Dead Stars (my essay)
September 6, 2005The story of Dead Stars, written by Paz Marquez Benitez in 1925, revolves around love among three people: Alfredo, Esperanza, and Julia.
Alfredo Salazar, a lawyer on his early thirties then, was betrothed to Esperanza, whom he loved so much in his youth–Esperanza, who was beautiful, reserved, elegant, and distinctly not average. They were about to be wedded the following month, May, after about four years of engagement, although Alfredo seemed uncertain of his real wants. It is not to mean though that Alfredo is afraid to commit. He just fell in love with another woman on the six weeks preceding his and Esperanza’s matrimony.
The woman he fell in love with was a visitor to their town. He first met her when he decided to do some “neighboring” with his father, Don Julian, in Judge Del Valle’s house. It was not in his nature to do such, but perhaps out of fate, he allowed himself to be swayed. He seemed to have no regrets about it. Not when he met Julia Salas, Judge Del Valle’s sister-in-law.
They have found themselves in good company since. It was always a moment to cherish for both, particularly for Alfredo, that since then, he had been making the “neighboring” thing a habit. Each Sunday, instead of waiting for his girl (Esperanza) after mass, he was engrossed in giving his newfound love a visit.
Julia had given him new life. He admits the fact that he was incomparably happier with Julia than with Esperanza, but it is, too, a pain for him to hurt his fiancée. Julia is unlike Esperanza in more ways, one being that she was certainly less beautiful (physically) than her. It may be that, but she possesses some traits Alfredo found distinctively hers, and which traits that really caught him off the hook.
Those six weeks had gone too fast, although they were also full of meaning and of sweetness on the whole. Alfredo knew that he was giving Julia something he was not free to give, but he was “on all fours” in love that he lived only to the where he was, and lived it intensely with her beloved. He found it easy being with her, so easy that he could forget his worries about how the world would meddle him when they knew–Esperanza particularly.
Julia had been similarly enfolded with joy being with Alfredo, but his place was not home to her. One time while they were at the beach, a part of Don Julian’s farm, she told him of her parents’ wish for her to come home for the Holy Week. Before she left she told him of Calle Luz, a street in Santa Cruz where their house was situated, and also out of Alfredo’s insistence.
It was a heavy while for Alfredo— love, bewilderment, and pain altogether. If he were freer, he knew he would have decisively married Julia. But the circumstances just did not seem to allow such a chance. He struggled with the pain of having to choose between something he wanted to do against something he should do. Like he said, he wanted to be fair to himself first, but it is difficult. He would’ve wanted to do otherwise, but as he said, “there is a point where a thing escapes us and rushes downward of its own weight, dragging us along. Then it is foolish to ask whether one will or will not, because it no longer depends on him.” For his case, one, he was engaged with another woman for so long a time that to throw it all away in a snap would not only raise many eyebrows, but would crush Esperanza’s heart into pieces. Second, although he wouldn’t have wanted so, it was time for Julia to go back to her home place, far away from Alfredo’s.
In the end, we have flashed forward to eight years, and we realize that Alfredo had not chosen to act on his feelings and pursue Julia. Instead, he had chosen to marry his fiancée. He was not unhappy in his marriage; in fact he found his life to have simply ordered itself. But the thought of Julia, should he have chosen her, was haunting him like wildfire. She and their brief colorful past were always on his mind, although he did not want to linger on those thoughts, for those thoughts were memories too painful and futile that one prefers to just forget. By chance, he was having a trip to Santa Cruz in connection to his being a lawyer, where he had the opportunity to visit Julia. He wanted to resist the temptation, but it was distracting him to a certain extent. Finally, he found Calle Luz. He found her house, and was certain indeed that she was sitting at the window of it. He was right. Considering eight years, he found that Julia hasn’t really changed much. They had a little chat, where he knew that he missed sitting opposite her, missed being with her simply, and looking thoughtfully into her fine dark eyes. Overall, it was almost the same as yesterday. Almost. Yes, something was incredibly missing– a very significant one, but he could not seem to figure it out. He wanted so much to realize that he tried and held her hand before leaving to see. And then he knew. There was essentially a significant thing missing—there was no magic.
That hold didn’t quite much draw him in. He was, in fact, emotionless as a clod. He found out that whether or not she still cared, it barely bothered him anymore. His love for Julia, once like the stars, once bringing about him a feeling of exuberance, emotion almost devoid of any sadness, almost free, passionately beautiful, but too far from his reach that he could only will to live on it alone in his thoughts; to dream. They were unreachable stars he had been trying to cling to, and long for. And why not, when in those times that he was with her, he was a completely different person– renewed perhaps, but it was something he loved and enjoyed of himself. Now, those were only living jewels of the past, some memoirs he could always go back to and reminisce with. Past. He thought they were still there, but they died on themselves with time without his knowing. He adhered too much to those dreams he hardly noticed that it was through. His love for Julia, after eight years, is still like the stars, but those whose lives have long exhausted and passed away—dead stars.
Apparently, “he had been seeing the light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens.”
