Dead Stars-Paz Marquez Benitez free essay sample

It serves as a literary time machine for readers as it enables them to understand how courtship, marriage and fidelity were viewed through the early 1900 standards. It renders a sound comparison between the past and the present, the existing modern culture and the fading, almost obsolete tradition. Although the comparison and contrast provides a good critical foundation, another highly significant aspect of this short story involves the main character, Alfredo Salazar, which, always applies to whatever era, hence the focus of this paper. His confusion, weakness and unreasonableness are innate flaws of humans. Perhaps one of the many reasons why this work is timeless is that readers never fail to see a part of them in Alfredo Salazar’s character, making the short story a rich source of serious ruminations on society, love and humanity. People oftentimes give high regard to the society in which they belong. They try to adhere to the norms, traditions and culture of their society, though sometimes the conformity would require them to sacrifice a part of themselves – an opinion, an emotion or a decision. We will write a custom essay sample on Dead Stars-Paz Marquez Benitez or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, there are cases wherein the established norms and rules of society are the ones which should prevail. In Dead Stars, the main character, Alfredo Salazar, was torn between making two important decisions – to marry or not to marry. But just like other dilemmas, the crossroad in which he found himself in was not to be solved without harming anyone. He was engaged to Esperanza, his fiancee of four years. Theirs was undoubtedly a love that was true. But for some reasons, apparently on Alfredo’s part, a change of heart has taken place. He has fallen for Julia Salas, the sister-in-law of the judge whom his father had a meeting with. After spending several afternoons and conversations, he found himself slowly getting attached to her that he started losing concern for Esperanza. In the end, however, he married his fiancee and though their marriage was not an unhappy one, he still could not take the possibilities of a future with Julia off his mind. Until one day, their paths crossed again and he realized one painful truth that led him to liberation at last. Human emotions are very intricate and delicate both at its lowest and highest. And so is love. When Alfredo was still passionately attached to Esperanza, he was overwhelmed. Taking the conversation of Alfredo’s sister, Carmen, and his father, Don Julian into consideration, readers can deliberately conclude that he was indeed in love. . . . â€Å"Papa, do you remember how much in love he was? † â€Å"In love? With whom? † â€Å"With Esperanza of course. He has not had another love affair that I know of,† she said with good-natured contempt. â€Å"What I mean is that in the beginning he was enthusiastic – flowers, serenades, notes and things like that. ’ The excerpt was a good manifestation of how change in men occurs. But since change is men’s â€Å"wine and bread† according to Angela Manalang-Gloria, it is as essential as living itself, and therefore the most important things to be considered after the transition are the causes, the way one deals with change and the consequences. Alfredo was aware of the cause of his change as what is shown in the following paragraph: Why would men so mismanage their lives? Greed, he thought, was what ruined so many. Greed – the desire to crowd into a moment all the enjoyment it will hold, to squeeze from the hour all the emotions it will yield. Men commit themselves when but half-meaning to do so, sacrificing possible future fullness of ecstasy to the craving for immediate excitement. . . Another significant reason as to his emotional wanderings could be the length of time n which he was engaged o Esperanza. As what Don Julian had philosophize, couples who were engaged for so long become too comfortable and familiar with each other that the spark of love that was felt at the time the romance was just starting to blossom would expectantly cool down – that it â€Å"argues a certain placidity of temperament – or of affection – on the part of either, or both†. Another factor to be considered was the contrast of Alfredo and Julia’s personalities. Alfredo was â€Å"calm and placid† while Julia was lively and full of vitality. The difference between them must have excited him as he saw in her the things he lacked. However, though aware he was of the possible reasons why he, as well as men, or even humans in general, succumb to acts or thoughts of subtle infidelity, his attitude towards what is moral and not becomes shadowed in the attempts to justify his own behavior. Stances about the argument he had with Esperanza regarding the latter’s anger toward Calixta’s cohabitation with he man she’s not married to, may vary. But again, one’s act was expected to adhere with what is the established morality in a certain society. Because of what seemed as a liberal notion, Alfredo was trapped in a situation where he has to defend himself and in the process, what was manifested was his greed. â€Å"One tries to be fair – according to his lights – but it is hard. One would like to be fair to one’s self first. † But the wedding materialized; He chose not to break his word probably in order to save himself, Esperanza and Julia from social ridicule. He felt that his moral and social obligations were already fulfilled upon choosing not to cause humiliation to them all. The way in which he chose to deal with his internal change was to consider the way in which the society will view the people involved. But perhaps he felt that in doing so he has deprived himself of fairness. So he became distant and unreachable to Esperanza although he stayed with her and treated her gently. He has developed the skill in being unaffected and somehow mastered the art of being detached. After several years, he was sent by his profession in search for the elusive Brigida Samuy and into the hometown of Julia Salas. Upon seeing her and finding out that she never married, he started to notice that she lost something, even doubted if the loss was his. As he tried to find the answer, a great realization dawned on him. . . . So all these years – since when? – he had seen the light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens. Therefore, the love he thought he felt for her during the short summer they shared was not the love that was