#eappreflectionpaper

The short story Dead Stars is a Philippine literature written by Par Marqeuz Benitez in 1925. It is about a man named Alfredo Salazar. He was about to get married to his fiancée Esperanza but suddenly, Alfredo falls in love with Julia Salas when he met her. His family don't agree to such things as falling in love with someone else but Alfredo keep a secret from his desires, but Julia figured it out that Alfredo was getting engaged to Esperanza. After eight years, Alfredo visited Julia from his business trip and Julia didn't feel attracted to him anymore and that symbolizes as dead star (a spark of feeling that has been faded away).

In the story 'Dead Stars', it can be interpreted that their names are 'oldish' and we can notice that it's from the 19th centuries. Alfredo's family are one of the high class in the society and also for Esperanza's family during their time. Both of the families are aquainted, so their marriage was approved. Julia Salas was a sister-in-law of the Judge. Since the high class people are only barely interacted with lower classes, Julia and Alfredo would not be acquainted if both of their classes are different. Alfredo choose to resume the marriage even if Esperanza encourage him to cancel it because of his secret affair with Julia and it also ruins their families' reputation. Both of the families will no longer be linked or interacted due to ruined reputation and it can be reduced to below ordinary standards of civilized life or being degenerated by the society from their family names. Also, Alfredo's standing as a man and as a lawyer can be judged by the society in a negative way. He will also lose and affect his reputation from himself to the society.

Therefore, I conclude that the story 'Dead Star' tells us that society is oftentimes basing on our doings. Many of the things can be applied today in our society. Depending on the standing of a man, it is obligated that his actions are limited and it can ruin their once reputation, reflect to its surrounding.

-Jomari Tagas

plot : the story began when alfredo fell in love with esperanza but it still in love with julia and alfredo believes in love with the first person he likes. He fall in love with Esperanza when Alfredo see Julia he so in love with her love at first sight and Julia didn't know that alfredo have a fiancee after three years of romance.

Characters of dead stars:

Alfredo Salazar - son of Don Julian, a more than 30 year’s old man and a bachelor. He is engaged to Esperanza but he is in love with Julia Salas.

Esperanza - wife of Alfredo Salazar. She is a homely woman, literal minded and intensely acquisitive. She is one of those fortunate women who have the gift of uniformly beauty.

Julia Salas - sister-in-law of Judge Del Valle. She is the other girl of Alfredo Salazar thatremains single in her entire life.

Don Julian - an old man, a father of Alfredo Salazar and Carmen.Carmen - sister of Alfredo Salas.

Judge Del Valle - brother-in-law of Julia Salas.

Donna Adella -- sister of Julia Salas. She is small and plump, a pretty woman with acomplexion of a baby with an expression of a likeable cow.

Calixta - note-carrier of Alfredo Salazar and Esperanza.

Dionisio - husband of Donna Adella.

Vicente - husband of Carmen.

Brigida Samuy - She is the illusive woman whose Alfredo is looking for.

Setting of dead star

Don Julian’s house,Judge Del Valle’s house,Don Julian’s house in Tanda,Calle Real,Sta. Cruz

Theme of dead stars :

The theme of dead stars is that pertains to forbidden love. It say that forbidden love is only apparent and its banes haunt the person until such time he realizes his only fault.

Symbol of dead stars :

Dead stars symbolizes a dream for something that is nonexistent. She was his dream, his star. He thought he's in love. But like a dead star which is so far away, and whose shine could be the leftover traveling light from it, he was a long way getting the girl and he realized that he is no longer is attracted to her.

Irony of dead stars :

In my first reading, I’m not to clarify or to understand first because the story tells me that this story is difficult and so, I find it difficult at first. But, as I read it again, I’ve set my mind to think that the story is very easy. And so, I think I understood the story. I really feel disappointed and sorry for Alfredo because he was in a very difficult situation. It really is hard to be engaged with someone thinking that she is the one but all of a sudden here comes a girl who stole your heart. Being not loyal to your girls means a lot. But since he realized in the end that Julia was really not for her, I felt satisfaction. It’s like a question has been answered at last. At least he got a lesson learned that he would be loyal to his girl and if he will really love his girl Esperanza, he will give everything to her and willing to sacrifice for their relationship.

In the story of the Dead stars, traditional gender roles were displayed. Esperanza is the typical woman, waiting for the decision of his man named Alfredo. She’s just waiting for Alfredo and have no idea that her man, Alfredo is inloved with another woman who named Julia. It was stated in the story that maybe that is why she doesn’t seem in a hurry because the man himself seems like he is not into marrying her. That was very sad. Women those days were really dependent, especially to their love ones. Alfredo, displays weakness, weakness that should not be shown as a man. You can tell a man that he is really a man when you can see that he is strong, loyal, and dependent.

Marweld M. Barillo 11-Humss 2

1. Formalism - The tale of the Dead Stars is encapsulated by confusion, heartbreaks and love. This is a lovely and characteristic love tale which reveals the confusions about the connection between Alfredo, Esperanza and Julia, the three characters. The tale is a comprehensive collection of situations that every person must live through. When the tale passes, you will be more enticed to read it because it could inspire a lot of individuals to analyze the situation. Dead stars symbolize stuff which exist, but which remain untold. I consider the tale cliché because most of the tale published previously had the same plot somehow. While the literary work has been written in the past, it somehow portrays contemporary society because it gives us the comparable data about what happens in many people’s life.