Realizing that left him lost, hollow, empty, home sick. But fortunately for him, he realized he was only in love with the idea of love, and was not really in love with Julia, afterall.
Dead Stars - just like Alfredo, a lot of us see them in our “heaven” of thoughts. Sometimes we feel as if the feeling is still there, that in one moment during our present, we recall these memories that had packed our past emotions with a sky of rainbows, enough to make us feel in love and hurt all in a short while. These dead stars are “things we remember occasionally, not solely because of the other person, but because of who we were at the time. The other person doesn’t even play a big part in the production anymore; he or she is just a character, a supporting role. The main attraction is how it made us feel, the relationship, the emotions involved.” (Caravaggio, www.peyups.com)
The story reflects a lot of things: one being that even if we have the free will, sometimes we have to ride to where society demands of us to ride onto. Alfredo certainly was concerned of his social status–the what-would-people-say idea. Apart from that, he was also trying to be a gentleman, which is just, in fact, reasonable for the time setting. People of the past, the Filipinos to be straight, are conservative and traditional. It is in our roots to be concerned of what society will speak of us with regards to our actions. That was why Alfredo had chosen Esperanza – it was undoubtedly out of duty, and not out of love. He felt he had to “do” it, or he’ll risk his relationship with his family, Esperanza’s family, the neighbors perhaps, and many other relationships. He may have had no regrets about it, actually he wasn’t unhappy with his marriage, but it wasn’t said that he was happy either. He have found his life to have no more struggles, no more stirring up of emotions that got a man nowhere precisely because there were no ringing confusions on his head, no more prying eyes he was constantly worried about while he was out spending time with Julia. The society had simply silenced itself, because there was nothing to query about. What it expects of him, he did—end of story.
Yet also, another bell was ringing on his mind. Supposed there would be no threatening complications, it is clear that it would be Julia. In his heart, he knew it would have been her. It was what he wanted to do, against marrying her fiancée, which is what he should do. So, that, all these “ringings” affected his relationship with his wife. He may have been kind to her, gentle, even tender, but he was always immeasurably far away, beyond her reach.
If the setting of the story were in the 21st century, still there’d be neighbors whispering–that does not change– but people will care less. It is something included in the list of “normal occurrences” today. No severe shock – people are used to broken engagements, run-away grooms or brides, broken marriages, even divorce. These situations have become more acceptable in the society today.
Sometimes, one really has to consider the voice of the society. All because this “society” includes our family, our parents especially, relatives, our peers, friends, significant others or any, who we still need to live life. These are people who will be affected, be it on the first degree, second and following–the thing is, they will get affected with our decisions. It may be ideal that we include their voice in decision-making situations just to be fairer.
But also, one must never forget his voice – his heart’s voice to be exact. I always believe that one does not really have to always conform to the society with regards to how he will act upon a certain issue, most especially if the issue is love.
If I were Alfredo, despite all the complications and consequences it will bear, I will choose to defy society. I will choose Julia, and not be a pretender. To pretend brings about pain that could get stern as time goes by. Despite the time setting, or even the place setting, I say it is in my nature to give 70% consideration to my heart when love is the matter. Why? Because the “feeling” of love itself originates from the heart, therefore, it deserves to be given a greater chance to speak. Time? Love cannot be measured by time. One could even fall in love in a day! Six weeks is fair enough. It is possible to fall in love in a span of six weeks; it happens. Am I not afraid of a mistake? No. Everyone commits mistakes. If the love I felt was not love afterall, like what Alfredo discovered in the end, it is always worth the discovery. But also, given that I can be with Julia, could simply nourish more the little love we had. At the very least, I do not have to deal with the what-if’s dilemma through the years of my life. And we would have been happier.
Clearly, the most practical thing to do was marry my fiancée. But love, for me, and from the situations I have seen and encountered in my life, does not go hand in hand with practicality. One somehow, has to do some battling with the odds. And if one decides to join the battle, he is absolutely not being practical.
It does not matter to me if being with the one I love, (in the story’s case, Julia) means becoming a social outcast. Choosing Julia is certainly not punishable by law, and it doesn’t mean that if I choose her we will be exiled. Even so, the world is big, and there will always be a place where we could be, away from the snooping eyes of society, even if that place is new and totally strange to us. The significant thing is, each and every day I could go home to my lover’s arms. No matter where in the world that is, it will always be home as long as she is there.
It may be a fight so long and stressing, a combat against all odds, but that is what my heart tells me – to ready my spear and fight if I have to; and that I will positively obey – no matter what the cost.
Paz Marquez Benitez’ work is a story of the sheen of love long faded, though still glimpsed as shining; an alluring romantic story about having to choose between someone one has known for so short a time, but have loved him and still loves him in the present, and the one he has loved in the past, and have known for such a considerable time. It is almost like a game of love; Alfredo, Esperanza and Julia being the players, and the other faculties as the audience, including readers, crossing fingers on what happens next, on who would win.
So who did win among the three?
