The story revolves around Alfredo Salazar, a bachelor over thirty, and two women: Esperanza, his fiancée

of four years, and a young girl from out-of-town named Julia Salas. Everyone takes it for granted that
Alfredo will eventually marry Esperanza. But although he is ashamed to admit it, the intensity of his
passion for Esperanza has faded and he is attracted to Julia, whom he meets at a dinner party. But he is
aware that all his loved ones-including Julia-would disapprove of his failure to honor his understanding
with Esperanza. So he and Esperanza get married and have a family. Then, eight years later, he goes on
a business trip to the town where Julia, still unmarried, lives. He goes to visit Julia, whom he has never
forgotten. But he is surprised to find that he no longer feels attracted to her. Dead Star is a love story
about a man named Alfredo Salazar,who has his fiance in the person of Esperanza and they have been
engaged for quite some time. Society views them as an ideal couple. Their wedding is about to take place
in the near future. Prior to the wedding however, he sees another girl, when he goes with his father to a
judge's house. He tries to seek love in her, but she kinda declines. in that way, Alfredo became a little bit
confused in his upcoming wedding where he is about to chose between two options; to do what he should
do by marrying Esperanza as prescribed by his parents or to do what he wants to do by having Julia
Salas, his dream - the dead star in his life. In the story, dead stars symbolize a dream for something that
is nonexistent. The guy loved the girl. She was his dream, his star. He thought there was love there. But
like a dead star which is so far away, and whose shine could actually be the leftover traveling light from it,
he was a long way from getting the girl, and the love he thought was possible, never was.
Character- 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.
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 - husband of Carmen.
Brigida Samuy - She is the illusive woman whose Alfredo is looking for.

SETTING
house of Don Julian house of Judge Del Valle house of Don Julian in Tanda where there are coconut plantation
and a beach Church of Our Lady of Sorrow Calle Real Sta. Cruz particularly in Calle Luz, hometown of Julia Salas
The time of the story is the Lenten Season because they are celebrating the holy week proven by the
procession they made with the Our Lady of Sorrow. Theme- He needs to face problems in choosing between
difficult choices of his life. 12. THEME The 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
he realizes his faults. Moral- It depicts a plethora of battles that a human being is involved depending on the
circumstances and interactions with other human beings. Characters like Alfredo, Julia etc are fighting not just against
the odds fate has put before them but also their circumstances, public and moral obligations. The plot of the story
"Dead Stars" revolves around the romantic relationships between the three main characters:

Alfredo, Esperanza and Julia.The rising action of the plot is Alfredo's inability to commit to marrying Esperanza as he
constantly wrestles with his doubt over where his true feelings lie.