Joyas Voladoras and Calvin and Hobbes Cartoon
From Joyas Voladoras: In lines 9-22, the writer's tone—his attitude toward hummingbirds—provides clues to the theme of this message. How would you describe the writer's tone in these lines? What message do you infer from this tone? Explain.
The writer's tone is playful and admiring. His message may be that hummingbirds have amazing hearts.
From Joyas Voladoras: The first two sentences of Doyle's last paragraph have the same beginning: "So much held in a heart." What message do you think the author wants to convey to you in this statement? Explain.
The author is suggesting that the heart is not just an organ that pumps blood and keeps us alive; it is also the seat of our emotions, and it can be broken.
From Calvin and Hobbes Cartoon: Examine the first two frames of the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon. How do the words and the cartoonist's drawings work together to convey a theme?
The first two frames show the two characters examining the sidewalk. In the dialogue, Calvin speaks about the sidewalk as a metaphor for life. Together the words and images suggest that ordinary life can be filled with deep moments.
From Calvin and Hobbes Cartoon: Examine the last frame in the Calvin and Hobbes cartoon strip, pay special attention to facial expressions and the night sky behind the characters. What purpose does the cartoonist achieve with this image? Why do you think he closes the strip without words?
The image and the lack of dialogue shows readers that the characters have been standing and pondering Calvin's idea about the meaning of life for several hours.
From Joyas Voladoras: After three paragraphs about the hummingbird, in line 35 Brian Doyle changes the subject and writes about the blue whale. Reread lines 35-49. Then explain why you think Doyle included this paragraph in the essay.
The paragraph about the blue whale fits because it changes the focus from one of the smallest hearts in the animal kingdom to the largest
From Joyas Voladoras: In the first three paragraphs, this essay addresses a wide range of subjects related to the hummingbird—all of them organized around the writer's repetition of the word heart. Why do you think the author chose this word as the organizing focus for his essay? Explain.
The repetition of heart is the clue to the writer's theme—the power of the heart