Alfredo Salazar will never be the winner. First, he was always the one “juggling” in the story – always hurt and confused. The fact that he was not able to make the choices he wanted to make is an indication that he is not the one. He was not able to marry the woman that he loved, or discover more the woman he wants to be with. He chose Esperanza because it was impossible to do otherwise. It was to satisfy the call of society, and because he was just being a gentleman. In the end, as well, we recognize that he was seeing dead stars. He thought he was still in love with Julia, but finds out sooner through a hold that he isn’t anymore. It was another loss he experienced – that mere actuality has robbed him of his dream.
Alfredo chose Esperanza, does that make her the winner? Definitely not. If one is married for any reason but love, he or she will never be joyous. Of course, love can never be born out of training; love is born out of itself, and it just happens. The fact though, that Alfredo was much too curved with his past made him an almost stranger to his wife–someone who may be near and tangible but seems so far away. It is a pain for any woman to experience such from a man she loves, not to mention if he is her husband.
Julia cannot be called a victor, too. She was not chosen by her love and that is a matter for losing. Knowing that someone you love is with somebody else, regardless if he does or does not love that woman, is killing. If ever Julia knew that she was whom Alfredo would have wanted to be with for the rest of his life, which I think she knew, it surely hurts her that he was not so courageous in giving their love a fight. There was not even a chance of winning because in the beginning yet, one of them has surrendered.
Hence, nobody really won in that “game” of love. It was all about losing in the end. And for me certainly, it was a loss out of the wrong choices made, wide of the mark decisions. But also, it is a part of the human weakness – we all get wrong once in a while. The thing for the story is, no matter how much love we get lost at, there is always redemption. For these dead stars, they will always be there to bring us back to the past, make us feel things over and over again. But, we have to recognize the past from the present, and certainly, where we should be, where we have to live, should be in the present. We have to learn to let go if need be, or else we’ll find ourselves feeling empty and as if we have lost something significant. In short, no matter how much of our stars die, life must always go on.
And best, we must never let those dead stars turn into black holes.
Previous Comments
[1] hey nikki! thanks for appreciating my essay. 
and good that it helped u out. dead stars is my favorite when it comes to filipino lit..makes me proud that i'm one
Thanks for the essay, have a big test tom it really helped
Posted by shad0wfax at March 12, 2007, 10:56 pmTo “greenleaf”:
Thank u so much for summarizing and interpreting “The Dead Stars”!! =)
I got some good ideas on your work!!
it really helped me a lot wid my assingment..
Keep on doing the good work!!
God bless!
To “greenleaf”:
Thank u so much for summarizing and interpreting “The Dead Stars”!! =)
I got some good ideas on your work!!
it really helped me a lot wid my assingment..
Keep on doing the good work!!
God bless!
-Ereka-
Posted by Ereka at March 20, 2007, 3:25 pmThankx all for your comments! I am really glad that posting Dead Stars here has helped all of you in your studies! =)
Posted by greenleaf at March 20, 2007, 6:56 pmGreenLeaf,
Thanks for this essay. I admit, it helped me understand “Dead Stars” more. 
Dyei
Posted by Dyei at June 24, 2007, 6:38 amYour interpretation and comments are quite helpful in my understanding of the story. I did not fully grasp the comparison of the title Dead Stars to the main character’s situation until I read your interpration. Thank you. Now I know why Alfredo’s infatuation for Julia are like the Dead Stars.
Posted by rainsford at July 30, 2007, 12:44 amhi
i was never really interested in filipino-made shortstories… i just read them because i have to… but on this one, it’s nice… though it was written a long time ago, it still reflects the filipinos of today. but to tell you honestly, i read it two times just to get the whole point of it (well, ok, not the whole, but the most) because it’s kinda “literary” that you really have to read through your heart (geez, can’t believe i’m saying this).
anyway, greenleaf, thanks a lot. you’ve been a great help.
take care!
~~sabby
Posted by sabby at August 16, 2007, 11:31 pmi read this short story a million years ago in my phil lit class in up diliman…=) thanks for making me remember..it’s one of my favorites!
Posted by ivy ann cullantes-de mesa at September 5, 2007, 1:39 pmhi….thanks for your essay. it really helped me a lot in interpreting this particular text of paz marquez banitez, for our report.
God bless!!!!!
Posted by mimi at September 12, 2007, 10:03 amThanks to greenleaf
you helped us a lot and you really made our presentation of this story very meaningful.
thanks again.
Posted by soulfly at September 13, 2007, 9:09 pmhellow there!!!…
wow!u amazed me!..I have understood the story because of your essay!!thanks a lot!..keep up the good work…..
god bless…
Posted by cacay at September 17, 2007, 10:21 pmthanks everyone! I appreciate your thoughts. I am more than happy to be of help to you.
..hehe..it’s good to know that someone also loves it the way i do.
i admire you greenleaf..you’re such a genius..
Posted by kornukopia at September 30, 2007, 11:12 amWow.. this essay is so nice.. uhmm.. no.. words cant describe how nice it is.. nyaha!
well.. it really help me..
ur gud, i mean excellent!
kip on writing essays..
i found this blog of urs, wen im searching bout this story..
well.. tnx nwe..
