Friday, November 4, 2016

(Late) Halloween MBTI- Disney's The Nightmare Before Christmas- Sally the Ragdoll (ISFP)



Introverted Feeling (Fi)- Sally is independent, and guided by an internal set of values that lead her to oppose the idea of adopting Christmas in Halloweentown, even though the man she loves is doing it, along with the whole town. She doesn’t present a rational argument as to why he shouldn’t do it, but rather is against it because it just feels wrong to her, though she doesn’t oppose her opinion on others. She doesn’t like the lifestyle Dr. Finkelstein has forced on her, but she still cares for him and rebels quietly when she can’t take any more. Sally has trouble telling Jack she likes him, instead showing her affection through acts (bringing him dinner and wine when he forgets to eat, helping to make his costume, going to save Sandy). She has a deep bond with Jack, even though she thinks he only sees her as a friend, and would do anything for him.

Extroverted Sensing (Se)- Sally is somewhat impatient, and is bored being locked up all the time. She would rather be doing something and be out with others in town and with Jack. She has a reckless streak, continuously sneaks out, fearlessly leaps out a window and gets herself torn up, and impulsively runs off to rescue Sandy (and gets herself captured). However, she improvises very well, pouring a fog potion in the fountain to try to prevent Jack from leaving and using her detachable limbs to get herself out of fixes or cause diversions, and is a talented potion-brewer. As nobody listened to her warning, she realizes she needs to take action herself.

Introverted Intuition (Ni)- Sally envisions a future of herself and Jack together, but is too shy about her feelings to work towards that vision. She gets a premonition of Christmas ending in disaster and worries about what Jack has gotten everyone into, though she can’t articulate to anyone why it’s true. She wants to enjoy the present moment of the Christmas preparations and fun (Se), but can’t shake off her bad feeling. While she is generally considerate of the future, she sometimes doesn’t see past the current moment (like a longer-term plan than just sneaking out of home all the time just to get dragged back home) or consequences (getting caught in Oogie’s lair).

Extroverted Thinking (Te)- Sally is very sensible. She reasonably tells the doctor why she wants to leave, pointing out he is perfectly capable of creating others like her. Unlike Jack, a strong Ti user, she doesn’t stop and analyze a situation; she just acts (creating foggy weather, going to save Sandy Claws so he can stop Jack, distracting Oogie). She acts on her emotions, and won’t just come out and tell Jack she loves him. She also isn’t always assertive with people when it would benefit her to be.


Note: I know INFJ is a popular typing, due to the Ni-filled “Sally’s Song”. I originally typed her as an ISFJ, then as an INFJ, then considered INFP. But I’ve realized she is definitely driven by Fi, and uses far too much Se in what she does to be an INFJ. Her Ni also isn’t as strong as a Ni-dom’s would be (Also, using intuition =/= an Intuitive. Sounds contradicting, but Sensors use their intuitive functions, too.).

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Halloween MBTI: The Others- Grace Stewart (ISTJ) [Spoilers]

Introverted Sensing: Grace is pragmatic and methodical, the voice of reason (or so she thinks) to her children’s “silly” ideas. The house has always been managed a certain way, and expects her new servants and children to follow her rules.  She’s happy with this routine. She adheres to Catholicism and recalls details about it when teaching, disciplining, or comforting her children (and gets angry when Anne corrects what she knows about purgatory). It is primarily Grace’s roots in reality and her strong memories of how life used to be in the house was before her and her children’s deaths that keeps her from seeing she is, in fact, dead.


Extroverted Thinking: Grace has a smooth, efficient way of managing her household by herself and gives orders easily. There’s a place for everything, and everything in its place. Upon the arrival of her new servants, she assigns each of them to certain jobs and rooms that will suit each person best, and doesn’t stop to make many pleasantries when things need to be organized. She usually controls her emotions, keeping “a cool head” and doing what needs to be done. She makes them study in separate rooms for talking too much, and makes Anne stand and read aloud from the Bible for three days straight until she confesses to lying. Grace trusts what she knows, and doesn’t believe anything until she sees evidence of it herself, insisting things have explanations (“Something traumatic must have happened to [Lydia]” to make her mute).

