Hummingbird

Chapters 28-34 encapsulate the final stages of the narrative. Olive’s broken leg in Chapter 29 creates a twist and a temporary low point for Olive as the object of her quest appears lost; however, the support of her friends in the aftermath of her break reinforces the value of friendship and community and offers a conclusion on the theme of Friends and Family as the Most Important Magic. Olive’s break in Chapter 29 marks an increase in pace leading up to the climax and resolution of the novel. The verse sections become more prominent as Olive reaches a low point that introduces new conflicts and feelings of despair; her tone, while returning to optimism and reflection when she reflections on her gratitude for her friends in Chapter 30, takes on an attitude of defeat until her pivotal conversation with Grandpa Goad in Chapter 31.

Chapter 29 is a significant turning point both in the action, tone, and pace of the novel, and pushes Olive into a darker place that creates new conflicts that require new solutions. To explore Olive’s feelings during the breaking of a bone, Chapter 29 is written almost entirely in verse, heightening the reader’s connection with Olive and centering Olive’s emotional experience during the break. Chapter 29 also offers a conclusion on the Friends and Family theme via the reaction of Olive’s friends and family at her break. Olive’s realization that “Together, we roar” is the key to surviving pain emphasizes the importance of supportive bonds in helping Olive cope with the pain of her break and the obstacles to her goals that it will create in its wake (310).

The Existing with Limitations reaches a resolution in Chapter 31 that directly catalyzes the resolution of Olive’s character arc and the resolution of the Fragility, Vulnerability, and Strength theme. Essential to Olive’s development and the development of this theme is her conversation with Grandpa Goad. Lloyd withholds important information about Grandpa Goad until his appearance here: Like Olive, Grandpa Goad has OI. This choice reinforces the Existing with Limitations theme; without the knowledge that Grandpa has OI, the reader is likely not to think much of his accomplishments as the most famous birder in Tennessee. With this new knowledge, Grandpa’s achievements seem more remarkable. However, that is counter to the author’s intent here—Lloyd does not want readers to extol Grandpa Goad’s ability to ‘overcome’ his limitations but to realize that Grandpa Goad’s OI is just one part of him; he did not achieve all he did despite his OI, nor because of it; simply, with it. It did not keep him from chasing his dreams, but neither does he deny the hardship it brings—he tells Olive nonchalantly that he often wished he could have normal bones. Grandpa Goad’s words help Olive internalize his perspective and reinforce her newfound understanding of how her limits won’t hold her back, creating an important impetus for the truth that Olive findsthat motivates the climax of the story.

In keeping with magical realism genre conventions in children’s literature, the magic of the hummingbird facilitates Olive’s emotional growth, the payoff of which is depicted at the climax in Chapter 32 as Olive finds her place “where fear and wonder both collide” performing onstage as Emily Dickinson. To that end, the allusion to Emily Dickinson strengthens both Olive’s understanding of herself and the audience’s understanding of Olive’s character arc. Stepping into Emily’s life onstage helps Olive express herself. Olive’s encounter with the hummingbird opens the door for her deepest truth to emerge, which transforms her perspective on herself and her capabilities as she says, “My bones are fragile. But I am not” (337). In response to those words, the hummingbird appears to Olive, completing its role as a symbol of transformation by validating her conclusion, signifying the completion of her growth.

The arcs of other characters like Grace reinforce Olive’s conclusions at the climax. In Chapter 24, Olive learns that Grace did not seek the hummingbird because Luther Frye commissioned one of her dog houses, leading Grace to realize that she doesn’t need magic to build her empire. Grace’s conclusions reinforce Olive’s, thereby also reinforcing the conclusion of the Existing with Limitations theme: although limits and obstacles may exist, ultimately one can pursue their dreams while existing with those limits.

Lloyd ends the novel with a verse section, a choice that brings the story back to Olive’s interior space of reflection, allowing Lloyd to emphasize the emotional truths that Olive that define Olive’s journey and the action in the novel.