Esperanza soon confesses that she knew about

DEAD STARS BY PAZ MARQUEZ BENITEZ

his affair with Julia. In pursuit of his lust and
The story of the short story Dead Stars revolves heart’s content, she encourages him to cancel
around a man, Alfred Salazar, and his affairs. the wedding. However, the wedding goes ahead
Alfred Salazar believes in true love and optimism as scheduled and Alfred surrenders to reason.
to discover ecstasy in its stir. Esperanza is the
first woman he falls in love with. 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 lust for Julia and
The families of both of them are acquainted with soon finds an excuse to meet her.
each other and hence they start a loving
relationship. Both get engaged after three years Julia is still single that forces Alfred to dream
of their relationship. Alfredo is a lawyer who has about starting a new life with her; however, he
strong desires and wants warmth and soon realizes that everything is not the same as it
compassion, however, Esperanza is an were before. Moreover, Julia has also changed
impassionate woman having strong will and lost something.
principles. Alfredo’s love for her soon fades away
when he meets Julia. Julia, now, becomes a new Later, after eight years, Alfredo went on a
object of his desire. business trip to Julia’s place. In his visit to Julia,
to his surprise, he recognized that he no more
Julia Salas is sister in law of the Judge, who is a feel attracted to her anymore. He compared his
friend of Alfredo’s father. Julia is an optimistic love for her as dead stars, his memory of a long
and enthusiastic person having her own dreams way to get a girl he thought he loved.
and desires.
Characters
When Alfredo comes across her, he is strongly Alfredo Salazar - He is the son of Don Julian.
attracted to her. On his visit to her with his father, He is over thirty years old bachelor. Alfred
he engages himself in conversation with her and Salazar believes in true love and optimism to
is attracted to her charm. Even he is so discover ecstasy in its stir. Esperanza is the first
passionate that he doesn’t disclose his woman he falls in love with. After their
engagement to Esperanza. engagement, he falls in love with Julia Salas.

So as to avoid the discovery of his fiancée, he Esperanza - She is the wife of Alfredo Salazar.
keeps secrets from Esperanza too. His eyes are Esperanza is an impassionate woman having
doomed when he learns about Julia’s return to strong will and principles. A homely woman, she
his native town. With the fear of losing her, is also among the lucky women who have the
Alfredo decides to declare his true feeling for aptitude of consistent beauty.
Julia.
Julia Salas - She is the sister in law of Judge Dal
When the Church’s function ends, Alfredo goes
Valle, a friend of Alfredo’s father. She is the
to meet her, though his fiancé is waiting for him.
second woman with whom Alfredo falls in love
When he reaches there, he learns that Julia has
with. She remains single for her entire life.
already known about his engagement to
Esperanza. She wishes him for his marriage and
Don Julian - He is the father of Alfredo Salazar.
leaves him.
Carmen - She is the only sister of Alfredo Salas.
Judge Del Valle - He is Julia’s brother in law.
On his return home, he gets a double blow. He
Donna Adella - She is Julia’s sister. A pretty,
finds Esperanza talking to her friend about loyalty
small, plump woman with baby complexion.
and faithfulness. Alfredo senses a desire to
Calixta - He is a note-carrier of Esperanza and
communicate. He supports the reason for craving
Alfredo Salazar.
and choice over dishonesty.
Dionisio - Donna’s husband.
Vicente - Carmen’s husband
Brigida Samuy - The elusive woman whom the reformative virtue than true love, that why we
Alfredo is searching for. can say that she is in a relationship because of
moral obligation.
Settings
The setting of the short story Dead star are
various:

Calle Real,
House of Judge Del Valle,
Sta. Cruz,
House of Don Julian in Tanda,
House of Don Julian

Conflict
The conflict of the story is begin to Alfredo
because he is not ready to take a commitment to
Esperanza even they are engage in many years,
although Alfredo seemed uncertain of his real
wants. It is not to mean though that Alfredo is
afraid to commit.
Man Vs. Man
Man Vs. Circumstances
Man Vs. Society

POV
The story is written in the third person point of
view using the pronouns he, she, it, they, etc.
(Omniscient Limited and Ominisicient Objective)

Theme
Forbidden Love - Dead Stars expresses the
subject of forbidden love. Forbidden love is only
apparent and curses and disturbs the person
until a person realizes his or her faults.