Posted by lady_mica at October 5, 2007, 5:10 pmthanks everyone! I wish I can thank each one of you personally for posting your comments. This essay has been my widely-read entry for my record, and I still feel overwhelmed that I actually wrote this thing 2 years ago and it’s still alive, helping you guys. I couldn’t be more thankful and happy.
Thank you! Gracias!
Posted by greenleaf at October 7, 2007, 9:58 amYou did help another person. Yeah! It was me. Thank you for sharing us your views and it really help us. Thank You very much!
Posted by hackproofcarlo at October 8, 2007, 2:32 amHi!, thank u 4 posting hir ur essay. its so nice coz it help me a lot in my report.. hope ul be posting more so dat u can help student lyk me..
greenleaf…. thx a lot… it helped me alot in my phil.lit. work… thx thx
Posted by jp at December 16, 2007, 9:19 amelow!!! can u made a exposition, raising action, climax, falling action and resolution in the story dead stars??
Posted by jeff at December 18, 2007, 3:48 pmthank you very much for this site…..
i just solve my problem-to finish my proj….
thanks a lot
at last!! you know what, it took me so long searching all about this story,..thank god i found your site finally!!
i have a report after the holiday and im running out of time.
hope you can help me, im not that good in literature,i still need the symbols or archetypes used to this “dead stars” thank you so much! hope you can help me.
Posted by nica at December 27, 2007, 10:09 pmg’day. tnx a lot 4 ds essay u had pose here! 8s a great help 4 me in my report! God Bless….
Posted by maryrose at January 8, 2008, 3:06 pmi’m in great awe with the essay that u made Ü
i just solved my problem regarding how I should explain this short story to my classmates when I report it. Gb
you are truly blessed with the gift of writing. it doesn’t have to be intricate, as long as it’s understandable, then it’s good enough. people tend to over do it at times. thank you so much for your essay. would you consider doing “sunset” by Paz satrena aswell?
Posted by alex at January 16, 2008, 7:42 pmgreat, this essay helped me understand the story which i read for 3 days now… T_T
we have a test tom on this, and i tink i can get a perfect with this PERFECT knowledge you’ve given us… thanks alot! =D
more power! =D
Posted by Chris at January 16, 2008, 7:44 pmhey greenleaf,.. i was assigned to report “Dead Stars”, and it’s really hard 4me to understand this one., but with ur help, i think i can easily share this story to the whole class.,thank u so much,. ur so great.. God bLess You..,
Posted by sheena at January 20, 2008, 3:36 pmthanks for the essay. It really helped me in my Philippine literature subject. Hehehe we are currently discussing about “dead stars”. And your essay really helped. Thank you.
Posted by paris at January 24, 2008, 2:29 pmhey, thanks all..i’ve been really busy i’m unable to update this site thanks for all the nice comments..glad to have helped you all
re alex - I haven’t heard about “Sunset” by Paz Satrena Aswell. Mind giving me a copy?
Posted by greenleaf at January 24, 2008, 6:33 pmhellow!! i just wanna say that your essay is great! I thought that dead stars was again another boring story.. but after i read your article dead stars now is one of my favorites.. I liked how you explain their hidden feelings, i REALLY can relate to them..
Posted by achie at January 30, 2008, 7:22 pmhey thank u very much for this wonderful essay!!! nd i rily mean wonderful!!! it wud help me a lot in our report about dis story…tnx a lot! i didn’t get dat deep thought d first time i read d story…now it’s quite clear 2 me…i now got the meaning of “dead stars” (it’s our assignment)…TNX A LOT!!!
I really liked your interpretation. Thank you for explaining this literary material. I can say that it’s very nice, your interpretation speaks true of the story’s worth. My stars are not dead anymore, I have found light in your essay. Keep it up!
Posted by Himechan at February 7, 2008, 5:51 pmHEY GREENLEAF.. TNX SO MUCH FOR UR ESSAY, IT DIDNT ONLY HELP ME DO MY REPORT, BUT ALSO IN UNDERSTANDING A SITUATION LIKE THIS… TNX.. THIS TOO HAS BECOME MY FAVORITE FILIPINO LIT…
,\/,,
hai slmt!!nkahanp din aq ng story ng dead star!! dme q na pinunthng site,,!amp!! d2 lng pla..!kso ang hba nmn!!tskk!btw!! tnku ult..!
Posted by friti clodz castillo at February 14, 2008, 12:58 amhiyey! i understand it now… domo!
Posted by ji at February 18, 2008, 3:47 pmthanks for that wonderful insight. i appreciated it and it helps me too, to appreciate this literary piece!
