The Hummingbird Symbol in Hard to Kill: Hope, Memory, and Resilience
What the Hummingbird Literally Is
In James Patterson’s Hard to Kill, the hummingbird is a small, migratory bird that appears both literally—as a creature Jane Smith watches at a feeder—and symbolically, as a nickname and personal emblem. Jane’s mother, Mary Smith, kept a hummingbird feeder outside their home and called her daughter “Hummingbird” because Jane was always in constant motion as a child. Jane later had a tiny hummingbird tattooed behind her hip bone, making the bird a permanent part of her identity.
Where the Hummingbird Recurs
The hummingbird motif appears in several key moments across the novel:
- Chapter 17: Jane recalls her mother’s love for hummingbirds and reveals the nickname and tattoo. She describes how her mother’s feeder was packed away after they moved to the city.
- Chapter 79: Jane dreams of her mother surrounded by hummingbirds—a rare happy dream. She retrieves the old feeder her father made, cleans it, and rehangs it outside her kitchen window, hoping the birds will return.
- Chapter 87: After a strained phone call with her sister Brigid about cancer treatment, Jane stares at the empty feeder, still waiting for hummingbirds.
- Chapter 92: During a solo run-and-shoot workout, Jane declares, “I’m the hummingbird tonight,” feeling alive and flying.
- Chapter 114: On the morning of jury selection for Rob Jacobson’s trial, Jane sees a hummingbird at her feeder and feels a rush of energy stronger than chemo.
How the Symbol’s Meaning Changes
The hummingbird starts as a private bond between Jane and her mother—a nickname that signified energy and joy. After her mother’s death from ovarian cancer, the bird becomes tangled with grief and illness. Jane stops maintaining the feeder when her own cancer diagnosis arrives, associating the birds with death. Yet in Chapter 79, she reclaims the feeder as an act of hope: she cleans it, mixes fresh sugar water, and hangs it again, telling herself that if the birds return it will be a sign. By Chapter 114, the hummingbird does return, coinciding with Jane’s renewed sense of purpose in the courtroom. The bird’s meaning thus shifts from childhood memory to a symbol of resilience and the will to keep fighting.
Connections to Characters and Themes
Jane Smith
The hummingbird is Jane’s personal totem. It reflects her relentless nature—her need to be in motion, her refusal to stop fighting even when cancer and enemies close in. When she runs and shoots in Chapter 92, she embodies the hummingbird’s constant movement. Her decision to rehang the feeder mirrors her decision to continue defending Rob Jacobson despite the risks.
Mary Smith (Jane’s Mother)
Mary’s love for hummingbirds and her nickname for Jane create a lasting emotional anchor. In dreams, Mary is often surrounded by birds, reinforcing her role as a source of comfort and strength. Jane’s caretaking of the feeder echoes how she cared for her mother during her final illness.
Brigid (Jane’s Sister)
Brigid’s own cancer battle mirrors the mother’s illness. The hummingbird motif connects the three women across generations. Jane’s waiting for birds to return in Chapter 87 coincides with Brigid’s news of treatment setbacks, highlighting the ongoing cycle of hope and fear.
Themes
The hummingbird touches all five themes listed on this site:
- Mortality: The bird’s migration and Jane’s dreams of her dead mother confront the reality of death.
- Resilience: Jane’s rehanging of the feeder and her declaration “I’m the hummingbird” embody her stubborn will to survive.
- Family Loyalty: The feeder was built by Jane’s father and loved by her mother; maintaining it honors family bonds.
- Justice vs. Injustice: The hummingbird’s return on the first day of jury selection links hope for justice in court to personal hope.
- Corruption: In a world Jane describes as “meaner and more dangerous,” the feeder stands as a small, beautiful defiance.
Study Questions with Answers
1. Why does Jane’s mother call her “Hummingbird,” and what does the nickname reveal about Jane’s character?
Answer: Mary Smith calls Jane “Hummingbird” because she is always in constant motion. The nickname reveals Jane’s energetic, restless nature—she cannot sit still even as a child. Later in life, Jane’s insistence on staying active despite cancer (running, shooting, returning to court) shows that the nickname was predictive: she truly is a hummingbird, always moving and fighting.
2. How does the hummingbird feeder function as a symbol of Jane’s hope during her cancer treatment?
Answer: The feeder represents Jane’s willingness to invest in the future. When she cleans and rehangs it in Chapter 79, she is performing a ritual of hope—mixing sugar water “to make a miracle.” The feeder is a concrete action that combats her despair. In Chapter 87, the empty feeder mirrors her anxiety about Brigid’s health and her own. The eventual return of the hummingbird in Chapter 114 confirms that hope can be rewarded, even in a dangerous world.
3. In what way does Jane become the hummingbird in Chapter 92?
Answer: During a solo run-and-shoot workout, Jane feels free, light, and fast. She says, “I’m the hummingbird tonight,” as she runs toward the parking lot “faster than I’ve run all night.” By embodying the hummingbird’s speed and agility, she momentarily escapes her illness and reaffirms her identity as a fighter. The scene parallels her mother’s description of hummingbirds as “miracle” workers of constant motion.
4. How does the hummingbird motif connect Jane’s past with her present in the courtroom?
Answer: The hummingbird links Jane’s childhood memories of her mother to her adult work as a defense attorney. In Chapter 114, seeing the bird outside her kitchen window fills Jane with the same “juice” she gets from being in court. The bird’s return signals that the courage and love her mother taught her are still alive, giving Jane the emotional fuel to face a corrupt system and a terminal illness at the same time.
For further exploration of the novel’s core ideas, see the summary of Hard to Kill and character analyses for Jane Smith and Jimmy Cunniff.