Project in 21st Literature Submitted by: STEM-B Submitted to: Mrs. Kaylin T. Paguio

1. DEAD STARS
PAZ MARQUEZ BENITEZ

2. Paz Marquez Benitez
 Born in 1894 in Lucena,
Tayabas (now Quezon).
 Marquez – Benítez authored
the first Filipino modern
English language short story,
Dead Stars, published in the
Philippine Herald in 1925.
 Born into the prominent
Marquez family of Quezon
province, she was among the
first generation of Filipino
people trained in the
American education system
which used English as the
medium of instruction.

3.  She graduated high school in Tayabas High School now,
Quezon National High School. She was a member of the first
freshman class of the University of the Philippines, graduating
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912.

4. Characters
 Alfredo Salazar - son of Don Julian, a more than 30 years old man
and a bachelor. He is engaged to Esperanza but him still fleeting to
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 that remains single in her entire life.
 Don Julian - an old man, a father of Alfredo Salazar and Carmen.
 Carmen - sister of Alfredo Salas.

5.  Judge Del Valle - brother in law of Julia Salas.
 Donna Adella - 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.
 Calixta - note-carrier of Alfredo Salazar and Esperanza.
 Dionisio - husband of Donna Adella.
 Vicente - husand of Carmen.
 Brigida Samuy - She is the illusive woman whose Alfredo is looking
for.

6. Setting
 Don Julian’s House- Carmen was asking Don Julian about
Alfredo’s wedding. Alfredo remembered that period with a
wonder not unmixed with shame. That was less than forty
years ago. He could not understand those months of a great
hunger that was not of the body nor yet of the mind, a craving
that had seized on him one quiet night when the moon was
abroad and under the dappled shadow of the trees in the
plaza, man wooed maid.

7.  Judge del Valle’s House- Alfredo went neighboring with
Don Julian. This is when he met Julia Salas. Don Julian and
his uncommunicative friend, the judge, were absorbed in a
game of chess. So he and Julia went outside and talked.

8. Don Julian's house in Tanda where there are coconut plantations
and a beach.
After the merienda, Don Julian sauntered off with the judge to
show him what a thriving young coconut looked like--"plenty of
leaves, close set, rich green"--while the children, convoyed by
Julia Salas, found unending entertainment in the rippling sand
left by the ebbing tide. Alfredo left his perch on the bamboo
ladder of the house and followed. Alfredo and Julia had a very
long conversation and told each other about themselves.

9. Plot
Introduction
At Don Julian's house Carmen was asking Do Julian about Alfredo
and Esperanza. Alfredo reminiscence how we met Julia Salas.
Rising Action
He had gone neighboring with Don Julian to judge Del Valle's
house. He met Julia Salas. All the time he was calling her Mrs. Del
Valle which led to him to embarrassment. Coming to the judge's
house became often. Then he realized he was in love with Julia in
spite his engagement Esperanza.

10. Climax
After the procession of The Lady of Sorrows Alfredo caught up
with Julia. It was when Julia found out about Alfredo's wedding
so he congratulated him
Alfredo needs to make a very difficult situation. Would he
choose what he WANTS to? Or would he choose what he HAS
to?
Falling Action
Julia didn't want Alfredo not to honor his understanding with
Esperanza. She said goodbye. He went home to Esperanza. And
there, the last word has been said.
Plot

11. Denouement
Alfredo and Esperanza get married. After eight years, he
was searching for a lady named Brigida Samuy a lady
important for his defense in the court-in Sta. Cruz, Julia's
hometown. He went to Julia's house and he found her
there. Still unmarried. And he realized that his love for
Julia was like a Dead Star. It was non existent.

12. Synopsis
 This story revolves around Alfredo Salazar & two women:
Esperanza, his fiancée for four years and a young girl from
out-of-town named Julia Salas. Alfredo is committed to
marrying Esperenza. But he started having second thoughts
about his feelings when he met Julia in the Judges' house. But
he aware that all his loved ones-including Julia would not
agree if he would not honor his understanding with
Esperanza. So he and Esperanza got married and made a
family. After 8 years, he met Julia. And then realized that his
feelings for Julia was gone. He compares his love for Julia with
a ‘Dead Star’. This story is about Love & Responsibilities

13. Conflict
Man vs. Circumstances
In the story, Alfredo struggles against his fate and the
circumstances of life & love facing him. He needs to face
problems in choosing between difficult choices of his life.

14. Theme
The short story "Dead Stars"
by Paz Marquez Benitez
is conveying the theme that pertains
to forbidden love.
It says that forbidden love
is only apparent, and its banes
haunt the person until such time
that he realizes his faults.

15. Symbolism
 Dead Stars symbolize 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.

16. Plot Type / Devices

17. POV
Third Person POV
The author tells the story in third person (using pronouns
they, she, he, it, etc.). We know only what the character
knows and what the author allows him/her o tell us. We
can see the thoughts & feelings of characters if the
author chooses to reveal them to us.

18. References
http://www.sushidog.com/bpss/stories/stars.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paz_M%C3%A1rquez-Ben%C3%Adtez
https://www.slideshare.net/aileenmanili/presentation1-11957124

19. Members
Balmaceda, Marvin
Calma, Kevin
Dabu, Al Tristan
Enriquez, John Bien
Manipon, Mark
Navarillo, Melvin
Santos, Jose
Baluyot, Misha
Dilig, Mariella
Tordel, Leila
11-STEM B

20. Documentation

21. Thank you
for watching 