Posted by allan at February 20, 2008, 10:25 amthank you
Posted by marissa at February 29, 2008, 4:20 pmthanks a lot, green leaf…
this essay of yours helped me gather ideas for my term paper in my Literature class…U
It shitz . . i cant fing the summary of this story many million years ago . . I really need the summary so that i can read it any where any time . . lolz
Posted by blair at April 10, 2008, 11:29 amnice
Posted by rere at April 10, 2008, 7:57 pmi LoVe tHe paCkaGe oF w0rds…and tHe tH0uGhts t0o….
i reaLLy LeaRnEd to LiKe ‘dead stars’…thankS t0 y0u…you know wHat? you really inspired me…
..h0pE u cAn c0MmEnt on an0tHer pHiLippiNe LitErary w0rk too…
Posted by Pinky at May 2, 2008, 1:14 amthanks man for doin such essay. it helped me a lot for my literature studies. Godspeed and more power..
thanks a lot…
you are such a nice person..
it was really help me in my study..
keep it up
i love it!!!!
god bless
Posted by Shane at May 24, 2008, 7:50 amoi greenleaf-sama
hihi…this essay, of course like others, helped me a lot. so thanks. keep up the good deeds..
oh btw! while reading this, i thought perhaps that you’re a writer yourself…are you?
(’_') \/m
so thanks again and GL
Posted by patch_piece at June 14, 2008, 5:52 pmi just love this..
alfredo
julis
esperanza
I like JULIA SALAS
i am!
nice essay…. its so great…
Posted by ruth at June 24, 2008, 6:58 pmthank you for making me understand the story.
reading what you think of it makes it even more interesting and easier.
wow.. after how many years of looking out for the summary of this story,,finally,, i found it.. whoah,,,this really helped me out working on my assignment.. thanks a lot..
Posted by alen sanga at July 24, 2008, 6:50 pmI’m glad to find this essay you wrote It really gave me a great start Now I’m not so lazy to read the not-so-short short story. Hehe
now i’m ready for my exam. . hehehe >:) tnx!!!
Posted by jeimz at August 4, 2008, 8:05 pmYour essay helped me a lot.
TYSM! 
hey guys, can u help me about the dead star, i want to know evrything about it. please share to me your idea about it.. simple but precise… thanks a lot guys.. this is my email add. lexteralimagno@yahoo.. godbless
Posted by lexter at August 14, 2008, 10:19 pmwow!!! its amazing, you are a good critic…
it is simple yet so informative.
salamat!!!!!!!!!!!!
eu man sana
youe essay had been a great help ^^,
astigon ka po..i like your essay.it helps me a lot on our phil.lit.thanks poh.:)
Posted by cla at August 20, 2008, 6:30 pmthankz for your essay it really help me ^^,) Godbless!
Posted by lhay at August 22, 2008, 12:35 amtnx for d essay it helped me and my frends on our structural analysis in literature…i’m having a headache already searching for a site that can help me…and thank God!i saw urs…god bless!
Posted by tin at August 24, 2008, 8:45 pmwow its a nice story. I found out the essence of the story. Through this essay, I understand so much. tnx. I love this story, hehehe.. i can relate this.
tnx. god bless……..
Posted by mafmaf at September 1, 2008, 5:16 pmthe best..
thanks for the essay now i understand the story….
God Bless you!
nice essay…u save my life..im looking for a good essay and i see one because of you and your essay
Posted by damian gonzago at September 17, 2008, 6:15 pmhi! ang ganda po ng essay niyo… malaking tulong po sa report ka sa philippine literature. mas naintindihan ko na po yung story:)
Posted by sandy at September 20, 2008, 6:17 pmsalamat po.you’re really god at this.;-)
Posted by emma vidad at October 9, 2008, 10:49 amNicely put.
..,thanks for your essaY..,
..,it really helped me a lot.., after reading the original story.., i am really confused about a lot of things.., but after reading your essay.., i got the answers to my questions in mind..,
:) Godbless
Posted by Sanica at October 13, 2008, 10:35 pmallo! thanks for your very helpful essay! at last I was able to really like it. Now I know my interpretation of the story is correct, ahihi!
I love your essay. =) nicely done!
Gained understanding. :]
Posted by Abie at October 20, 2008, 11:59 amMy lazy-ass boyfriend needs a report on a Filipino short story. Dead Stars is a favorite of mine, so naturally I decided to use this. I’m like his ghost-writer. I couldnt find my original analysis of the story, and Im glad I found this one. Thank you so much! This is very very helpful.
This story just goes to show how we immerse ourselves in our memories too much that we forget to live in the present.
Thanks again!
Posted by A.N. g.f. of J.R. lazy boy at October 22, 2008, 9:23 pmmao nay gugma nga wala mapagawas…..
Posted by jane lee at November 8, 2008, 3:43 pmyour essay enlightens me on some aspect of the story…
thanx a lot(–)
Posted by gizelle at November 8, 2008, 3:48 pmgreenleaf,
thank u for this informative essay.
like what others had said, it really help me understand the story.
i hope i could compose also a good one. you’re a good interpreter and a writer and a critic.
you amazed me. i don’t really have much interest on the story because it’s very descriptive ( and i know that it’s how the short story goes but i don’t really have time to digest each word). it was well written by Paz Binetez, and you really somehow ‘translate’ it well. i guess i wouldn’t be clueless with our discussions this tuesday. Thanks.
Posted by gysyl at November 16, 2008, 4:23 pmhey thank you very much for this essay. this really, really really helped me a lot in my report.. thanks. hope you can add another essay which is related to phil. literature with confusing analysis.. jeje..