enough to break an engagement. Nor was it love in its strictest definition. Instead, it was desire that sprung from the coldness that slowly crept in his relationship with Esperanza due to their long-time familiarity with each other. It was excitement that was ignited by boredom and â€Å"the last spurt of hot blood. † Alfredo symbolizes the greed and indecisiveness of men when it comes to dealing with the matters of the emotion. He had entertained the pull of an anonymous feeling. Anonymous since he never really ventured to understand it but he clung to it anyway. And in the process he lost a part of himself and deprived that part to Esperanza as well. Had it not been for chasing the lights of an illusive love that was long dead, or worse, never was, would Alfredo be happier in his marriage? Is it fair to say that he has wasted the milestones of a blissful marriage with a woman he loved first all for the sake of an impossible whim? Considering the disappointment he manifested upon realizing what he lost, the answer, is yes. Dead stars is a short story by Paz Marquez Benitez, written in 1925. It is a story about a game of love. A game between three lovers trapped in a situation that might change their life forever. Alfredo Salazar is a lawyer and the main character in the story. He is the love of the life of Esperanza. They have been together for four years and meant to get married in May. Their relationship in the beginning was full of enthusiasm, full of love and happiness. But like other long term relationships, their feelings for each other changes as time goes by. Esperanza was beautiful, elegant, reserved, and distinctly not average type of a woman. She loves her Alfredo so much and trusted him with her whole heart. After their four years of engagement, Alfredo thought of finding his real wants. When Alfredo tried to do some neighboring with his dad Don Julian, he met Julia Salas, their neighbors sister-in-law. She was just a visitor in town and been there for only six weeks. They found good company between themselves and as they knew it, it became a weekly habit for Alfredo to visit her after every Sundays mass. Julia is the average type, not so beautiful but still it interests Alfredo so much. As they grew their new friendship, Alfredo found new happiness and starts to fall for her. One day, his family invited Julias family in their coconut plantation near their beach. Its a chance for them to have some quality time together, but this is also the time to say goodbye. Julia is planning to leave the town and go back home. It breaks the heart of Alfredo and made him more confused than ever. He is thinking of choosing Julia over his fiancee Esperanza, but what people will say is what he thinks matter most. He married Esperanza after Julia left the town, he was not unhappy and realizes that everything have fallen back into place. After eight years of marriage, Alfredo still cant get over Julias memories. His thought of Julia is hunting him, and those what-ifs dilemma. Would he be happier if he chose Julia instead of Esperanza? One day, he had the chance to come to the homeland of Julia in Santa Cruz. He doesnt know the exact place where Julia lives but she mentioned the street one time they were chatting, Calle Luz. He tried to find a woman sitting in the window, and his right, he found her. Theres nothing much changed, he missed sitting and chatting right next to her, but he found something missing. Everything about her seems to be just the same since she left, but theres something in her that Alfredo cannot find anymore. He never knew until he realizes that the magic is gone. The love he ever knew he has for Julia is gone. After all those years that he knew he loved her, was just like looking at a star. A star he ever wanted to touch, to feel and the thing he wanted for the rest of his life. But this star is too far from his reach, it brights from a far but dies when youre near. It was all a dream, he thought hell never wake but its been years since he woke up. After all, it was loving a dead star, its already dead but still you see the light. Paz Marquez Benitez made her mark in Philippine literature because her work Dead Stars is considered the first modern Philippine short story. She presented the story under the perception of Alfredo Salazar, how he sets his mind, how confused he is and how he made his decision. She focused the story mostly between Alfredo and Julia because its the only complication. Everything changed since they met and back to normal when they fell apart. She intends to tell the readers how to handle such situation thats too possible to happen to anyone. She knows how Filipino reacts in the past times, like they were very conservative and traditional, and it really affects every decision we make as seen by the society. The author also shows how hard it is to choose between two things you love and like, you want and need, you should and not, and its all when love and fate collide. The story Dead Stars is a wonderful story about love that could inspire readers from every generation. The setting and date of the story was from a long time ago but we could still relate it somehow in our time today. The Filipino traditions that the author showed in the story, can still be seen in our modern life. The society and their affection for ones act, is still happening anywhere in the Philippines. We still couldnt make our own decisions without thinking what this so-called society will say. It could be a good or bad thing to ask or at least think of what people might say. Good, because everyone around us might be affected on every decision we make, and we should care about their feelings about the situation. Bad, because you are not being true to yourself and youre not free to listen to your own mind and heart, which is the very important source of every decision. For me, if I were Alfredo, I would do what my heart tells me and choose whom I really love no matter what the cost is, in the end. I believe that time doesnt matter, even if I love someone for a long time, it doesnt mean that I will love him forever. Everything in this world is just temporary and Im ready to accept my fate if after all this feeling will just fade. In the situation of Alfredo and Julia, where he fell in love with a span of only six weeks, it could be the love that will last forever. If he chose Julia, he could have been happier, because its true. He love her even though shes not so beautiful, he love her because of the reason love itself.