Introverted Feeling: If Grace feels uncomfortable talking about something, she won’t talk about it, and gets annoyed if pushed to do so. Her own set of values are very important to her and she doesn’t change them for anyone. Catholicism matters deeply to her, and she tries to instill its values in her children. She doesn’t express her feelings or affection towards the kids much through words, instead comforting Nicholas with a rosary and kiss. She sobs in private when she misses her husband. Despite being cold sometimes, she’s extremely protective of her children. She is offended when someone makes her feel incompetent, such as when she thinks Mrs. Mills suggested it was Grace who unlocked the door and endangered the kids and when her daughter calls her out for being wrong about what the Bible says.

Extroverted Thinking: Grace dislikes “fantasies”, “strange ideas”, and refuses to believe Anne about the “strangers” for most of the movie. She’s disturbed by the superstition of photographing dead relatives. But she does try to open her children’s minds more about Hell and describes it imaginatively, and shows them another point of view about denying Jesus. She senses there is something more to Lydia’s muteness than what Mrs. Mills told her and senses something that isn’t human in the junk room. By the end of the movie, Grace has finally accepted her fate and opens her mind to the idea of the afterlife. She admits she isn’t sure whether or not Heaven or Hell are real.

Friday, August 19, 2016

Gravity Falls- Ford Pines (INTP) [Spoilers]


Ti- The endless mysteries of the world captivate Ford to no end, and he’s forever chasing them- always wanting to know more, always thinking, and dedicating himself to solving life’s puzzles. He figured out how to make a lightbulb that never burns out in just a few hours! He is able to be make tough decisions to achieve his ends, works well under pressure, and is tactical (like placing a metal plate in his head to keep Bill Cipher out).  

Ne- Ford loves the endless possibilities in his line of work. (examples) He collects highly dangerous objects because they fascinate him (even lets his young nephew get ahold of them). He’s so caught up in the bigger picture that he rarely sees the potential consequences of his actions- like, say, making a deal with a dream demon or carrying around the infinity-sided dice, and this open-mindedness makes him rather naive, despite his great ingenuity.

Si- As a scientist, Ford will patiently study as much as he can about whatever he’s interested in to glean all the details of it. He wants his old life back- with his brother out of his life for good so he can continue studying anomalies. He wants Dipper to carry on his life’s work and sees him as a younger version of how he used to be.


Fe- Growing up, he felt very hurt his extra-fingered hand and intelligence gained him mockery from other kids. Unlike Stan, who was also hurt but cared far less what other people thought, Ford wanted acceptance and to connect with others, which he eventually does with Dipper. As an adult his need to be admired gets exploited by Bill. He believes in doing things for the greater good and tends to accidentally belittle others’ feelings, leading him to appear quite cold to Stan, who operates on a very different and very personal moral code (Fi-aux). 

Disney's Beauty and the Beast- Belle (ISFJ) [Retyping]

Taken from But We've Met Before, my Disney blog.




Introverted Sensing (Si): Though Belle says she wants excitement and adventure, she never actually does anything about it. She stays in town, performing the same routine every day: go into town, get books, read them, do some chores around the house. It bores her, but it's what she knows and is comfortable with. Later, she eventually falls into the same routines, reading, taking walks, feeding the birds; the only difference is she's doing them in a magic palace now! Everything she concludes about her stay in the enchanted castle, she knows from her fairy tale books. In "Something There", she muses over her feelings for the Beast that differ so greatly from what she has come to learn about him (well, he's BEEN a big, terrifying brute with a bad temper- why should I care about him so much now?).



Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Belle is well-mannered, very proper, and though she's not stimulated in her village, she never makes a big fuss. It bothers her a little to not fit in with her community. She thinks Gaston is boorish but never snaps at him, just politely engages with him, even when he damages her book. She is able to flatter Gaston to get rid of him, and similarly manipulates Lumiere and Cogsworth so she can sneak off to the West Wing. However, overall, she doesn't always express her deeper emotions (though she WILL assert herself when she needs to) if she thinks it will hurt others, and this almost cost the Beast his life. She doesn't always try to empathize with the other person (but still sometimes expects others to somehow just know how she feels).


