Character Personalities (MBTI)

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

This post wont make much sense if you aren't familiar with the Myers Briggs Type Inventory  (MBTI personality test, also known as Keirsey personality sorter, or Jungian personality types--there's a decent test and overview at www.typelogic.com).  This is my favorite personality test, and I like sorting fictional characters into the categories. 
I was wondering if anyone else here is familiar with the types, and has any thoughts on where QT characters would fit? 

I'm guessing Gen would be ENFP --Typelogic has this to say about ENFPs :
" ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality....ENFPs often have strong, if unconvential, convictions on various issues related to their Cosmic View....ENFPs have what some call a "silly switch." They can be intellectual, serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance, they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the swimming pool, ticklers par excellence...Hasty decisions based on deeply felt values may boil over with unpredictable results. "

Irene I'm thinking would be INFJ or INTJ, I'm really not sure.  Actually, I'm not sure she's an "N" and not an "S"...
INFJ: "Beneath the quiet exterior, INFJs hold deep convictions about the weightier matters of life. Those who are activists -- INFJs gravitate toward such a role -- are there for the cause, not for personal glory or political power....Writing, counseling, public service and even politics are areas where INFJs frequently find their niche."

Costis is without doubt an ISTJ: "ISTJs are often called inspectors. They have a keen sense of right and wrong, especially in their area of interest and/or responsibility. They are noted for devotion to duty. Punctuality is a watchword of the ISTJ....ISTJs are easily frustrated by the inconsistencies of others, especially when the second parties don't keep their commitments. But they usually keep their feelings to themselves unless they are asked. And when asked, they don't mince words. Truth wins out over tact."

The Magus I was thinking ENTJ("a natural tendency to marshall and direct."), and Sophos INFP("INFPs never seem to lose their sense of wonder. One might say they see life through rose-colored glasses") or possibly INTP, and Helen probably ENFJ ("They have tremendous charisma by which many are drawn into their nurturant tutelage and/or grand schemes"), though it's been a while since I've read the first two books. 

I would love to hear what other people think regarding MBTI and these or other characters, or Enneagram for that matter.

Comments

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

Oooh a character personality study? I'm in. Interesting how realistic the personalities of the characters are, but for some reason I want to go all psychologist on them and figure out what led them to become this way.

As a kid I can imagine Gen wanting to be different from everyone else and having a close relationship with his grandfather (who probably had the most influence on him). He was probably the one most like his mother, therefore enforcing his belief that he should take up the unconventional occupation of being a thief.

Attolia's been through a lot and it wouldn't surprise me find out that those bad experiences are the main reason she's who she is today. She was an impetuous kid once in her life (tantrum throwing and all), something in her childhood probably left that mark on her leading her to become like that. She did live with her fiance during her adolescence right? That had probably left a mark on her too.


*will continue this psychological analysis soon after she examines the other characters*

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

I always test as INFJ or INTJ, and I came up as Attolia on that character test. :P

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

Where did you find a test for this?

[sandtree.livejournal.com]

For the Myers Briggs thing? You can find a few of them floating around on the internet. I'll try to find some links if I have time a bit later.

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)) I have a feeling I'll be an ENFP...wow this is starting to get me more interested in psychology.

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

MBTI test:
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
For a Queens thief test, see the previous comment for a link to a facebook quiz

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

Thanks...yeah I know of the facebook quiz, I posted the link :D.

Thank you once again, I'll go take the quiz right away.

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

LOL--whoops.

[openedlocket.livejournal.com]

s'okay :))

[ninedaysaqueen.livejournal.com]

It said I'm an INTJ.

# very expressed introvert
# moderately expressed intuitive personality
# moderately expressed thinking personality
# moderately expressed judging personality

I got Helen in the other test. Am I inconsistent? Although I expected to get Irene in the QT test, I didn't.

[wondersuntold.livejournal.com]

I love Ennegram and Jungian personality tests! I'm an ISTJ and I made all my friends at school take it as well.

I really like this idea. I'll offer in my two cents about which personality I think fits each character.

Gen: I agree with ENFP mostly. Definitely an extrovert. Because he's a thief and of his lifestyle, he is forced to rely on intuition. And I think he's a feeler as well. And the P makes sense as well. I like that analysis!

Attolia: I think she would be an ISTJ, actually. It's kind of funny because I took the facebook quiz about which Queen's Thief series character I would be and I got Irene and this is my personality type. But I think it fits her. She's definitely more introverted. And she's sensing rather than intuitive - throughout the books she relies more on solid facts and things she can see or confirm herself. Like in Queen of Attolia where she was bothered because she didn't know how Gen was faring/recovering after he left Attolia at the beginning. She wanted someone to give her some definite answers about his condition, and was distressed by the fact that it was not possible. And she's obviously a T because she is very clever and calculating, valuing logic and reason as compared to her feelings. As for J, I think she has proven to be a very judgmental character. ISTJs are duty fulfillers. I think it fits her well.

