
It is unavoidable that individuals live independently, even though we join in some groups and make ourselves belong to part of population. It sounds negatively upset but it’s truth that there is nobody in our lifetime who could be accompanied by our sides from birth to death. Nevertheless, does it mean that the to make connection with others is unnecessary, as segregation is inevitable? In the Doyle’s Joyas Volardores, she promotes that people should not block out their hearts, or refuse the kindness and the happiness from the outside; instead, people should expose their mind to the world.

Brian Doyle starts the lyric essay with introducing Joyas Volardores, a type of hummingbirds, which is praised as “flying jewels” (94). Such lovely creatures, however, are miserable when their lives are ending. By showing the torment hummingbirds face in their loneliness, Doyle suggests that we should open our hearts up to companionship to avoid that situation. In the essay, Doyle states that loneliness could have a negative consequence on individuals more than death. As is depicted, “on frigid nights, or when [hummingbirds] are starving, they retreat into torpor” (Doyle 95). By using the words “frigid”, “starving”, and “torpor”, Doyle presents a vivid scene of hummingbirds dying and draws the audience into pondering the depression of loneliness. Not only does the pain on their bodies hurt and kill them, but also there is a sense of loneliness filling their minds, as they retreat into torpor by themselves. While the pain on the body is short-lived and it could be cured though surgery and medicine, the hurt in mind cannot be forgotten in short time. Under such circumstance, the readers are to be convinced that loneliness is much more profound than death itself. To make readers more impressed, Doyle further describes the details, “Their metabolic rate slowing to a fifteenth of their normal sleep rate, their hearts sludging nearly to a halt, barely beating, and if they are not soon warmed, if they do not soon find that which is sweet, their hearts grow cold and they cease to be” (95). When reading the text, we may feel that our breath is held, and a mood of sadness is flowing in our heart, as if we were the ones who experience it. The hummingbirds are suffering being lonely and desperate, with no one ever knowing them.

Human beings have the similar experience of loneliness as the hummingbirds do, but it is our fortune that we would keep the memories of good time and these memories would warm us, to encourage us to take a positive attitude towards our surrounding, instead of blocking ourselves. Though, Doyle expresses in a sad tone that that “we open windows to each but live alone in the house of the heart” (96). And he insists that to believe a person who will sustain us forever could be a dream of child (Doyle 96). It impresses the readers that we may never believe in someone except ourselves. During our childhood, we are in a strong belief that our parents could always support us in the back. However, as we grow up, we increasingly find that our parents are getting older and giving weaker support to us, even one day no support any more. It upsets us that we do not know how to move on without our parents’ accompany. Doyle points out explicitly, “we could bear to be so naked, for fear of a constantly harrowed heart” (96). Doyle uses the words “bruised”, “scarred”, “scored” and “torn” to express that a young man must suffer to achieve self break-through. Despite what Doyle has mentioned above, he finally at the end of the essay, “the memory of your father’s voice early in the morning echoing from the kitchen where he is making pancakes for his children” could instantly break the “wall” down, no matter how hard it is (96). It is those pieces of memory that help individuals get rid of loneliness and encourage them to a wider world. 

The relationship between people is always there, even though we have loneliness. In the last paragraph, Doyle does not explicitly state the necessity of being in a relationship; however, he intends to revoke the emotion of the audience about their memories of happiness by describing myriads of tiny yet precious moments in daily life. As Doyle mentions, it could be “a woman’s second glance”, “a child’s apple breath”, and “ the brush of your mother’s papery ancient hand in the thicket of your hair ” (96). We are never blocked from the world in an absolute manner, as we can always keep these valuable memories of happiness in our mind and they are the source of power that supports us to fight against loneliness. No matter how stout and tight and hard and cold and impregnable you build your heart, it is much easier to break it down. It is because we are part of the world, and we are in relationship with some people by our side. They are our families, friends, and even some strangers who convert their friendliness to us. We receive hospitality from them and react positively to them as a return, during which we build strong connection with others. Communication is a basic skill we are born to own that makes us away from loneliness. Everyone comes to the world alone, except twins, but each of us have partners and has a graceful wish that we could accompany each other to enjoy the life. In this way, the accompany of families and friends overcomes the fear of loneliness.

Indeed, it is undeniable that individuals cannot get someone’s support all the time, but it doesn’t mean that we should give in to such loneliness. It is a negative lifestyle. What we should do is to enrich ourselves and strengthen ourselves when we are alone, and accept people’s hospitality and friendship with an open mind when we receive it. In that way, we are independent inside, but not to wear a cold outfit to pretend that we are lonely and eccentric.

While re-reading the whole text, I found many flaws in my word choices and the logics of the argumentation. I go back to the original essay and make a detailed analysis about it, thus getting further understanding of Doyle’s argument. Based on his text, I polished my essay by substituting some awkward words, and re-organizing the sentences. Also I found that some of my supporting details are too abstract to be connected with my argumentation, so I go further on these ideas and add some of my own analysis to it. In my essay, the topic sentences and thesis statements are a big issue that I always miss it or not clearly state it out. In the second version, I have revised these problems and make the whole text more smoothly.