-forbidden love/love -regret
-commitment -pain
-responsibility -morality/fidelity
-infatuation
REFERENCES
Non-linear narrative. (n.d.). StudySmarter UK.
https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english-literature/literary-devices/non-
linear-narrative/

Rising Action - Definition and Examples | LitCharts. (n.d.). LitCharts.

https://www.litcharts.com/literary-devices-and-terms/rising-action

Dead Stars by Paz Marquez Benitez Summary, Themes, & Analysis. (2020, April 16). Lit
Priest. https://litpriest.com/short-stories/dead-stars-summary-themes-
analysis/#themes-in-dead-stars

ANGELICA P. JOVEN
Subject Teacher