
The hummingbird’s vivid coloration and fast-paced movements captured the attention of the first white settlers in the Americas. The settlers referred to the birds as joyas valordores, or “flying jewels”. One might argue that the human being and the hummingbird appear to have no visual similarities, but In Brian Doyle’s essay, Joyas Volardores, he uses science, vivid description, and the interconnectedness of humans and animals to convey the message that “no living being is without liquid interior motion. We all churn inside” (Doyle 96). Although this essay might be interpreted as an anatomy lesson in the beginning, he uses the description of the heart to evoke emotion in his readers. The author waits until the last paragraph of the essay to express the theme to his audience. The thought-provoking body and vivid description of the hummingbird allow readers to reflect on their own lives as well as encourages them to search for the deeper meaning of the text. 

Doyle begins his essay by describing the heart of the hummingbird. He states that “A hummingbird’s heart beats ten times a second. A hummingbird’s heart is the size of a pencil eraser” (Doyle 94). Like the human heart, the hummingbird heart also has four chambers, yet there is an obvious contrast between a human being and a hummingbird. Doyle quickly switches the focus of the paragraph to the delicacy of the hummingbird. He states “the price of their ambition is a life closer to death; they suffer more heart attacks and aneurysms and ruptures than any other creature.” (Doyle 95). Although the bird obtains several admirable traits, their bodies and hearts are quite fragile. The human heart and soul are delicate. Both the hummingbird and human being exude strength and power externally, their hearts are susceptible to harm. Doyle writes “You can brick up your heart as stout and tight and hard and cold and impregnable as you possibly can and down it comes in an instant…” (Doyle 96). By connecting the hummingbird to the human experience, Doyle is able to exemplify vulnerability of not only the human being, but all creatures. 

A vulnerable being is capable or susceptible to being wounded or hurt. Just like Brian Doyle’s son, who was born with only 3 of the 4 vital heart chambers, all living beings are open to harm. Even someone as young as a newborn is exposed to danger. All human beings and creatures are born, and live in a state of vulnerability. Doyle states “we are utterly open with no one in the end” (Doyle 96). Vulnerability is one of the many characteristics that makes us human. Doyle encourages the reader to recognize that human beings are not the only creatures who have emotions. He explains that even a creature as large as the blue whale; with a heart that weighs seven tons, expresses emotion through moaning cries. He writes “…the animals with the largest hearts in the world generally travel in pairs” (Doyle 95). These particular creatures crave companionship, similar to the human. This world is full of creatures who are visually different from each other, yet we all are connected through a state of vulnerability. 

Doyle states that “every creature on earth has approximately two billion heartbeats to spend in lifetime” (Doyle 95). Life is a choice; we are given the option to live our lives however we may want to. It is not often that you find a person who measures their lifetime in heartbeats. Doyle specifically measures the lifetime in heartbeats to simply put human life into perspective. He says “you can spend them slowly, like tortoise and live to be two hundred years old, or you can spend them fast, like a hummingbird, and live to be two years old” (Doyle 95). This does not necessarily mean that every human being should live their lives quickly, but Doyle wants to encourage his audience to live their lives to their fullest potential. Every creature on this planet lives a different lifestyle, just like the blue whales who focus their lives on mating, travel, and being social. A caterpillar spends its entire life gaining the nutrients it needs to preform metamorphosis, and the queen bee spends its life laying eggs. Creatures on this earth are wired to complete certain tasks during their lifetime. The human life is different from any other creature on earth because humans are given a choice on how they choose to live their lives; which is essentially all a part of the human experience. 

Throughout the essay, Doyle stresses the preciousness of human life. Although the author clearly expects the reader to recognize the emotional interconnectedness of all creatures, he places a special emphasis on the human life. Through the usage of science and vivid description, Doyle is able to display the vulnerability of human beings. The author also emphasizes the importance of the human experience. Initially, Doyle expects the reader to understand the interconnectedness of human and animals. Doyle concludes his essay by focusing on just the human being, therefore, expressing his theme to the reader. The vulnerability of human beings should never go unnoticed, as well as the importance of the human experience.