Dead Stars Analysis

Name: Isabel Louise C. Reyes

Lit 13

Date: December 17,2014

Preparation for Analysis Paper: Character and Conflict Directions: Read Dead Stars and accomplish the worksheet. This WS is based on our discussions and is intended to help you write your 1st Literary Analysis Paper next year. Since this is intended to help you to write your papers next year, you may write your interpretation (not the quotes) in prose or bullet points (but be clear). After you do this worksheet, write a short preliminary analysis (1-2 paragraphs) of your character. What kind of person is he? What is his or her motivation for his actions/ decisions? Attach the character analysis to the WS when you submit it. DUE: Dec 17, 2014 (Wed) Story and author: Dead Stars (1925) by Paz Marquez-Benitez Name of Main Character: Alfredo Salazar Do you think this name is significant in light of the story? If yes, why? Yes. The name Alfredo can mean either of the following:  A person who rarely experiences emotional stability or control.  A person who often feels emotions he does not understand and has alarming thoughts that make him wonder about their origin.  A person who craves understanding and affection but whose intensity of desire and selfconsciousness prevents him from finding the happiness he desires.  A person who experiences many disappointments and understandings due to the inability to express his thoughts. We can say that in this case, the name is significant because it is a reflection of the character itself.

Provide a quote from the story that illustrates the character’s personality and include the page number as reference. You may use ellipses as long as the remaining sentences still form a grammatical sentence. If no quotes are relevant, write NA. Use extra paper if necessary.

Interpret the lines here. What does this quote reveals about the character? (if no quote is relevant, you may leave this blank or write N/A)

Characters are what they look like and how others see them (Physical description). They are also revealed by scene and summary (direct characterization by writer) “Tall and slender, he moved with and indolent ease that verged on grace. Under straight recalcitrant hair, a thin face with a satisfying breadth of forehead, slow, dreamer’s eyes and astonishing freshness of lips— indeed Alfredo Salazar’s appearance betokened little exuberant masculinity, rather a poet with wayward humor, a fastidious artist with, clear brain” (page 2, par.16) “He could not understand months of hunger that was not of the body nor yet of the mind, a feeling that seized him one quiet night. . .was a stranger to love as he divined it might be” (page 1,par.9)

He is described by the author as a poet or artist. Often silent but there is a lot of things going on inside his head. From the text, it can be inferred that Alfredo Salazar is a reserved man. He is also a man who exhibits little masculinity. This may be because he lacked qualities that are most evident in men, such as passion, energy and exuberance. Instead he is calm and placid. He is said to be tall and slender with dreamer’s eyes. Dreamy could mean that he is unaware of what is happening around him because his eyes are fixed only on a certain thought- which is chasing something beautiful due to the horror of missing it.

“. . .the feeling of tumultuous haste, . . .So he had avidly seized the shadow of love and deluded himself For a long while in the way of humanity from time immemorial”(page 1,par.10) They are what they say. (Words and actions) “. . . And because he was not habitually untruthful, added, “sometimes I go with Papa to Judge del Valle’s” (page 3, par.34) “. . .he was giving Julia Salas something which he was not free to give” (page 3. Par.36)

They are what they think and realize. (Thoughts) “Why would men so mismanage their lives? Greed, he thought was what ruined many. Greed—the desire to crowd into a moment all the enjoyment it will hold, to squeeze from the hour all the emotion it will yield. Men commit themselves with half-meaning to do so, sacrificing possible future fullness of ecstasy to the craving of immediate excitement.”(page1. Par. 11)

Alfredo is an indecisive man. He lies about his engagement to Esperanza because of his attraction towards Julia. He is not sure of what to do or rather who to choose in the situation wherein he is stuck in between two women.

Alfredo’s feelings have changed. He thinks that greed was what ruined many. In could be that what he has with Esperanza is only a result of his greed in the earlier years. That it is the reason why he cannot have the fullness of ecstasy with Julia. In another sense it could also be that his greed cause him infidelity. Not of any of the women but of being in love itself.

They are as how others see them. “Papa, do you remember how much in love he was?”(p.1 par. 6)- Carmen “What do you think happened?” (p.1 par.12)-Carmen

According to Carmen, Alfredo showed changes in attitude towards his engagement. Like how enthusiastic he was at first but now he is rather cold.

“I suppose long-engaged people are like that; warm now, cool tomorrow. . Besides,that, as I see it, was Alfredo’s last race with escaping youth.” –(p.1 par 13)Don Julian

Don Julian thinks that Alfredo’s actions are normal for someone who is engaged that long. He claims that the “spark” of love which is always fully ignites at the beginning naturally cools down and with it one’s disposition or affection. Maybe both. Furthermore, he sees the engagement as a way of settling down before it’s too late for him. Because he is not getting any younger. Or it could also be that it is considered a last race with youth because that was the last time Don Julian saw Alfredo in such a state- a state with so much life to it.

“Do I seem especially industrious to you?” “If you are you never look it” “Not perspiring or breathless as a busy man ought to be” “Always unhurried, too unhurried, and calm” “Like a carabao in a mud pool” –Julia pages4-5 “Why do you get angry? I do not understand you at all! I think I know why you have been indifferent to me lately. I am not blind, or deaf; I see and hear perhaps some are trying to keep from me” – Esperanza (p.10 par.185)

For Julia Salas, Alfredo is a man of leisure. There are no signs of stress or haste. However this version of Alfredo is only evident when he is with Julia. It could be halftrue in the sense that it is the only version she sees. Esperanza thinks that Alfredo is becoming a immoral man because of their argument because of Calixta. She is starting to think of reasons why Alfredo is being indifferent to her.

