DEAD STAR BY Marquez Benitez

Summary
This story revolves around Alfredo Salazar and two women: Esperanza, his fiancefor four
years and a young girl from out-of-town named Julia Salas. Alfredo is committed to marrying
Esperanza. But he started having second thoughts about hisfeelings when he met Julia in the
Judges house. But he Aware that all his lovedones-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 eight 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 and RESPONSIBILITES.
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 thatremains 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 - brotherin-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.
The Setting
Don Julians house- Carmen was asking Don Julian about Alfredos wedding. Alfredo
remembered thatperiod with a wonder not unmixed with shame. That was less than four 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. Judge Del Valles houseAlfredo 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. Don Julians 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. Calle Real- After the parade for The Lady Of Sorrows Alfredo caught up with Julia in Calle
Real.Julia congratulated him for his upcoming wedding ironically. They were walking until the
gravel road lay before them; at the roads end the lighted windows of the house on the hill. There
swept over the spirit of Alfredo Salazar a longing so keen that it was pain, a wish that, that
house were his, that all the bewilderments of the present were not, and that this woman by his
side were his long wedded wife, returning with him to the peace of home.Sta. Cruz- Sta. Cruz

was Julias hometown. Alfredo was searching for Brigida Samuy, a lady important for his
defense in the court. Knowing that this place was Julias hometown,
Plot
Introduction At Don Julians house Carmen was asking Don Julian about Alfredo and
Esperanza. Alfredo reminiscence how he met Julia Salas. Rising Action He had gone
neighboring with Don Julian to judge Del Valles house. He met Julia Salas. All the time he was
calling her Mrs. Del Valle which led him to embarrassment. Coming to the judges house
became often. Then he realized he was in love with Julia in spite his engagement with
Esperanza. Climax After the procession for The Lady Of Sorrows Alfredo caught up with Julia. It
was when Julia found out about Alfredos 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 didnt 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. Denouement
Alfredo and Esperanza got 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,Julias hometown. He
went to Julias house and he found her there. Still unmarried. And he realized that his love for
Julia was like a Dead Star. It was nonexistent.
Point of View
Third Person Point of View 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 to tell
us. Wecan see the thoughts and feelings of characters if the author chooses to reveal them to
us.
Evidences Carmen sighed impatiently. "Why is he not a bit more decided, I wonder. He is over
thirty, is he not? And still a bachelor! Esperanza must be tired waiting." "She does not seem to
be in much of a hurry either," Don Julian nasally commented, while his rose scissors busily
snipped away. "A last spurt of hot blood," finished the old man. He and Julia Salas stood looking
out into the she quiet night. Sensing unwanted intensity, laughed, woman-like, asking,
"Amusement?"
Conflict
Man vs. Circumstances In the story, Alfredo struggles against his fate and the circumstances of
life and love facing him. He needs to face problems in choosing between difficult choices of his
life.
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.

The Chieftest Mourner

By Aida Rivera
Character
Protagonist
Niece ,Uncle, Aunt Sophia,
Antagonist
Esa ( the other woman)
Setting
It predominant in a sense that it all happen in the wake that all of the actions and
emotions of the characters. The first person is used as the point of view wherein the
narrator is a character in the story. The narrator uses the first - person pronouns I and
me. By Aida Rivera Ford
Theme
The general theme is a story with a focal point focused on love and innocence in the
context of death. The underlying theme is the disloyalty of people through their love
ones.
Summary
This is a short story authored by Aida Rivera Ford. The story is all about the death of the
narrators uncle. It is a story with a focal point focused on love and innocence in the
context of death. At the establishing point of the story, the first story lines already shows
a tint of innocence and simplicity but the gloomy tone of the story is already felt. The
situation is just a very typical scenario in the Philippines but through the writers prolific
used of diction and imagery a common situation is turned into something new a work
of art. But what will move most of the readers is the authors command of language and
smooth flow of situations.
Climax
When the other woman make a scandal and fought by words with the legal wife
Conflict
The story shows the conflict between the couples and the legal wife and the second
wife of the poet.

Wedding Dance
By Amador Daguio
Summary
Awiyao and Lumnay were husband and wife for seven years, but now the husband has to
marry another woman, Madulimay, because Lumnay was not able to give him a child. (In their
culture in the mountains during those times, having a child to follow after the husbands name
was a must.)
On the night of the wedding, Awiyao goes to his and Lumnays house to personally invite
her to the traditional wedding dance. However, Lumnay, the best dancer in the entire tribe,
refuses to go. Then, during their conversation, it is revealed that both of them still love each
other, but because of their tribes custom, they have to separate.
Awiyao goes back to the wedding, to the wedding dance, after being fetched by some
friends. Lumnay wants to follow, partly because of the dance, and partly because she wants to
put a stop to their tribes tradition of having to marry another partner just to have a child.
III. SHORT STORY ELEMENTS
A. CHARACTERS
1. Lumnay a woman who was left by her husband because he had to marry another woman/
Developing
2. Awiyao- the husband stated above / Flat
3. Madulimay Awiyaos new wife / Flat
B. PLOT - Linear
a) Introduction
The story opens with Awiyao entering his and Lumnays house.
b) Rising Action
Things start to heat up when Lumnay says she does not want any other man.
c) Climax
There is more intensity when Awiyao says he does not want any other woman.
d)

Falling action

But they both have to follow their tribes tradition.

e)

Denouement

Awiyao has to go back to the wedding dance.