Introverted Thinking (Ti): Belle is intellectually curious and greatly enjoys learning. She sees past appearances, which is why she is willing to stay with the Beast after all despite him frightening her. She knows that just because Gaston is handsome and popular doesn’t necessarily mean he is a kind person. The Beast, like Gaston, was rude and boorish to her, but she notices his kindness when he gives her a better room and then rescues her. Belle isn’t necessarily good at reading people, but she is good at analyzing situations. When she wants Gaston out of her house, she doesn’t tell him to go, but finds a way to him to the door and make him leave anyway. She is fascinated by the many secrets the enchanted castle might hold.


Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Belle is dreamy, yearning to escape her small-town boredom and have "adventure in the great, wide somewhere", never specifying exactly what kind of adventure it is she wants; she just likes the idea of seeing things and getting away from her village of "little people".  She loves books, especially fairy tales, because they spark her imagination. She is able to see different sides of people: the rude side of Gaston nobody else in town seems to see, and the gentleness beneath the rude, gruff exterior of the Beast. She wonders what the rose is, and what's its connection to the Beast (or the young man in the portrait, for that matter)?



Reason for retyping: After discussing it with isfjmel-phleg (my MBTI source, I suppose?), I stand corrected; ISFJ makes more sense. She makes far more decisions based on how she is feeling than an INTP would, even though her Ti and Ne are quite well-used.

Monday, August 8, 2016

Steven Universe- Lapis Lazuli (ISFP)


Introverted Feeling- Lapis is brimming with emotions that she at times cannot control. She holds onto her resentment towards the Crystal Gems for unknowingly keeping her inside a mirror for thousands of years, and even when she befriends Steven, who tries to get her to realize they meant no harm, she still does not want anything to do with them because of their involvement in her prison (no matter that none of them knew she was in there). She does not trust others easily, but when she does, she’s an incredibly loyal friend. She goes out of her way to protect Steven and even the Gems- not because they mean anything to her, but because Steven means so much to her and he loves the Gems. She doesn’t want to room with Peridot because of the latter’s imprisonment of her in the past, and is quick to decide she dislikes her before giving Peridot a chance. However, when Peridot shows she means well by giving her a gift, Lapis does appreciate it. She admits she enjoyed using Jasper as a chew toy for her own rage. She doesn’t always know how to empathize with others (understanding why Steven trusts Peridot, or that the Gems aren’t to blame for the mirror).


Extroverted Sensing- Lapis is good at working in and with her environment. She uses with whatever she has on hand- using the earth’s ocean as a giant step, or making shapes from it to fight off foes, or using Steven’s own words to communicate with him while stuck in the mirror. She’s usually more observant than the other gems- Sapphire and Ruby are wasting the game flirting, that’s what’s going on. She knows how dangerous Malachite is but enjoys the power the fusion gives her and having such a release for her rage and pain. Steven shows her how vast her new home really is and she is shown to appreciate the beauty and experience of it.


Introverted Intuition- Lapis single-mindedly just wants to go “home”. At first it’s just Homeworld, but when that proves to be impossible for her, she struggles with finding somewhere else she can be at peace, feeling trapped wherever she goes. She sees a way to trap Jasper when all hope seems lost (albeit not a long-term one, as she quickly realizes she cannot hold back Jasper forever in this fusion state). Water holds very unpleasant symbolism as her dark prison, so she rejects the pool Peridot attempts to give her.



Extroverted Thinking (Te)- Lapis deals with problems as they come and solves problems the most direct way. When she needs to go home, she makes a water tower to physically reach it. She uses the weight of the ocean to hold down Malachite. Imprisoning Jasper is exhausting and takes all her concentration, but what other solution is there? She acts on her emotions- crushing Peridot’s tape recorder- and flat-out tells the other gem she doesn’t want her around. She can be blunt and shoots down ideas she thinks are awful (“This plan sucks”), although she doesn’t offer alternative ones. 

