Hummingbirds on TV Essay

I’m stuck on a Article Writing question and need an explanation.

Emily Nussbaum argues that she’s seeing a new stock character on TV: she brands this character “the hummingbird.” Answer with at least three sentences each.

Read The Hummingbird Theory

1. According to Nussbaum, what are the traits of this character type?

2. How is Nussbaum using self-referential humor and meta-commentary at the end of her essay? Meta-commentary means commenting on your claims and telling others how to interpret them.

Here’s the passage: “I’m not averse to the idea of male Hummingbirds. (Are there any? Put ’em in the comments. Kurt from “Glee” might be one.) And, as is probably apparent, I haven’t worked out all the details, or made an Excel spreadsheet to organize the idea. I’m just flapping my wings as fast as can.”

3. Have you noticed a new archetypal

character in recent movies or TV shows? If not, what character types would you like to see more of on TV/streaming?

The writer of this article is writing for a magazine, The New Yorker. Your essay will be more academic and your focus is on one show, but you can still use this one for inspiration. Consider how she discusses the archetype creatively and thoughtfully.