C. SETTING
a) place in the mountains somewhere in the Philippines
b) time- a long time ago
c) weather conditions- fine
d) social conditions- lower-class
e) mood or atmosphere- sad and tense
D. POINT OF VIEW
The Point of View used in this short story is the Omniscient Limited - 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 to tell us. We can see the thoughts and feelings of
characters if the author chooses to reveal them to us.
E. LITERARY DEVICES
For me, there is an extensive use of the literary device Symbolism. There are many
symbols here, and these are the darkness, the houses four walls, the smoldering embers, and
the beads. The darkness symbolizes how the two lead characters feel. Meanwhile, the houses
walls symbolize the former couples imprisonment. The smoldering embers that become
glowing coals symbolize the love that both of them still feel towards each other. Finally, the
beads symbolize Awiyaos great love for Lumnay even if she was not able to give him a child.
F. THEME
In my opinion, the theme True love never dies is applicable to this story.
G. CONFLICT
The conflict here is Man vs. Society. The lead characters have to follow their tribes
custom

The Virgin
By Kerima Polotan Tuvera

Based on the short story, the various personalities that the main character named Miss
Mijares showcased were her stiff and aloof behavior wherein her superiority to herself
makes her unfriendly and detached to other people. Also her attitude when it comes to
dealing with people wherein she often humiliates them by asking them questions with
regards to their standing in the society. Moreover, her life was effusively based on caring
for her ailing mother and putting to school her niece thus, her realization to herself when
it comes to her own personal life such as love and marriage was eluded. Miss Mijares is
a thirty-four-year-old woman who works at a job placement agency wherein her
perspective in life has put her into a situation of helping first her family before herself.
The major problems that Miss Mijares encountered in the story was the death of her
mother wherein she mourned on that very day kneeding her mothers flesh and
struggling to keep herself strong which also changed her ideals in life which made her
superiority as a women more resilient.

Character

Ms. Mijares (Born on December 16, 1925)

She was a renowned and highly respected fictionist, essayist, and journalist.
She graduated from the Far Eastern University Girls' High School In 1944, she enrolled
in the University of the Philippines School of Nursing, but the Battle of Manila put a halt
to her studies She taught at the Arellano University in Manila where she had taken up
writing courses.
The Carpenter - he applied in the agency where Ms. Mijares worked. He was the one
who fulfill Ms. Mijares desire.

Setting

Settings 1950's

Summary

Ms. Mijares - she is a virgin who spent most of her life caring for her mother.
She like to wear ruffled and pastel-colored clothes. She wants to be loved and to get
married. It is just a normal day for Miss Mijares, a 34 year old woman who works at job
placement agency. A man seeking for a job entered her office and gave his documents.
Miss Mijares handed out a sheet for the man to answer. She then told the man that she
will go out and will be back. She went to the cafeteria and sat alone. Thoughts filled her
mind and realized to her disappointment that love and marriage have eluded her. Miss
Mijares is past her youth, she have spent most of her adult life caring for her mother and
putting her niece to school. When she returned to her office, she looked at the mans
resume. She assigned the man to work at the woodcraft section and discussed with him
his schedule of work and salary. One day, Miss Mijares came by the woodcraft section
to check on the workers. She asked Ato, her foreman about the salary of the man and
found out that he was only receiving three pesos. She argued to give him the extra
peso, but Ato agreed only to give the half, three-fifty. The man approached Miss Mijares
to thank her. The new carpenter was absent for a week. When the man returned, Miss
Mijares talked to him. The man explained himself, and told her that his son died. This
surprised Miss Mijares because she thought he was not married. The man explained
himself calmly telling Miss Mijares that he was not married to the boys mother. Miss
Mijares expressed that he should have told them everything because their lives are their
business. Because of anger, she just looked away. It raining and past six when Miss
Mijares left the office. "Love is an unselfish feeling in which everything is shared and

sacrificed" She flagged a jeep and got in, the carpenter jumped in after. The driver
stopped the vehicle and told the passengers that they have to get down because it is
how far the jeepney is going. Miss Mijares stepped down and the carpenter confronted
her. The two find themselves stranded on an unknown street in the rain, and Miss
Mijares allows herself to be led by her feelings for the carpenter and responds to his
invitation.

PROJECT
IN
PHILIPPINE
LITERATURE

Submitted By:
Kristian Apple Robles
BS.CRIMINOLOGY 4th Year

Submitted to:
Maam Santos