The most important organ in the body, the driving force behind us all, the heart. In Joyas Volardores, Brian Doyle uses imagery and facts to compare and contrast the hearts of hummingbirds, whales, and humans, physically and emotionally. The initial reading gives the reader a surface view of comparing the hearts of these animals, it is not until I really analyzed the last paragraph that I saw the deeper meaning Doyle was trying to exemplify. Through size comparisons he shows that no matter the pursuit of life, immaculate or miniscule, that life is precious and should not be taken for granted. 

Starting with the hummingbird, small and fragile, full of energy with their “ferocious metabolisms” and “race-car hearts” (Doyle 95). The imagery used to describe the hummingbird compares to the lives of people today. Living fast and never stopping to enjoy the little moments in life. Doyle says that “they can fly more than five hundred miles without pausing to rest” like adults, always busy with work or other obligations until the day that humans run out of the energy to keep going. Human hearts, like the hummingbird’s, can only do so much work before eventually “you burn out” and “melt the engine” (Doyle 95). Doyle uses syntax to physically exhaust the reader by using multiple commas in order to compare to speed of the hummingbird. His short sentences go along with the quick short lived life of the hummingbird, also exemplifying his style of writing. I believe he is trying to say that a hummingbird was built for moving fast and dying early, but humans were designed for a greater purpose, and that people have become so consumed with keeping up with life that they forget about the small things that matter.  Opposed to living a fast-paced life, Doyle juxtaposes the hummingbird to that of a tortoise. The hummingbird uses all “two billion heartbeats” in just two short years, unlike the tortoise whom lives to be two hundred years old (Doyle 95).  He presents two options, not favoring one or the other, to either live an intense and fast life but die soon or take it slow and live longer. 

Completely opposed to the hummingbird, Doyle analyzes the structure of “the biggest heart in the world” which belongs to the blue whale (Doyle 95). Through a metaphor he directly compares the heart to a room, one in which “a child could walk around in”, by introducing a child, he relates to the topic of love in humans to the love in whales. The baby whale is like that of a human child by drinking its mother’s milk and eventually going through puberty. Once the whale is grown Doyle illustrates how there are so many of these whales and they are enormous, but yet “we know nearly nothing” about them (Doyle 96). This relates to people, for there are so many people in the world and all a part of each other’s lives, yet some things are missed because we are focused too much on ourselves instead of showing compassion and love to each other. Although they are made up of a large and solid structure, they “travel in pairs” only displaying their life-long commitment to their partner (Doyle 96).  The whale’s loyalty relates to the human by the emotions shared, he says that no matter what creature, size, or species, “we all churn inside”. This means that there is something that makes everyone’s life worth living, whether it be searching for flowers, or finding a mate, every single person has a purpose and based on how they choose to fulfil that is the kind of lifestyle they live. 

 In the last paragraph, Doyle juxtaposes the house with the heart using deep text such as “we open windows to each but live alone in the house of the heart” (Doyle 96). He is saying that people open up their hearts, making themselves vulnerable to getting hurt, but that is what makes up the heart. It may be “bruised and scarred… yet fragile and rickety forevermore” but that is how character is built (Doyle 96). Humans get the privilege to experience things such as heartbreak, or knowing that it is possible to love and care for someone, or just the feeling of being loved. Sometimes it is the simplest things in life that make a moment unforgettable and Doyle recalls some examples such as “the brush of your mother’s papery ancient hand in the thicket of your hair”, which takes me back to a certain moment in time (Doyle 96). The intensity in the writing gives a more serious tone as compared to the previous more factual informative paragraphs. The mood is heightened because Doyle is no longer talking about animals that have no impact on my life, but instead he is directly addressing the human’s heart and emotions that everyone has felt. Doyle makes his message clear in stating that there is “so much held in a heart in a day, an hour, a moment” (Doyle 96).  Through his writing and use of literary techniques he is emphasizing that instead of moving too fast and missing everything, to stop and enjoy the little moments that may not seem so important now, but once they’re gone, they can’t be replaced. 

Doyle ‘s close attention to detail and examples creates a more in depth reading and analysis of his overall message. Ultimately Doyle is trying to convey to the readers that life is precious, no matter the size or species.  By use of examples, he touches base in situations that almost everyone has faced. His comparisons through metaphors, similes, and facts to compare the hearts of the most opposing kind of animals from blue whales to hummingbirds, still relating back to human hearts. The style of relaxed tone and emphasized dramatic word use in his writing makes it feel like a more personal piece in which the reader can directly relate to. Mentally picturing the details that he draws out, using imagery to talk about the home, the speed, and size  of the animals creates a better vision for the reader.  Doyle’s purpose in writing this piece was to awaken the people and take them out of their self-centered lives. His message is clear in wanting to make people stop for a moment to take in all of the beautiful and memorable things they are missing. Joyas Volardores overall theme conveys to its readers that they should fulfil their purpose through love and compassion.