Posted by phoebe at November 21, 2008, 10:30 amgreenleaf,,,,
thank you very much for your essays of dead stars.. it really helps me to understand the summary instead of reading it all…
Keep up the good work nice one!!!!
God Bless you….
Posted by emjhey at November 26, 2008, 12:59 amhello!!!!
I really like the way you stated your opinions regarding the story and how you simplified it into a very comprehensible one!!!! Thanks a lot for helping me anyway…
Hope u’ll write more…
I salute you!!!
nice. it made me cry. kidding. i love it totally understandable. (tears of joy)
Posted by pr at December 4, 2008, 9:32 ambonjour.^^
i read Dead Stars about two years ago *in high school, and i didn’t really get the idea of the story.
and just recently, my prof in eng lit told us again about this short story by Paz Benitez.
when i read your essay, i was amazed.
it is so detailed and i guess you really know much about the story.
i like your essay. really.
you make the story more interesting.^^
merci beaucoup for your essay.
i was able to understand and appreciate Dead Stars.^^
hey! i love your essay!.its amazing..so cool
i can really relate to what you are saying..thanks a lot for your intelligent thoughts!.god bless
tnx greenleaf 4 this nice essay u’vd reli help me a lot to understnd what’s the mystery enveloping this short story the dead stars..
Posted by ashley at December 13, 2008, 3:41 pmi like your essay!..
it helps me to really understand the text..
thanks! god bless you!
Posted by joy at January 7, 2009, 9:08 pmi’ll be having my exam in my literature subject for prelims later. Your essay helped me to understand it better…thank you!
Posted by Psychman! at January 8, 2009, 2:12 pmhey nice summary…but can you send me the plot….thnx
Posted by michael at January 9, 2009, 10:04 amnice essay.
i really was getting worried about not finishing my assignment, but with your essay i finished it up. thanks!
wow.! very nice.,=]
it’s a big help., i finished my assignment in literature.,
thanks a lot.!=]
Posted by kawaii17 at January 11, 2009, 4:29 pmas i read your essay my only purpose is to have an overview of the story for our midterm…. but suddenly as i read more from ur texts tears eventually flow from my face as i felt all the emotions and heartfull words you said.
tnx a lot ur such a wonderful writer how i I wish to meet you and listen more to ur words ^^
always takecare tnx again… u touch my heart
Posted by Johnny at January 12, 2009, 3:25 amtHanKs fOr tHis oNe
it reaLly heLped me uNdersTand the sTory..
pRepared enOugh for tomrW’s disCussion..
Godbless! =)
Posted by ena at January 12, 2009, 11:02 pm“green leaf”
thanks a lot for this essay/article. not only ive understand fully the text but i was also moved by your conclusions. those things you wrote there is something i wont think of. so, it really helped. how i hoped that i wud be reading more of your essays = essays with life-changing conclusions. it helped me a lot on my studies and tomorrow i wont be that worried for my exam. how i wished i would be able to read something like this for my the prince and the pauper analysis. but anyways, thanks of your help. thanks a lot.
wOw!.. So Great!!.. I love it… Thanks!… incredible essay..
Posted by dAna at January 15, 2009, 9:46 pma big help. really. thanks for this one!
thank you for the essay. i had a wider understanding of the text…
baduy toh…………..
Posted by irwin at January 22, 2009, 9:07 amamazing. . .I admire how you were able to loosen the stands. .Now I.m beginning to get curious who you are. . hehehe. .anyways thanks a lot. . I appreciate your essay so much and the story of course. .continue doing so. . God Bless!
Posted by ivory at January 27, 2009, 12:43 pmamazing. . .I admire how you were able to loosen the strands. .Now I.m beginning to get curious who you are. . hehehe. .anyways thanks a lot. . I appreciate your essay so much and the story of course. .continue doing so. . God Bless!
Posted by ivory at January 27, 2009, 12:43 pmtnx for this one……i wud not get zero in our quiz next day cuz i understnd a lot through this….tnx…
Posted by marie at January 27, 2009, 4:33 pmhehehehe…
haisssttt tnx sa online na toh.. tintamad xe me n mgbasa ng agkahba hba e,,, biruin mo short story n nga, ang haba hba p.. it is so complicated… waaahhhh nka2windang… but by this i understand the story..
tnxxxxxxxx
Posted by djaye at January 27, 2009, 5:46 pmwow.. salamat sa napakagandang mong essay, nakatulong sa report ko mamaya.. wow thanks tlaga.. :’) ang galing mO. gnda din ng story superr.. thanks for posting this. i’m sure maramii kang natulungan sa naisulat mo..
thanks.. :p
Posted by ******************deerEiin^^, at January 31, 2009, 2:19 amgood way of summarizing the story
BUT i disagree w/ almost everything you said on your opinion And i stop reading when i saw
- “Because the âfeelingâ of LOVE ITSELF ORIGINATES FROM THE HEART, therefore, it deserves to be given a greater chance to speak” -
the statement is false especially the ‘all caps’ Love originates from the mind, Ever hear of hypothalamus?
love it
Posted by ellysa at February 3, 2009, 1:01 amthe author is the grandmother of the president of MIRIAM COLLEGE
:)
trivia
tnx a lot for putting this story!
goodspeed! this my report.
ur so nice..
tnx for the info..