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Over the Garden Wall: MBTI Chart


Finally finished!

Wirt- textbook INFP. Brimming with emotions and easily embarrassed, artistic, civil, a bit selfish. He goes through a great arc of using all four of his functions: Fi (he's sensitive, values his individuality, and there's his initial self-centeredness to valuing his brother over himself), Ne (paranoia + indecisiveness to seeing connections and third options to take), Si (wanting to settle into the Pottsfield for a sense of normalcy + later reflecting on his mistakes and learning from them), to finally, his weakest function, Te (becoming more decisive and assertive in a healthy way).

Greg- ESFP. Outgoing, adventurous little cutie pie. He lives for new experiences and is afraid of very little (Se) and wants to "make the world a better place" (Fi). He's better at making decisions than Wirt (Te), but isn't very perceptive (low Ni). I consider him to embody the very best qualities of an ESFP =)

Beatrice- ENTJ. I think I'd have trouble typing her had my friend over on tumblr not done her typing first, because I'm less familiar with ENTJs, but after studying Bea and the ENTJ personality type both, I see it. Beatrice just wants to get stuff done the most efficient way (Te) to reach her goal (Ni) using what she can and taking chances when they present themselves (Se) all of which are motivated by her love for and loyalty to her family (Fi). Unlike Wirt, she already uses her first three functions pretty easily, but is a bit of a typical ENTJ who needs to use her Fi more, since she initially is pretty rude and blunt with Wirt, judging him as a spineless wimp until he proves her otherwise (oh, stereotypical Te to the max).

Greg's Frog (Jason)- ISFP. Obviously as a non-speaking animal, he's harder to type, but if he has one, it'd be ISFP. He clearly loves Greg as much as Greg loves him and puts up with their crazier adventures without fuss, and when given the chance to get a good musical career, he turns it down because he cares more for the boys, even if he gets nothing out of it (Fi). Again, as he doesn't talk he kind of has to actively do anything, but he has shown to try to communicate in his own way since the beginning and still prefers to act on his desires, so I'm counting it as Se, as well as being highly adaptive and musically talented, despite never even speaking before, much less singing, and can be impulsive (like eating Whispers' bell). He doesn't use much of his lower functions, but his Ni does come out a bit when he manages to understand what the boys are saying.

The Woodsman-  ISTJ. A loner dedicated to his daughter even though it seems fruitless, all because he never thought to question the Beast telling him there way no other way, and he uses his previous skills as a woodcutter to solve the lantern problem (all Si). He's unhappy with his "burden" in life but does it without question or much complaint- because what other choice is there? Let his daughter's soul perish? He works hard and lets nothing stand in his way of work... until he meets two lost brothers being stalked by his nemesis the Beast and feels a strong need to protect them, though they don't have anything to do with him (Fi- and it being lower may contribute to his awkward social skills). His low Ne accounts for his inability to guess the Beast's weakness as Wirt, a strong Ne user, does.

The Beast- INFJ. An abominable being obsessed with keeping his own soul preserved in the lantern and highly perceptive about others' weaknesses (Ni) which he manipulates with his very affable, polite manner to achieve his goal (Fe), as well as analyzing and questioning them and creating near-impossible tasks for Greg to complete (Ti). His Se comes out when he sees chances to further his agenda (like making Wirt his new lantern bearer) but ultimately does not use it enough, because he fails to anticipate that Wirt has changed.

Enoch- ISFJ. Probably my favorite character! Like Jason, he doesn't use his two lower functions much, but his Si and Fe are obvious enough to see he's an xSFJ and he clearly enjoys the privacy and mystery his costume allows him, making him seem more introverted. He's a good leader of the village and values how they've always done things, strictly enforcing and following his own rules (Si) and underneath the pretend-creepy exterior used to protect his villagers, is an actually kind, affable character who enjoys festivity and goes fairly easy on the boys despite committing such awful "crimes". I can, however, see some Ti in his "evil" persona- quietly, coldly questioning the boys, as well as Ne in his creative costume and persona and seeing that they'll return someday to Pottsfield- in another time.

