Dead Stars: On Love, Fidelity and the 20th Century

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Summary

Alfredo Salazar is engaged to his longtime girlfriend Esperanza. Alfredo was undeniably faint with love for he wooed Esperanza like a hopeless romantic. But later, the blazing passion slowly flickered. And a new love interest was introduced namely Julia Salas.

Julia had youthfulness in her, charm and glee. They had meaningful moments of light shared with deep conversations when Alfredo, a lawyer, visits Julia's brother-in-law, a judge. Julia was his constant companion because his father who visits with him spends the time talking with the judge. Though they spent an ample amount of time alone, Julia was not aware of Alfredo's engagement. Alfredo didn't notice his affection towards Julia until he started to drift away from his fiance and then the guilt crept in. Julia later announced that she is heading back home for the Holy Week. Alfredo felt blue with this news and had not want to part with her.

On the Holy Thursday procession, Alfredo became excited when he saw Julia. He decided to meet her disregarding the fact that Esperanza is waiting for him. Julia learned from the other people that he was engaged and congratulated him for his near wedding in their conversation that night.

During a visit in Esperanza's house, Alfredo was asked about his opinion on another woman who lives with a man without the blessing of a marriage. He was obviously infuriated and favored the woman. This caused an intense conversation between them. Esperanza gave an impression that she felt Alfredo was falling out of love with her and dared him to abandon her along with morality and her dignity as a woman for him to be fair with himself.

Eventually the wedding still happened. Alfredo was sent to a distant village due to a legal assignment after eight years. It was dangerously near Julia's hometown which bothered him so much. Still, he made his way to her house despite of himself. There he found an unmarried Julia as how he expected her to be. Once again, he wondered about what life would be if he chose Julia. But he could never rewind time for it was all too late. Julia lost something that he can't put a finger on– youth, love or luster? He even the past light in her eyes he has seen as manifestations of a possible romance. But now it's over. It is all done.

"So that was all over.

Why had he obstinately clung to that dream?

So all these years—since when?—he had been seeing the light of dead stars, long extinguished, yet seemingly still in their appointed places in the heavens."

Analysis

Looking on the text as an organic whole makes the piece undeniably exceptional. Its plot and setting were significantly coherent because of the agreement between the conflict and its cultural context to the time of setting. The imagery was effective and greatly influence the mood and tone of each events. The point of view was omniscient yet it didn't detach the reader from a personal level of sense and interpretation.

There were symbols strengthening the story's focus on cultural beliefs and conventions and gave subliminal hints to the reader. The use of a patron procession was an example that give an impression that the wedding will take place. The Filipino proverb saying "Sa hinaba-haba ng prosisyon, sa altar pa rin ang tuloy" is may be a good reference for it. But looking closely on the characters and their behavior will give us more than a moral lesson perceived on its surface.

Alfredo is our concrete example for that. He faces both psychological and sociocultural crisis in this story. His love for both of our women was feeble. His love for Julia was too weak for it to be mistaken as infatuation. He was "completely lost in the emotion of unreasoning desire" and he was affected by "being controlled by brain chemistry, not the heart, loss of ability to make rational evaluations of what is true, valuable and worthy." He made an irrational move of not telling Julia of his engagement with Esperanza.

Why would he even give so much interest with Julia anyway? Maybe because Julia had the qualities a youthful possess and Alfredo was searching for something new. This was not seen in Esperanza's character as she was described in the story. Esperanza was calm, composed and careful which showed too much elegance and virtuousness which made her personality slightly... tedious. Her character's difference with Julia's character stirs an assumption that Alfredo just want mystery and freshness. Another factor that may validate this assumption is that Alfredo is in his thirties and might be facing an early midlife crisis. He may want to do some rebellion against his unfulfilling relationship with Esperanza in the present and in their approaching married life. As his father described, he might've wanted a last spurt of hot blood.

Culture and society is another dominant theme in this literary work. It discusses a lot of norms and conventions on romance and fidelity on the mid 1900s. There is a norm of marrying at a certain age in our country which is earlier than the other countries. The case of living-in out of wedlock was also mentioned and considered as an act of immorality in the story. Another issue is the conflict between Alfredo and Julia's relationship which was hindered by Alfredo's engagement with Esperanza. It was a social taboo to retract a long-term engagement since it was a sacred commitment, almost marriage. Both parties will suffer criticism and judgment from society. Alfredo will be charged with unfaithfulness, Julia might be misunderstood and prejudged as woman who seduced a committed man and Esperanza's femininity may suffer for she will be seen as an unfulfilling woman though may be sympathized at the same time. This led Alfredo to submit in society and be dehumanized by it.

Dead Stars is a story of a love both gained and lost. Though beautiful and poetic, it is also sad and tragic.