DS ead tars

Paz Márquez-Benítez
Prepared by: Rheydith G. Conte, Ed.D
AUTHOR

∙ Paz Marquez - Benitez

∙ was a Filipina short-story writer, educator
and editor. Her career as a woman educator
as well as her contributions as a writer are
seen as an important step within the
advancement of woman in professional
careers as well as in the development of
Philippine literature.

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Hello!
HARACTERS
ALFREDO SALAZAR:
He is the son of Don Julian. He is over thirty years old bachelor. Alfred Salazar believes in
true love and optimism to discover ecstasy in its stir. Esperanza is the first woman he falls
I am herein love with.
because After
I love to their
give engagement, he falls in love with Julia Salas.
presentations.
You can find me at @username ESPERANZA:
She is the wife of Alfredo Salazar. Esperanza is an impassionate woman having strong will
and principles. A homely woman, she is also among the lucky women who have the aptitude
of consistent beauty.

JULIA SALAS:
She is the sister in law of Judge Dal Valle, a friend of Alfredo’s father. She is the second
woman with whom Alfredo falls in love with. She remains single for her entire life.

DON JULIAN:
He is the father of Alfredo Salazar.
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Hello! HARACTERS
CARMEN: CALIXTA:
IShe
amishere
the only sisterI love
because to giveSalas.
of Alfredo He is a note-carrier of Esperanza
presentations. and Alfredo Salazar.
You can JUDGE
find meDEL VALLE:
at @username
He is Julia’s brother in law. DIONISIO:
Donna’s husband.
DONNA ADELLA:
She is Julia’s sister. A pretty, small, plump woman VICENTE:
with baby complexion. Carmen’s husband.

BRIGIDA SAMUY:
The elusive woman whom Alfredo is searching for.

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 SETTINGS:
The time of the story is Lenten Season
because they are celebrating the Holy week
proven by the procession they made with Our
Lady of Sorrow
 INTRODUCTION
Dead Stars is a short story of an over thirty years old bachelor,
Alfredo Salazar who was about to get married to his fiancée, Esperanza.
His love and passion for his fiancé started getting fade as he was
attracted to another woman named Julia Salas. As Alfredo knew that his
family will disapprove his desire of having another woman, he
unwantedly married with Esperanza and started his own family. Later,
after eight years, Alfredo went on a business trip to Julia’s place. In his
visit to Julia, to his surprise, he recognized that he no more feel
attracted to her anymore. He compared his love for her as dead stars,
his memory of a long way to get a girl he thought he loved.

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 The story of the short story Dead Stars revolves around a man, Alfred
Salazar, and his affairs. Alfred Salazar believes in true love and optimism to
discover ecstasy in its stir. Esperanza is the first woman he falls in love with.

The families of both of them are acquainted with each other and
hence they start a loving relationship. Both get engaged after three years of
their relationship. Alfredo is a lawyer who has strong desires and wants
warmth and compassion, however, Esperanza is an impassionate woman
having strong will and principles. Alfredo’s love for her soon fades away when
he meets Julia. Julia, now, becomes a new object of his desire.

Julia Salas is sister in law of the Judge, who is a friend of Alfredo’s

father. Julia is an optimistic and enthusiastic person having her own dreams
and desires.
When Alfredo comes across her, he is strongly attracted to her. On
his visit to her with his father, he engages himself in conversation with her
and is attracted to her charm. Even he is so passionate that he doesn’t
disclose his engagement
7 to Esperanza.
 So as to avoid the discovery of his fiancée, he keeps secrets from
Esperanza too. His eyes are doomed when he learns about Julia’s return to his
native town. With the fear of losing her, Alfredo decides to declare his true
feeling for Julia.

When the Church’s function ends, Alfredo goes to meet her, though his
fiancé is waiting for him. When he reaches there, he learns that Julia has
already known about his engagement to Esperanza. She wishes him for his
marriage and leaves him.

On his return home, he gets a double blow. He finds Esperanza talking

to her friend about loyalty and faithfulness. Alfredo senses a desire to
communicate. He supports the reason for craving and choice over dishonesty.
Esperanza soon confesses that she knew about his affair with Julia. In pursuit
of his lust and heart’s content, she encourages him to cancel the wedding.
However, the wedding goes ahead as scheduled and Alfred surrenders to
reason.
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 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 soon
finds an excuse to meet her.

Julia is still single that forces Alfred to dream

about starting a new life with her; however, he soon
realizes that everything is not the same as it were
before. Moreover, Julia has also changed lost
something.

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THEMES
Forbidden Love
Responsibility

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Everybody is a genius. But if you judge

a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will

live its whole life believing that it is
stupid

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THE SMALL KEY

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Author

∙ Paz Latorena was born in Boac,

Marinduque in 1907. At a young age
she was brought to Manila where she
completed her basic schooling, first
at St. Scholastica and later at South
High School. In 1925 she enrolled at
the University of the Philippines for a
degree in education.

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Characters:
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∙ SETTINGS:

∙ House

∙ Backyard

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∙ The Small Key" is a short story by Philipino author Paz Latorena. It is about a woman named Soledad who is
married to a man named Pedro Buhay. They live on a farm. One morning Soledad finds herself knowing that the
farm will produce plenty but that she still had some inner feeling of discontent. She planned to mend some of
her husband's shirts, which were in a locked trunk. Pedro took out from his pocket a string which held two keys,
one large and shiny and one small and rusty. He gave Soledad the large key to his trunk and put the small key
back in his jacket pocket. Since it was hot that morning, he removed his coat before leaving to work in the field.
When he was gone, Soledad began to fold the jacket and the small key fell to the floor. It is obvious that Pedro
values the small key while Soledad fears it.

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Soledad knows that the small key is a key to a different trunk. She tries to busy herself so that she will not think
about what the smaller trunk contains, but she cannot stop thinking about it and reveals that the small trunk
contains clothing that belonged to Pedro's first wife. She wonders why it is that he keeps her old clothing and
why he seems to have a special feeling about them. She obviously fears that Pedro still loves his first wife even
though she has been dead for many years by now. She reveals that she hates the things in the small trunk and
worries that they will destroy the relationship between her and her husband. Despite her attempts to not think
about the contents of the small trunk, Soledad opens it. At this point, Pedro returns home to find Soledad in
bed supposedly with a fever. It turns out she does not. The next morning Pedro discovers a pile of ashes and
half burnt clothing in the backyard. He realizes what Soledad has done and rushes to look in the trunk to
confirm it. Soledad has indeed, burned his first wife's clothing.

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∙ Pedro is angry and bitter that this has happened and he expects that Soledad
will explain things later. He thinks to himself that he will forgive her because
he loves her but that even if she did it out of love for him, it will always
remain a matter of some resentment toward her for doing it.

∙
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∙

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∙ THEME

∙ MEMORIES OF LOVE

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HARVEST
Author

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