Miss Langtree- ESFJ. Langtree is utterly depressed that Jimmy supposedly left her, and is so hurt she lets it affect her job. She still clearly loves her students, though, and is very kind to them and the boys, as well as doling out punishment when sees an honest need for it when she thinks one is misbehaving. She also honors her supposedly irate father's wishes when it upsets her to and values chivalry in a relationship (Fe). She respects the rules laid out, from students being on time to her father's taking away the instruments, even if she doesn't agree with the latter. She clearly believes in a traditional relationship of courting and is devastated when her boyfriend appears to disregard them. Even when she's pleased with how the benefit concert turns out, she still has to find a way to compare it to Jimmy Brown and what he's done to her in the past (Si). She's only got one episode and is in a bit of a rut with her first two functions (and while a bit dramatic, really needs to use her Ne more) but her type is obvious.

The Tavernkeeper- ESTJ. She speaks for the whole tavern, full of authority and the ability to organize her external environment with ease. She demands to know who Wirt is to know what role he plays, and is blunt, kicking out Beatrice and blaming Wirt for letting her in (Te). She knows how the story works that the characters are in, and wants to know how Wirt falls into it, because everyone plays a part. She's very aware of the history with the Beast, and (Si). Social harmony is not her concern in the tavern; respecting how she wants it to be is (Fi). She is superstitious and determines that the Woodsman must actually be the Beast, as he's never seen without the lantern (Ne).

The Toymaker- ENFP. Whimsical and enjoys throwing out ideas of who Wirt is and what kind of wedding they'll give him (Ne). A very jolly, kindly man, but one who is a bit more concerned about the story roles than Wirt's own feelings on the matter, as it's more important to him (Fi). Take-charge and organizes a "wedding" using everyone in the tavern available (Te). Like the Tavernkeeper, he understands the story and works well within it and insists Wirt must be somebody in it (Si).

Quincy Endicott- ESFP. Much like Greg, he enjoys a good time and is up for an adventure in the mansion even if he's terrified of seeing that "ghost" and clearly enjoys the finer things in life. His paranoia leads to him to behave irresponsibly and get too caught up in the moment (Se). He's a genial man who treats the boys to dinner after learning they're his supposed family, rewards Greg's helping him, and is deeply offended to be accused of murder and theft (Fi). While he prefers to let Greg lead and forgets to feed his pets, he does suggest an obvious solution to Greg's questioning ("Look, why don't I just TELL you when we get there?"). He's not very concerned about the future and his intuition is a bit off (it MUST be a ghost! No other conclusion!) but he does think deeply occasionally, suspecting he's going mad and the ghost isn't even real at all- the latter of which turns out to be right (Ni), and he has a bit of an identity crisis initially thanks to that weak Ni ("I sometimes don't know where, or who, I am!").

Lorna- ISFJ. Lorna is comfortable at home (especially proven by the end of the episode), though tired of the rut she's stuck in doing nothing but chores all day. However, she accepts it- it's how things have to be, and she never seems to have tried to find another way to get rid of the curse (weak Ne), which shows a very cautious side (Si). However, she's willing to drop that caution when she develops a crush on Wirt and appreciates his wanting to help her. She's very kind and polite. In the end, she can't bear to leave Auntie Whispers, whom she knows will be lonely without her (Fe).

Auntie Whispers- ISFJ. Whispers loves Lorna sincerely, but is content to keep the spirit at bay the same way she always has: keeping Lorna distracted with chores. They've developed a routine in life and she likes keeping it that way (Si)... For mainly selfish motivations. She certainly cares about Lorna, but has never used the bell to free her because she was afraid her only companion would abandon her. She attempts to scare the boys away from Lorna, but never tries to harm the children. She is a bit emotionally manipulative too- "You know I do this for your own good, child" and "I suppose you won't be needing old Auntie Whispers anymore..." (Fe).