Eddis:ISFJ. Also an introvert. She's also rather practical, which I think would make her be more dependent on senses rather than intuition. Eddis is not cold at all though, so I think she's a feeler. And as a successful queen, I feel she has to be judgmental to some degree. Though perhaps ISFP could work for her as well.

Sophos: INFP maybe. Definitely an introvert. I think he would be more intuitive than either of the two queens. And he's definitely a feeler. He seems to be more perceptive than simply judgmental as well. In The Thief he was able to understand/perceive why Ambiades acted the way he did, and instead of judging him badly, Sophos tried to sympathize with him.

Costis: I think he's an ISTJ as well.

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

INTP here :-D MBTI is awesome.
On second thought, I think you're right about Eddis. Individual traits aside, she kind of reminds me of my ISFJ friends.
Attolia I think you're probably right about as well. I'm a bit thrown off b/c she spends so much of the series in emotional distress, though I guess that's partially b/c she's so uncomfortable with recognizing and following her heart.
Having read the other comments about Gen, I'm starting to think he's actually an INFJ--they're known for being comfortable enough with people to pass as extroverts, and having the kind of charisma he demonstrates in KoA. And while he's relaxed about hygiene and deadlines (the scheme in The Thief kind of screams P type), he is very certain about the things he cares about.

[wondersuntold.livejournal.com]

Yeah I am inclined to agree about Gen being an I as well. I would think he's more perceiving than judging, but the INFJ personality overall seems to fit Gen more than the overall INFP does.

[tearoha.livejournal.com]

I don't know if Gen is an E - he can be social and charming when he wants to, but isn't he more naturally reclusive, and happier on his own? Correct me if I'm wrong, I think the definition of an introvert/extrovert is the state they're more relaxed in, and Gen seems more a natural loner. Hence the whole conversation between Irene and Relous about 'driving him out'.

I think Irene would be an S. MWT said (somewhere...) that Gen works by Intuition and Irene by calculation, so that would make her an S (and Gen is so *very* N)

Hee, I always test as ENFJ. Hah. I knew that last quiz got me wrong.

[ladyofastolat.livejournal.com]

I'm inclined to agree. My initial reaction on reading the post was, "Hmmm... I think Gen might well class as an introvert." A lot of his plans are solitary ones, and even when he is surrounded by people, he's keeping secrets from many of them and holding a lot of his true self back. When we first meet him, he's committed himself to a plan that involves months of being alone - either literally, in the prison cell, or effectively, in that he's playing a part, hiding things, and playing a part that means that people around him will despise him. Is this extroverted behaviour? (Not a rhetorical question; I don't know the answer.)

Also, I just found this on the first site that came up when I searched: "Extroverts tend to think as they speak, unlike introverts who are far more likely to think before they speak" and I'd have thought that an awful lot of what Gen says is thought-about first.

As for the test, I've come out different every time I've done it. The first letter's always I, but I've come out as borderline on all the other 3, meaning that each version of the test declares a different result. This does make me slightly suspicious of the whole thing, really. I don't think personalities are set in stone, and people vary from situation to situation.

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

so is he an INFJ?

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

On second thought, I think so...some of the INFJs I know are total mad caps, which fits. And the way he rests after the Thief ordeal by hiding in the library was very introverted behavior. He also independently decided that the situation with Sounis pursuing the Gift was unacceptable, and took dramatic action. Same story, mostly, with being in love with Irene...probably not a P type after all.
Elaine, on the one hand I agree with you about personalities not being set in stone etc, but I think personality tests MBTI and similar can provide some interesting insights, at least in terms of focusing character analysis on a few definable traits. Though I like horoscopes, too, so...haha.

Punk Clowns

[peggy-2.livejournal.com]

http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/the-pop-culture-archetype-personality-test

Gen's an Illusionist

: )

Re: Punk Clowns

[harlyn.livejournal.com]

This is awesome!

[crazededdisian.livejournal.com]

I am an INFJ.
moderately expressed introvert
moderately expressed intuitive personality
moderately expressed feeling personality
moderately expressed judging personality

Which is funny, because I tend to do things spur-of-the-moment.

try this one: http://kisa.ca/personality/

I'm a INFP.

Introverted (I) 79% Extraverted (E) 21%
Intuitive (N) 64% Sensing (S) 36%
Feeling (F) 55% Thinking (T) 45%
Perceiving (P) 55% Judging (J) 45%
I have no idea about these things....