
“The stunning prose poem ‘Joyas Volardores’ is perhaps Doyle’s best-known work” (Harley and Fisk 94). I think that this quote, which come from the background and history of the authors before the actual passage begins, is extremely accurate. Not only is it some of his best work in my opinion but it has such a deeper meaning behind it in terms of what life is and how the heart can keep us alive, but also kill us in same the way, which is a deep paradox to think about. In the passage “Joyas Volardores”, Doyle explains that the heart is the driving force behind all living beings, but also what fails us all in the end. 

The hummingbird’s heart allows it to live a very fast paced and extreme life that includes very miniscule amounts of rest whether it is during the daytime or nighttime. This idea that the hummingbird lives a fast paced life is what ends up killing the species that is known to live for only two short years. Doyle explains in his passage with the quote “whirring and zooming and nectaring in hummer time zones nine times removed from ours-each one visits a thousand flowers a day” (95). He then goes on to say later in the paragraph “or you could live to be two years old” (95). Both of these quotes are significant to the thesis or overall deeper meaning to the passage because hummingbirds live such fast and extreme lives and they get so many things done in the time frame of one day, but this comes with a consequence. They only live to be two years old unlike tortoises, who live to be upwards of one hundred years old. The things that allows us to operate and characterize who and what we are in the world will always fail us in the end because nothing can operate at one hundred percent for an eternity.

Hummingbird’s can fly up to 500 miles without resting. They can also dive up to speeds of sixty miles per hour, which is one of the fastest for a species of birds. With these special abilities only unique to the hummingbird, it comes with grave consequences such as the fact that their hearts can’t keep up with how fast their bodies operate and they suffer heart attacks and aneurisms. Doyle explains this in the following quote “But when they rest they come close to death-their hearts sludging nearly to a halt” (95). This relates to the overall theme of the passage because the heart allows the hummingbird to stay alive, but it also is what kills them because it can’t candle the constant speed of their everyday lives. 

For hummingbirds to stay alive, it is a necessity for them to rest at some point so their bodies can get a break. This is extremely ironic in many ways because the hummingbirds body needs a break and the heart needs a break, but when the hummingbird slows down to rest it gets cold, starves, and its heart rate lowers to fifteen beats a minute. This is not nearly enough heart beats to keep the hummingbird alive so it inevitably dies when resting. Doyle explains “If they do not find which is sweet, their hearts grow cold, and they cease to be” (95). This is a deep meaning because the hummingbird will die if it rest, which ultimately it will have to rest at some point or another. This connects with the overall themes or message of the passage because the hummingbird’s body has to rest and take a break but it will die if it does rest and that supports the case that what keeps you alive also kills you in the end or at some point. 

Another example with a different animal that Doyle uses is the blue whale. The whale has the biggest heart of all animals and the biggest of the entire world. They travels in groups and in packs and stay together from birth to death in most cases. They have the biggest ability to feel the greatest amount of compassion for others of its kind as well as feel the greatest amount of sadness and agony for their loved ones. Doyle explains that “the animals with the largest hearts in the world generally travel in pairs, and their penetrating moaning cries, their piercing yearning tongue, can be heard underwater for miles” (96). Doyle later explains that their moans sound of agony and pain and they aren’t always a good sound. The whale can feel a great amount of pain and their hearts can also feel a great amount of love. Their hearts are the biggest in the world and allow them to do spectacular things and to feel incredible emotions, but this is what ends up making them feel the greatest amounts of sadness and agony. This leads to their death, caused by heartbrokenness and pain from love. 

his t of the entire world. r animal that Doyle uses is the blue whale. The whale has the biggest heart of all animals and the biDoyle goes on to explain and use the human example later in his passage. The human heart is something that no one will understand. It is so complex in the terms of emotions and how it scientifically works. Humans tend to let people into their lives knowing that in the end it will all come toppling down like a rockslide in the mountains. We rebuild our lives after this happens knowing that it’s just an old song stuck on repeat. Doyle explains “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” (96). This relates to the overall message because the heart gives us the power to love and to feel, but it always no matter what hurts us in the long run. Inevitable something bad happens to us whether that be good or bad, it will happen to everyone. 

Doyle explains in deep detail using a magnificent paradox of life, how the heart is the thing that keeps every living being going, but also how it fails all of us in the end. The many examples that I have provided from the text show and support how he implemented them to show how the heart keeps living beings going but bring them down in a specific way to each creature. The heart is an unpredictable but yet predictable thing that we all have inside us, but it’s not dangerous nor is it good. What gives all creatures in life, destroys them.