Thanks for this essay!!.. i will be able to finish my paper.. thanks!!
Posted by terrence at February 25, 2009, 8:49 amsuper!! thanks for this essay.. i would be able to finish my project and pass it earlier than it should be!!
Posted by ann at March 8, 2009, 4:22 pmthanks for this brilliant essay!
it seems like you made an interview with Paz so you got it all right,
i just got very confuse…when our professor said that Alfredo was effeminate character.
gosh!
*or am I making any sense here?
Posted by ahgie at March 16, 2009, 11:37 pm@ commis: in science, it does (please dont count the author as dumb as u say because the essay doesnt seem dumb to me!) - dont forget this is literature. and more often than not love in lit is always related to the heart. heart not as in part of the body but something we all acknowledge as one essential part of being human.
yes nice work! hehehe
Posted by kirara at April 13, 2009, 3:41 pm“Realizing that left him lost, hollow, empty, home sick. But fortunately for him, he realized he was only in love with the idea of love, and was not really in love with Julia, afterall.”
I’m confused with this. I thought he was really in love with her.
–
@ Commis - “the statement is false especially the ‘all caps’ Love originates from the mind, Ever hear of hypothalamus? ”
^ I think the author was referring to his statement figuratively.
Posted by siobhan at April 20, 2009, 6:55 pmi could very much relate myself to the story..sad ending..:c
Posted by 000 at April 24, 2009, 4:10 pmHaha, we have this really, really hard test in the Ateneo, and it includes this story. Thank you so much for the help! More power to you.
It has a sad ending, and your reasoning is cool that I almost found myself changing the position. I almost chose Julia. ) Oh well, thanks for the help again.
dear greenleaf, would you believe it’s almost been 4 years since you wrote that essay and my people still read it and thank you for writing it. i’d like to do the same.
greenleaf thank you for the summary it helped me a lot
:]
.! ei! ty tlga!. sa summary ng Dead stars.. ^^
Posted by Roxie! ^^ at July 29, 2009, 10:48 pmDear greenleaf,
your essay was our assingment in english first we find it difficult but when i saw your cite i felt essay because i can understand the shory we made our subject historical so as a student i thank you……
PASIG CATHOLIC COLLEGE (PCC)
Posted by Cruz026 at August 1, 2009, 11:34 amthanks to you and your essay..
you’ve helped me a lot..
now i understood the story..
reading the whole short story is exhausting and i really didn’t understand anything..
This really helps. I thank the one who wrote this essay. This is our project, making a short story analysis (but it’s kind of a book report na), about Dead Stars. I understand the story more deeply, despite the words that I could not understand in the story. (I have to effin’ read a paragraph twice, or consult the dictionary–which is getting dull every time–to understand the story. Which comes out, isn’t effective because I can’t really understand it). I’ve just learned from this that Alfredo doesn’t really love Julia, which he discovered in the end, according to this essay. SO THANKS A BUNCH! D
Oooohhh! I think Cruz026 (two essays above me) is also my classmate! And Maykah, no, it’s not an assignment. It’s a project. (as if she can read this pa.:)) Anyway, thanks again Greenleaf.
have a nice story
Posted by boicellio at August 3, 2009, 4:13 pmthanks. great essay.
Posted by mj at August 5, 2009, 1:53 pmdi ba cla nag sex d2?
Posted by x master at August 5, 2009, 8:43 pmhi….thanks for the essay u made…it really help me a lots…
Im from bicol…thanks again
Posted by john lean atutubo at August 6, 2009, 11:53 amnice!!! Thanks for the summary!!!
Posted by fndjfajdkfjadkslfjdklfjdjfa ;j k at August 18, 2009, 9:47 amcan you help me with my assignment in Phil. Lit? Just answer the following:
1. How will you describe Alfredo physically and socially?
2. How about Julia?
3. Choose which character you like from the story. Why?
4. List the characters in the story.
i need your answer now or tomorrow. Just e-mail me at jo_fourth@yahoo.com. Hoping for your answer!!! Thanks!!! You will be a great help!!!–
me 2. answer just rot here on this site…
Posted by EOL at August 18, 2009, 9:55 amis there a God?
Do you believe in evolution?
Is the Bible real?
Are we all sinners?
Do we have hope in this sinful world?
Find the answers to these tough questions by e-mailing me at jo_fourth@yahoo.com
Posted by amen at August 18, 2009, 10:00 amthank you very much for your great, and ispiring essay, regarding dead stars.. Dito ko lang tlga nagets ng todo ang kwento…tyvm =)
Posted by Julz at August 20, 2009, 3:06 pmi will reporting DEAD STAR so i read your essay now it was more clear to me so thank>> !!!
