AN ANALYSIS OF PAZ MARQUEZ- BENITEZ DEAD STARS

By:

Nina Gwen Redima

Lit1101

TTh 3:00 -04:30

January 2023
 This paper aims to analyze Paz Marquez Benitez short story entitled “ Dead
Stars” published in 1925. The title of this short story is about conveying the theme
of forbidden love. Three different literary analysis are used to disseminate literary
piece namely : The Biographical Approach, Postcolonial Approach, and Formalism
Approach.

According to Benitez , the reason why she wrote her most known short story It
depicts the language, norms and the manners of the people during that time. The
readers are enabled to understand how marriage, fidelity, and courtship were viewed
during the early twentieth century. This serves as a mode to compare the past and
the present, and the fading traditional culture and the predominating modern culture.

Biological Approach

The author, Paz Marquez Benitez, was a writer, teacher and editor who lived from
1894 until 1983. Born to the prominent Marquez family of Quezon Province, Marquez
Benitez belonged to the first generation of Filipinos trained in the American
educational system. She was a member of the first freshman class of the University of
the Philippines, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912. She taught at the
University’s English department from 1916 to 1951, acquiring a reputation as an
outstanding teacher. Among ALIWW’s prized exhibits are the journals of Paz Marquez
Benitez, which are inscribed in two hard-bound volumes.

The entries, written by hand in both pencil and ink, date from 1924 and extend for an
as yet undetermined number of years. Of special interest to literary scholars are her
notes on the tentative plot and setting of her short story, “Dead Stars.” This story,
first published in 1925 and regularly anthologized since, is considered the first modern
short story written in English by a Filipino.
It foreshadows the social make-up and dominant views of the place at that time. The
society is male-dominated and represent the features of such a social setup. As the
author is a female writer placed in a male-dominated age and World, the story
became a precursor to the growth of Filipino English literature.

“I’II inquire about”

“What”

“ The house of the prettiest girl in the town”

“ There is where you will lose your way. “ Then she turned serious , “ Now that is not
quite sincere.”

In a patriarchal society, man is the ultimate authority in defining norms, moral or

otherwise. Women are secondary and precluded group when it comes to deciding the
dominant idea and pervasive issues. But the woman is not just anti-man or
inadequate-man; she is also what man can never be.

Postcolonial Approach
 Historicism is a mode of thinking that assigns a central and basic significance
to a specific context, such as historical period, geographical place and local culture.

The short story has been called of imperialism in the Philippines. It’s a commentary
on the decline of Filipino culture as a result of the influence of the U.S. and other
colonists.

“Alfredo was suffering as he could not remember having suffered because of Julia “

as an allegory, “Dead Stars” is full of symbols and symbolism. Julia can be seen as a
symbol for the presence of the U.S. in the Philippines. When Alfredo first meets her,
he falls in love and believes she would be good for him. Eight years later, when they
meet again, he finds that his love and affection for her has faded.

Meanwhile, Esperanza, the woman he marries, remains steadfast. The name

“Esperanza” means hope. The character symbolizes the hope for the future and the
persistence of Filipino culture.
Formalism Approach

The story is infused with moral and intellectual approaches highlighting the values and
morals in place in that age, culture and place. Historicism and the historical context of
the story give it salience in terms of understanding the thoughts and subsequent
actions of the characters like Alfredo, Julia, Esperanza etc.

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.

To make matter worse they are also embroiled in a battle against their own emotions
and understanding, a battle within themselves. They lack the certainty of thought,
sentiments for each other and thus their actions (Lies, ridicule, insults etc) reflect
their ambiguity and desperation.
Paz Marquez’s penmanship mirrors the dominant social views and established
conventions of literature as well society. It expounds various human emotions (like
affection, compassion, jealousy, concupiscence etc.) and relationships involvement
(like betrothal, courtship, friendship, professional obligations etc.).

Alfredo -“ Are weddings interesting to you”

Julia- When they are of friends ? Yes. ( sarcastically respond)

Thus, it creates a veritable knowledge base to contrast and compares the society of
her age and place with the contemporary or any other age. It provides a lens to make
meaning about the extant culture, customs, traditions etc.

Consequently, it reflects the malleability of such social mores, practices and customs
with a corresponding change in time and even landscape. Both the leading women
conform to the masculine dominant and their ideology. They remain loyal to the man
in their lives, Alfredo.
References

Kramer, J. (2022, February). Dead Stars Analysis by Paz Marquez Benitez. Retrieved
from English Summary: https://englishsummary.com/dead-stars-analysis/

Kraufeer, J. (2022, February 22). Dead Stars. Retrieved from Litfest:

https://litpriest.com/short-stories/dead-stars-summary-themes-analysis/

Moore, J. (2020, May 27). What Is the Plot of the Story “Dead Stars” by Paz Marquez
Benitez? Retrieved from Reference: https://www.reference.com/world-view/plot-
story-dead-stars-paz-marquez-benitez-1e8cded5da91faf2