Sign and Symbols

Dead Stars - Dead Stars symbolizes the
unspoken present things. The affection and love
between Alfredo and Julia seemed to be existing
and real, however, with the passage of time, it
fades away like a dead star. Hence, the
disillusionment and memories of the past do not
exist anymore. After the eight years of reunion,
the fading love was not because of the fading
youth, but because Alfred finds her different from
what he perceived in the past and all the gone
years. He is disillusioned. The illusions that he
concealed all the years turns out to be nothing
but dead stars; it was dead long ago, yet it emits
apparently real lights to travel the long distance.
The devotion of Esperanza for Alfred also
symbolizes love, however, she believes more in
DEAD STARS insipid monotonies such as made up his love
life? Was
by Paz Marquez Benitez
love a combination of circumstances, or
THROUGH the open window the air-steeped sheer native
outdoors passed into his room, quietly
enveloping him, stealing into his very capacity of soul? In those days love was, for
thought. Esperanza, Julia, the sorry mess he him, still
had made of life, the years to come even
now beginning to weigh down, to crush--they the eternal puzzle; for love, as he knew it,
lost concreteness, diffused into formless was a
melancholy. The tranquil murmur of stranger to love as he divined it might be.
conversation issued from the brick-tiled
azotea where Don Julian and Carmen were Sitting quietly in his room now, he could
busy puttering away among the rose pots. almost revive
"Papa, and when will the 'long table' be set?" the restlessness of those days, the feeling of
"I don't know yet. Alfredo is not very specific, tumultuous
but I understand Esperanza wants it to be
next month." Carmen sighed impatiently. haste, such as he knew so well in his
"Why is he not a bit more decided, I wonder. boyhood when
He is over thirty, is he not? And still a
something beautiful was going on
bachelor! Esperanza must be tired waiting."
somewhere and he
"She does not seem to be in much of a hurry
either," Don Julian nasally commented, while was trying to get there in time to see. "Hurry,
his rose scissors busily snipped away. "How hurry, or
can a woman be in a hurry when the man
does not hurry her?" Carmen returned, you will miss it," someone had seemed to
pinching off a worm with a careful, somewhat urge in his
absent air. "Papa, do you remember how ears. So he had avidly seized on the shadow
much in love he was?" "In love? With of Love
whom?" "With Esperanza, of course. He has
not had another love affair that I know of," and deluded himself for a long while in the
she said with good-natured contempt. "What way of
I mean is that at the beginning he was humanity from time immemorial. In the
enthusiastic--flowers, serenades, notes, and meantime, he
things like that– "Alfredo remembered that
period with a wonder not unmixed with became very much engaged to Esperanza.
shame. That was less than four years ago.
Why would men so mismanage their lives?
He could not understand those months of a
Greed, he
great hunger that was not of the body nor yet
of the mind, a craving that had seized on him thought, was what ruined so many.
one quiet night when the moon was abroad Greed--the desire
and under the dappled shadow of the trees
in the plaza, man wooed maid. to crowd into a moment all the enjoyment it
will hold,
Was he being cheated by life? Love--he
seemed to to squeeze from the hour all the emotion it
will yield.
have missed it. Or was the love that others
told about Men commit themselves when but
half-meaning to do
a mere fabrication of perfervid imagination,
an so, sacrificing possible future fullness of
ecstasy to the
exaggeration of the commonplace, a
glorification of craving for immediate excitement. Greed--
mortgaging the future--forcing the hand of evidence. Tall and slender, he moved with an
Time, or of indolent
Fate. ease that verged on grace. Under straight
recalcitrant
"What do you think happened?" asked
Carmen, hair, a thin face with a satisfying breadth of
forehead,
pursuing her thought.
slow, dreamer's eyes, and astonishing
"I supposed long-engaged people are like freshness of lips--
that; warm
indeed Alfredo Salazar's appearance
now, cool tomorrow. I think they are oftener betokened little
cool than
of exuberant masculinity; rather a poet with
warm. The very fact that an engagement has wayward
been
humor, a fastidious artist with keen, clear
allowed to prolong itself argues a certain brain.
placidity of
He rose and quietly went out of the house.
temperament--or of affection--on the part of He lingered
either, or
a moment on the stone steps; then went
both." Don Julian loved to philosophize. He down the
was talking
path shaded by immature acacias, through
now with an evident relish in words, his the little
resonant, very
tarred gate which he left swinging back and
nasal voice toned down to monologue pitch. forth,
"That
phase you were speaking of is natural
enough for a
beginning. Besides, that, as I see it, was
Alfredo's last
race with escaping youth--"
Carmen laughed aloud at the thought of her
brother's
perfect physical repose--almost
indolence--disturbed
in the role suggested by her father's
figurative
language.
"A last spurt of hot blood," finished the old
man.
Few certainly would credit Alfredo Salazar
with hot
blood. Even his friends had amusedly
diagnosed his
blood as cool and thin, citing incontrovertible