Sara- ISTP. Sara is a smart girl with a dry wit, and she likes engaging in logical debate and owns up when another's logical conclusion makes more sense ("You’re limiting the universe to only things humans could understand." "No, you’re limiting the universe by limiting the possibility of human understanding!" "Oh, yeah, maybe."). She tends to act on what makes sense to her, like (Ti). She likes working as the school mascot, dancing around showing school spirit, and enjoys the spooky atmosphere of telling scary stories in the graveyard and goes all-out as a creepy skeleton clown. She also mentions she used to be a a ballerina before her mom made her quit and do wrestling (Se). She's very calm, friendly, and makes friends of different groups easily. She isn't interested romantically in Jason Funderberker and doesn't encourage him to pursue her. She tries to include Wirt and invite him along, making her interest rather obvious (Fe). Don't have much evidence for Ni, But I don't think she uses Se over Ti.

Jason Funderberker- ENTP. He shows up to the party in a strange costume, has a somewhat offbeat sense of humor, and wishes to see what's on the tape, guessing it's going to be humorous (Ne). He's outgoing, unassuming and sociable with everyone, unaware of Wirt's one-sided rivalry. He shows affection towards Sara outwardly but backs off when she isn't interested (and is quick to start another relationship with the blonde bird girl) (Fe). He seems to be a traditional romantic, trying to court her at the party and hold her hand before going further romantically, and likes classic ghost stories. No evidence for Ti much, but he shows no Fi at all, kind of in a Ne-Fe loop.

John Crops- ISFJ. John dreams of the "big city" but has never actually left until gently prodded to go by the boys he meets. Once he experiences the city for himself and has a little old-fashioned romance with the cabbage lady, he decides his old life in the country is what he wants most after all. So and and Cabbage head back to live on his farm with the garden cat and settle into a traditional life. Pretty Si. He's incredibly friendly, easygoing, and connects to the boys easily, even letting them keep his car. His intro scene, in fact, is him lamenting about how lonely he is and wants to find someone to love. Very Fe. His dreams of another life outside the one he knows and idealizing the "big city" are Ne. He's got his own brand of logic ("Do you think there are geese in the big city?" "I never heard there ain't geese in the big city!") though he doesn't analyze much (he isn't even sure what his organs consist of).

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Over the Garden Wall: The Beast (INFJ)


Introverted Intuition (Ni)- The Beast’s long-term focus lies with keeping the lantern lit. He obsessively lets nothing get in the way of his means of staying alive. He is constantly manipulating others to ensure it stays lit, and has found a way to do so without ever letting his weakness become known (except when Wirt later figures it out himself). He intuitively reads others’ feelings and desires quite well, such as Wirt’s and Woodsman’s love for their family members, and exploits that to further his agenda, and he tends to correctly anticipate where the boys are heading everywhere in the Unknown.

Extroverted Feeling (Fe)- The Beast masterfully manipulates others by playing on their emotions. He gets the Woodsman to chop wood for the lantern for such a long time persistently because he constantly plays on his fears of the fate of his “daughter’s” soul, and successfully guilts him too- doesn’t he care about his daughter? He’s courteous and affable with all he meets, insisting he’s trying to help. When Greg frustrates him, he stays patient and calm with him, even compliments his diligence. But when his temper does show, it’s frightening to behold. If the theory of the Beast being behind Cloud City and the Queen of the clouds is true, it shows that he knows exactly how to give people what they want.

Introverted Thinking (Ti)- The Beast has no qualms about hurting anyone, even an innocent child like Greg, to achieve his goal. He politely questions people, is good at analyzing their weaknesses, and comes up with seemingly impossible riddles for Greg to solve to exhaust him. He’s furious when Wirt is able to out-think him and spots the Beast’s weakness.

Extroverted Sensing (Se)- The Beast sees opportunities to help himself, and takes them (first tricking the Woodsman into carrying the lantern, then getting Greg to go with him, and later offering a deal to Wirt). However, he is mostly passive and reliant on others to carry out his work, and his plan would have almost worked had it not been for Wirt’s change of heart, which the Beast was not prepared for and couldn’t handle.

