A Critical Analysis of the Short Story/Poem Dead Stars by Paz Benitez using Formalist Approach

A Critical Analysis of the Short Story Dead Stars by Paz Benitez using Formalist Approach

    Yearning for another person while being engaged sounds bizarre and inappropriate. The story Dead Stars is like that. Dead Stars, written by Paz Benitez, is a short literary work that discusses the life of Alfredo Salazar, a bachelor over 30 years of age, engaged to a woman named Esperanza. When he encounters Julia, he falls in love with her. Esperanza knows about Alfredo's disloyalty, which leads to them marrying unwantedly. After eight long years, Alfredo went on a business trip where he subsequently met Julia. This story talks about forbidden love, responsibility, and how loyalty is significant in a relationship. 

    The story uses the third-person point-of-view to show us the whole story, events, and characters' sides. The plot concentrates on the life of Alfredo Salazar, a bachelor who is engaged but desires another woman, Julia. He encountered Julia after going to Judge Del Valle's house. This encounter would later result in the story's central conflict. To expound the story's conflict, it is how Alfredo yearns for another woman even though he is already engaged. The story's plot reaches its climax when Esperanza confronts Alfredo about his relationship with Julia. The two had a heated argument that led Esperanza to weep, but they still unwantedly married each other. With this, the plot gets vague as it skips eight years into the future when Alfredo travels to Julia's hometown on business and meets Julia. After their meeting, to his surprise, something felt missing. He no longer yearns for Julia the same way he thought he would in the past. Moreover, the story uses the literary device of imagery to help us picture the environment. Finally, the author also uses irony, flattering words, and plenty of metaphors that make the story intriguing. 

  In conclusion, Dead Stars is the story of Alfredo, Esperanza, and Julia that teaches us how love can change over time. It also teaches us how our actions have consequences, like Alfredo and Esperanza's argument because of the affair. When Alfredo met Julia after eight long years, something was lost. His feelings for Julia were long gone. Why is the title "Dead Stars?" Dead Stars symbolize the recollections of the past floating. Like this line from the story, "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."