Posted by kelz at August 24, 2009, 5:44 pmamazing essay.thumbs up to you ^^
guess what? im thirteen.ur essay really helped me a lot. thnks
I have a problem. My classmates and I were asked to present a play for our subject Literature 3, and we choose “dead stars” for us to be portrayed since it’s the only Filipino Literature that we have discussed in school that has a very nice story, but the problem is, we find it hard to make a script for that particular play. I have search the net only to find out that there is nothing but summary of the story. I hope you could help me make a script for the play. Just send me a message at crimson_butterfly018@yahoo.com thank you very much.
Posted by kher at September 12, 2009, 10:11 pmi very like the statement of summary it made ume understand the story better.since i have rush reading. it’s an emergency. we have to discuss it to day this day i wrote.
Posted by cynthia claire alsola at September 16, 2009, 10:10 amHey thanks a lot. It surely had helped me to understand my report more. You’ve been a great help. =)
Posted by AleahHidaya at October 5, 2009, 9:00 pmNow I had a clearer understanding of my report in Phil. Lit. Thanks. =)
Posted by b.r. at October 8, 2009, 10:04 pm.gAnDa nG sToRy gRAbe…! hEhe mAkAkagAwa n cO nG fOrtfOlio cO bOUt d2 sA deAD sTAr…tNX to pAz mArQuEZ bEnitEs..ahAha.. tNX diN kAy pRof.ilAgan nG mARikinA pOlytEChniC cOlleGE..bEc.oF u i REally unDERStand tHe stOry…tNX…
Posted by -JHESa- at October 27, 2009, 7:45 pmnice
Posted by mm at November 2, 2009, 6:26 pmThanks for summarizing and sharing your thoughts about this story.. It really help us a lot. Thanks.
thank you
i love this essay, not for school purposes but my life is actually just like this short story of Benitez. =)
Posted by carmela at December 5, 2009, 8:59 pmasa ka pa dead stars nyo yang mga muka ninyo????????? computer nalang tayo para enjoy
Posted by calamba at December 16, 2009, 3:56 pmwooooohh!! I Labs U!!!
hahaha!!
galing galing ng essay!!!
Maraming salamat!
Rak En Roll!!
hahahhaa!!
may kulang eh! san na ung analysis sa story?? tsk tsk tsk .. ganda ng story .. kya lng ala analysis .. :] pero ok na din un! GO NOYPI! :]
Posted by Ed at January 17, 2010, 11:24 pmim forced to read this story for my project. but im happy i did! i loved it.. i love the story, which somehow i can relate in my present situation.. im like Julia in the story.. waiting for my Alfredo to make the decision, and while waiting, letting him and Esperanza cherish their moments together.. as you’ve said it, its killing! 
after reading your essay it made me feel less broken.. i know that one day this feeling will end.. and i wont ever regret it, because ive chosen what somehow made me feel so damn happy.. i believe on what you said, ‘even if we have the free will, sometimes we have to ride to where society demands of us to ride onto.’ but right now i really dont care about these society.. i’ll do what my heart tells me.. even its right or wrong one day everything will fall back into place, im just enjoying of what we have right now.. he told me he love me, and thats all i care for now.. haay.. im being too emotional.. thank you for this wonderful essay, it didn’t just helped me with my school work but also personally, emotionally, and spiritually it helped a lot.. thanks for the space! i never opened up to anyone about this because i know its wrong.. now i had the chance to share it.. thanks!
nonscense
Posted by me at January 27, 2010, 8:05 pm…tnx for the essay…
Posted by marlon at February 2, 2010, 5:22 pmhi i usually dont comment on things like this. this is actually my first time. i want to thank you for posting your essay. it had really helped me. in school and in my personal life. i chose to take the right way for you. im a girl and i have a girlfriend. thanks again.
Posted by sam at February 13, 2010, 2:39 amtnx for your essay.. it really helps me to get an idea for my literary analysis! keep it up!!
Posted by sarah at February 16, 2010, 12:25 pmhi girl!!! thank you so much for this very wonderful essay… it really made me understand dead stars in a deeper sense… i got a lot of very insightful points to think about… and yeah, i totally am proud of being a filipino after reading and realizing the importance of this text.. salamat
…ahn..sLamat..!! napakaganda ng essay moH.. mLaking 2Long cia s report q.. tnx..
Posted by apriL at February 26, 2010, 2:31 pmhi… anu po ung settings, theme, and style ng story ? tnx po
Posted by mark at February 28, 2010, 4:33 pmAno po ba meaning nung last paragraph sa story??
Posted by may at March 2, 2010, 7:08 pmthank you for posting an essay about the Dead Stars short story. It’s really helpful in my reaction paper in lit…
Tnx..
hello my name is muffet pwede ko ba malaman complete name mo? gumagawa kasi ako ng literature review and i need to cite your name.. thanks.. kailangan ko kasi ito for my final paper
Posted by Muffet Lagumen at March 5, 2010, 2:09 pmwhat a nice essay you have there.. it help me so much to my project..it gave me an idea for this beautiful story.. thank you for posting such a wonderful essay..
Posted by aya at March 9, 2010, 10:26 pm
i loved your essay it made me understand much more rather than the text… so i thank you… I really do appreciate it alot… -^^-
Posted by nikki at October 16, 2006, 7:32 pm