Monday, March 28, 2016

Disney's Sleeping Beauty: Aurora (INFP)

Contrary to what some in the Disney fandom may think, Aurora definitely has a personality- even a well-rounded one, I dare say. Those who limit their definition of personality to screen time don't seem to have a true grasp on what personality really is. We learn quite a lot about Aurora from her short "I Want" song alone, much less the rest of her screen time. (Also: thanks and credit to Audrey at throughtheroses.tumblr.com!)


Introverted Feeling (Fi): Aurora is a kind girl with strong emotions she keeps inside herself, not always wanting to share how she feels (such as her restlessness and wanting to meet someone). She is comfortable just sitting (or dancing) in silence with those she's fond of, not needing to talk. When faced with the shocking truth of her heritage and being forbidden from seeing the one person she had romantically connected with, she feels quite wounded and doesn't try to hide it, and just sort of gives up after that. Upon meeting her parents at last, she says no words, but simply embraces them warmly.


Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Aurora is imaginative, philosophical, and has a creative side. She creates a metaphor of her life when she observes a pattern with the birds and wonders if there's a connection between them and her own life ("I Wonder"). Despite holding fast to her dreams, Aurora never actively pursues them; instead stays at home and creates a whole little fantasy world with her animal friends. Besides, she's certain her dreams will come true without needing to actively pursue them- and she's right!



Introverted Sensing (Si): Aurora believes in what she's already learned about dreams (that if you've had one repeatedly, it will come true). She is cautious; she doesn't just jump into a relationship with Phillip, but instead decides to meet him back at her cottage, seeing it as the safe option in this new potentially unsafe situation, as it offers the protection of her aunts. She's not at all excited about the luxury of being a princess- she just wants the only life she ever knew back.


Extroverted Thinking (Te): Aurora doesn't use this one much; she can be passive and indecisive at times ("Never!" "Well, maybe someday!" "Oh, no, this evening!"). But she does speak up to the fairies about her own life, and had previously made plans to get to know Phillip better in the safety of home. She doesn't like that her aunts won't treat her like an adult despite her responsible nature.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Disney's Pocahontas- Pocahontas (ISFP)


Introverted Feeling (Fi): Pocahontas feels strongly about most things, but rarely shares these feelings with anyone but a select few she is very close to. She is deeply offended by John's calling her people (and by extension, her) "savages", but instead of talking it out with him, she silently leaves in a huff. Pocahontas hates conflict and will usually go out of her way to avoid it. She wants peace between her tribe and the white explorers more than anything and is willing to throw herself in harm's way if it means achieving it, because she's so steadfast in her values. She feels a need to stay true to herself and find her own way in life, even if it's not what anyone in her tribe does.



Extroverted Sensing (Se): Pocahontas is free-spirited, loves a thrill, and new sensations- diving off a towering waterfall, running through the woods, spying on the strange settlers. She's deeply in tuned with her environment ("But I know every rock and tree and creature has a life, has a spirit, has a name"), and shows John how to experience the most out of it ("Colors of the Wind" is a great example of Se, really). She is excited to hear about how different London is from the home she's always known.  She can be impulsive and quick to take chances when she sees them. She doesn't want to take the path everyone else has taken but instead chooses the rocky, more dangerous stream in "Just Around the Riverbend".


Introverted Intuition (Ni): Pocahontas knows her dream about the spinning arrow means something- she just doesn't know what (and this is probably the biggest piece of evidence of how she is not in fact an INFJ as she's regularly typed is; a Ni-dom would probably have figured out the meaning behind the symbolism a long time ago. It takes her the whole movie to get it!). She wants to know what her destiny is, and won't settle for taking the "smoothest course" because it may be the wrong choice for her.

Extroverted Thinking (Te): Pocahontas is pretty passive, but she can stand up and take charge when pushed to it, like calmly explaining to Powhatan how she thinks she's meant to take another path, and going to save John herself through the most direct way (ie literally standing in the way of Powhatan!).

