Dead Stars

by: Paz Marquez Benitez

PREPARED BY:
DEL CAMPO, CHRISTY
GOILAN, RODELLANE
Would you rather be with someone
you love or someone you think you
can fall in love more?
Author's Background
Paz Márquez-Benítez was a Filipina short-
story writer, educator and editor.
In 1919, she founded "Woman's Home
Journal", the first women's magazine in the
country. In 1928, she compiled "Filipino Love
Stories," reportedly the first anthology of
Philippine stories in English by Filipinos,
from the works of her students.
Author's Background

She married UP College of Education Dean

Francisco Benítez, with whom she had four
children.
Dead Star was published in the Philippine
Herald in 1925
She died on November 10, 1983.
 Dead Star
by: Paz Marquez Benitez

The short story entitled Dead Stars

revolves around a man, Alfred Salazar, and
his affairs. Alfred Salazar believes in true
love and optimism to discover ecstasy in
its stir. Esperanza is the first woman he
falls in love with.
 The families of both of them are acquainted with each
other and hence they start a loving relationship. Both get
engaged after three years of their relationship. Alfredo is
a lawyer who has strong desires and wants warmth and
compassion, however, Esperanza is an impassionate woman
having strong will and principles. Alfredo’s love for her
soon fades away when he meets Julia. Julia, now, becomes
a new object of his desire.

Julia Salas is sister in law of the Judge, who is a friend

of Alfredo’s father. Julia is an optimistic and enthusiastic
person having her own dreams and desires.
 When Alfredo comes across her, he is strongly
attracted to her. On his visit to her with his father, he
engages himself in conversation with her and is attracted
to her charm. Even he is so passionate that he doesn’t
disclose his engagement to Esperanza.

So as to avoid the discovery of his fiancée, he keeps

secrets from Esperanza too. His eyes are doomed when he
learns about Julia’s return to her native town. With the
fear of losing her, Alfredo decides to declare his true
feeling for Julia.
 When the Church’s function ends, Alfredo goes
to meet her, though his fiancé is waiting for him.
When he reaches there, he learns that Julia has
already known about his engagement to
Esperanza. She wishes him for his marriage and
leaves him.

On his return home, he gets a double blow. He

finds Esperanza talking to her friend about
loyalty and faithfulness. Alfredo senses a desire
to communicate. He supports the reason for
craving and choice over dishonesty.
 Esperanza soon confesses that she knew about his
affair with Julia. In pursuit of his lust and heart’s
content, she encourages him to cancel the wedding.
However, the wedding goes ahead as scheduled and
Alfred surrenders to reason.
Near Julia’s native town, Alfred, after eight years, is
sent to some work duty. On his visit, he feels nostalgic
and cannot resist his longing desires for Julia and soon
finds an excuse to meet her.
Julia is still single that forces Alfred to dream about
starting a new life with her; however, he soon realizes
that everything is not the same as it were before.
Moreover, Julia has also changed lost something.
 Literary Elements
SETTING:
Don Julian's and Judge Del Valle's houses
MAIN CHARACTERS:
Alfredo Salazar
Esperanza
Julia Salas
 THEMES
FORBIDDEN LOVE
Forbidden love is only apparent and curses and
disturbs the person until a person realizes his or her
faults.

RESPONSIBILITY
Falling in love and staying in love is both responsibility
and committment.
 LITERARY ANALYSIS
Dead Stars is the masterpiece of Paz Marque Benitez. In this short
story, she didn’t only talk about love.
Her writing is significant as it reflects the spirit of the time.
It depicts the language, norms and the manners of the people during that
time. The readers are enabled to understand how marriage, fidelity, and
courtship were viewed during the early twentieth century. This serves as
a mode to compare the past and the present, and the fading traditional
culture and the predominating modern culture.
At the end of the day, it is quite simple-- there are
so many uncertain and confusing things in life, but
love should never be one of them.
LOVE SHOULD NEVER BE ONE OF THEM.