Phil.lit. - Dead Stars - Paz Marquez Benitez

Born on 1894 in Lucena City, Quezon, Márquez-Benítez authored the first Filipino modern English-language short story, Dead Stars, published in the Philippine Herald in 1925.

Márquez-Benítez was among the first generation of Filipinos trained in the American education system which used English as the medium of instruction.

She graduated high school in Tayabas High School (now, Quezon National High School) and college from the University of the Philippines with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1912.

Two years after graduation, she married Francisco Benitez, with whom she had four children.

In 1919 she founded "Woman's Home Journal", the first women's magazine in the country. "Filipino Love Stories", reportedly the first anthology of Philippine stories in English by Filipinos, was compiled in 1928 by Marquez-Benitez from the works of her students.

When her husband died in 1951, she took over as editor of the Philippine Journal of Education at UP. She held the editorial post for over two decades. In 1995, her daughter, Virginia Benitez-Licuanan wrote her biography, "Paz Marquez-Benitez: One Woman's Life, Letters, and Writings." After “Dead Stars” she only had one more published short story, entitled "A Night In The Hills".

Nevertheless, she made her mark in Philippine literature because her work is considered the first modern Philippine short story

On June 9, 1919, what would eventually be the Philippine Women's University opened its first classes.

The vision of seven forward-looking Filipino women—Clara Aragon, Concepcion Aragon, Francisca Tirona Benitez, Paz Marquez Benitez, Carolina Ocampo Palma, Mercedes Rivera and Socorro Marquez Zaballero—the university had an initial enrollment of 190 students. The goal was to prepare young Filipino women for a life of service and leadership. The original site was a three-storey house on A. Flores Street, Ermita, Manila.

This story, first published in 1925 and regularly anthologized since, is considered the first modern short story written in English by a Filipino. Thus, it was made the landmark of the maturity of the Filipino writer in English. Its focus on internal rather than external conflict and its resolution with an epiphany are among the characteristics that distinguish it as modern literature.

Alfredo, a young lawyer in his early thirties, is engaged to Esperanza for four years. Everything between them was fine until Alfredo met Julia Salas, the sister-in-law of Judge del Valle, their neighbour. One evening, Don Julian had gone “neighbouring” and dragged Alfredo along. That was when he met Julia.

After that evening, he would always come with her father to Judge’s house, and spend time with Julia.

Even after Sunday mass Don Julian and Alfredo would go up to the Judge’s house . While Don Julian and Judge del Valle would play chess, he and Julia would go out to the porch to chat

Alfredo enjoyed Julia’s company.

When Esperanza began asking questions about Alfredo’s visits with his father, Alfredo suddenly thought about the way he felt about Julia. If he was not engaged with Esperanza he felt that he could love no other girl than Julia.

Then finally it was time for Julia Salas to return to her hometown, to spend the Holy Week with her father and mother.

She found out that Esperanza and Alfredo are getting married soon.Alfredo is stuck in a very sticky situation. He has to choose between what he wants and what he needs to do.

He loves Julia and wants to spend the rest of his life with her. But he doesn’t want to hurt Esperanza and the society expects him to choose the “right” decision.

Alfredo is neither happy nor unhappy in his marriage. He went to Calle Luz for some errand concerning his work.

When he was taking a night stroll, he passed by Julia’s house.

They chatted and asked each other about how the other is. There was something different with Julia. There was something different in what he felt for Julia. His love for Julia has vanished in the years that passed.

His love for her was like a dead star. His love was dead long ago, he was seeing the extinguished light of the dead star as if they were still in their appointed places in heaven.

I admire Alfredo for the choice that he made. He sacrificed his own happiness so that he would not hurt Esperanza. Though the society and opinions of other people is an important part of the decisions that we make, it should not dictate us in what we should and should not do.

We should always consider the feelings of the people involved in the decisions that we make. We must always fair, and not be selfish.

My reaction regarding the story entitled "Dead Stars by Paz Marques Benitez" is that in reality fantasy and dream doesn't exist at all. You should be realistic by choosing what you want and by not be deluded in not possible things. I realize is that the love we felt for someone we truly love will never be replaced by someone we just met and got attracted to.

If we truly love someone even how many people we met we still couldn’t forget how much we love that special someone who been with us throughout the years. In life we have to decide what is right for us and to choose the path that will lead us in the right way. There are things that are inevitable but we should face it to learn from it and to grow as a person.

Sources:  

http://rizal.lib.admu.edu.ph/aliww/english_pmbenitez.html

http://greenleaf.i.ph/blogs/greenleaf/2005/09/06/dead-stars-my-essay/

http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?igm=1&i=131

http://www.pwu.edu.ph/about_pwu_history.html

http://www.alunsina.com/dead-stars-by-paz-marquez-benitez/

http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Dead_Stars

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_theme_of_the_story_%27Dead_Stars%27_by_Paz_M%C3%A1rquez-Ben%C3%ADtez

http://www.oppapers.com/subjects/dead-stars-of-paz-marquez-benitez-essays-page1.html

http://www.sushidog.com/bpss/authors.htm

http://www.bookrags.com/wiki/Paz_M%C3%A1rquez-Ben%C3%ADtez