They are the worlds they make (setting) “Through the open window the air-steeped outdoors passed into his room, quietly enveloping him,. . . .the years to come even now beginning to weigh down, to crush-they lost concreteness, diffused into formless melancholy” (p.1p par.1 )

The story is set during Lenten season.

“. . he and Julia Salas had gone off to chat in the vinecovered porch. The lone piano in the neighborhood alternately tinkled and banged away as the player's moods altered.” (p.2 par.30)

Judge Del Valle’s house was somehow his escape from reality. An escape, away from the prying eyes of everyone, which he spends with Julia Salas.

“. .beyond the ancient tamarinds lay the road, upturned to the stars. In the darkness the fireflies glimmered, while an errand breeze strayed in from somewhere, bringing elusive, faraway sounds as of voices in a dream.” (p.3 par. 45) “Entered the heart of the town--heart of Chinese stores sheltered under low-hung roofs, of indolent drug stores and tailor shops, of dingy shoe-repairing establishments, and a cluttered goldsmith's cubbyhole where a consumptive bent over a magnifying lens; heart of old brick-roofed houses with quaint hand-and-ball knockers on the door; heart of grass-grown plaza reposeful with trees, of ancient church and convento, now circled by swallows gliding in flight as smooth and soft as the afternoon itself. Into the quickly deepening twilight, the voice of the biggest of the church bells kept ringing its insistent summons. Flocking came the devout with their long wax candles, young women in vivid apparel (for this was Holy Thursday and the Lord was still alive), older women in sober black skirts. Came too the young men in droves, elbowing each other under the talisay tree near the church door.” (p. 7 par.123)

Don Julian’s house was the representation of Alfredo’s lost youth and the mistakes he made during that time. The house was silent, sad and intangible just like his youth.

Calle Real was said to be the “heart of the town” and possibly the place where the heart of the story happened. Because this is the place where Julia Salas faced Alfredo and they talked about his engagement. And this is also where Alfredo sought Julia’s opinion about his situation, indirectly.

Directions: Please answer the following briefly. 1. What conflict does the character experience and how is the conflict resolved? Is it more internal or external, or both? The character experience the conflict of choosing between what he wants to do and what he needs to do. It is resolved by choosing the option that will avoid conflict with society. In the end he realized the truth which ceased him from being a prisoner in his own feelings. It is more internal because the character deals with a dilemma in his thoughts and emotions.

2. Does the character undergo a transformation or not? Why or why not? Yes. I can say that Alfredo Salazar is a dynamic character. It is because at the start he was said to be very much in love with Esperanza. He exhibits kind of love with life, passion and excitement. However, after being engaged for so long, these enthusiastic feelings began to fade. This is when Alfredo found himself being attracted to another which is Julia Salas. This is one level of change. Even though in the end he still ends up with

Esperanza, his feelings were never as gay as before. Which is another level of emotional change. His marriage with Esperanza was not unhappy but not necessarily happy. The indifferent relationship they have now is nothing compared to the eager one they had before. Another change is the realization that he lost his feeling for Julia Salas after holding on to it for so long. So long that he never really knew when it ended or if it even started. 3. Is the title significant for the character? Why or why not? Yes. In reality, dead stars are stars which are long dead but have still enough heat residues to exhibit light. Thus, allowing it to still be visible to the human eye. In this case, dead stars is a kind of metaphor for Alfredo Salazar and his feelings. Alfredo clung to this so-called “love” for Julia Salas for so long when it is still unclear if this feeling of “love” materialized in the first place. His affection for Julia may be the outcome of the boredom brought by the familiarity of his long-relationship with Esperanza. The excitement of meeting a lively Julia Salas ignited his lost youth. This could also be another attempt for a “last spurt of hot blood”. It could be but it is not. Because since the beginning Alfredo Salas’s feelings were dead stars. It is like false hope, an illusion that he can be with another when he is already committed to one.

Isabel Louise C. Reyes E-17

Dec. 17, 2014 M. Paterno

Character Analysis Alfredo Salazar Alfredo Salazar is the representation of men’s greed and indecisiveness. He is long engaged to Esperanza but still seeks the affection of another, Julia Salas. He represents greed because he desired the enjoyment he felt with Julia no matter how temporary it was. Less than four years ago, he did the same with Esperanza. He deluded himself with the idea of love because of the horror of missing it. He half-committed himself in exchange for immediate excitement. As Don Julian stated, the flame of a new romance is likely to fade overtime due to the familiarity with one another. That is exactly what happened between Alfredo and Esperanza. And it is during this “cooling” phase that Alfredo met Julia- a new, young and full of life woman, the complete opposite of his present self. He cannot feel the same exhilaration with Esperanza anymore that is why he wants to try again with Julia. However, Alfredo is giving Julia something he is not free to give. Even though it was not as enthusiastic as before, he is still very much committed to Esperanza. This situation forces him to make a decision between the thing he needs to do (marry Esperanza) and the thing he wants to do (be with Julia). The fact that he did not immediately inform Julia about his engagement shows how indecisive of a man he is. In the end, he chooses to do what is right in order to avoid social suicide not only for him but also for Esperanza and their families. What would people say or would not say about a long engagement that was cut off on verge of the wedding? Alfredo’s married life was not necessarily unhappy however, in the span of 8 years he can’t help but cling to the what if’s or rather the possibilities of the future if he had married Julia. Would he be happier? More alive? No matter, he still held on to his so-called “love” for her. However, when he they met again Alfredo realized that what he felt for Julia were dead stars. Dead stars in the sense that he wasn’t even aware of what he was feeling but he clung to it anyway. A delusion of being and staying in love made by Alfredo himself, which probably cost him his youth.