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

Pan's Labyrinth- Ofelia (INFP)



Introverted Feeling (Fi): Ofelia is an independent, compassionate girl. She can come off as disobedient to her mother at times, but she cares strongly about Carmen thinks. She warms up quickly to Mercedes the servant, who humors her love of fantasy, while everyone else just sees Ofelia as a child or a nuisance. She can lack empathy- she can't understand how her mother could have felt lonely with Ofelia around and married an awful man like Vidal. She can't make herself care enough about showing up to the dinner in the dress Carmen worked on like she and the captain want to make the family look good, because helping the Faun is more important to her. She never directly says she dislikes Vidal, but she clearly is happy to "disappoint" by not going to the dinner. She eventually cannot bring herself to hand her brother over, even though he's caused much of her grief, because she feels it's wrong to harm an innocent in any way, nor can she tell Vidal that Mercedes is a rebel because she cares about her. She usually acts on her emotions, such as breaking away briefly from her mission to ask the Faun to help her sick mother.


Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Ofelia lives in her own fantasy world, sparked by the many fairy tales she reads. She's always got a story in her head, as implied by her mother requesting her to tell her unborn brother a story to settle him down. The Faun is shady, and she's never certain if he's lying or not. She is given a key to use in the Pale Man's lair, but guesses correctly that it actually opens a different door than the one she was told to use. She sees Mercedes outside and connects her with the rebels (again, correctly). In general, she's a creative problem solver: when she's about to be killed by the Pale Man, she quickly sees another escape out through the ceiling with her magic chalk, and when she needs the toad to swallow the stones, she sneaks a fat bug in with them, knowing he'll eat it that way, and slipping Carmen's sleeping medicine into Vidal's drink so she can grab her brother. The Faun tells her the only way to return home is to draw a little blood from her brother- which she senses is a lie, and refuses to.


Introverted Sensing (Si): Ofelia misses her life with just her mother and no captain back in the city. She has trouble adjusting to her country life living with a cold-hearted stepfather. She isn't shocked by seeing a real fairy, faun, and mandrake because she's familiar with such creatures from all her reading. She has initial trouble believing the Faun when he tells her she's Princess Moanna, because her father, an ordinary tailor, died years ago. She takes comfort from her books, the only bit of her old life she has, as well as hearing a reassuring child's lullaby from Mercedes when Carmen dies and Ofelia's childhood is well and truly gone now, without the only source of protection from the captain's cruelty.  Once she understands what kind of magical world she's dealing with, she works within it well and without question.


Extroverted Thinking (Te): Ofelia is able to believe the Faun when he presents proof (the moon birthmark on her shoulder). He lays out the plan to get her home, and she works at following through efficiently and in secret from everyone at the mill. She eventually comes to take responsibility for her infant brother and gets them both out. But most of the time, Ofelia has rather weak Te, and isn't usually prepared to consider or face possible consequences for her actions.

Note: Vidal is a classic ESTJ villain (his repression of his Ne really comes to bite him when he underestimates Mercedes), Mercedes is an INFJ, Carmen is an ISFJ, and the Faun is an xNTJ. Guillermo del Toro was obviously not thinking of MBTI when he made this movie, but it's a classic one of a dreamer vs. reality, so the character types are a bit stereotypical- the evil TJ villain, the maternal ISFJ, and the heroic NF.

Monday, February 1, 2016

Disney's Tangled- Rapunzel [ESFJ]

I know she's always typed as an Intuitive, especially an ENFP, and it's understandable why; I had once typed her as an ENFJ myself. She does, after all, just "know" the lights are "meant for me!" But is that really indicative of someone with strong intuitive preference?

I had also mistyped Carmen Lowell from Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants as an ENFJ for similar reasons- she sees signs in everything and believes in fate, much like Rapunzel. But both girls are ESFJs! They hold onto their own routines and traditions that are important to them, and fear change. More on this later.

Also, there's this annoying tendency to type nerdy/quirky/silly ESFJs as ENFPs, not only Rapunzel but characters like Steven Universe. Why? Their Fe is very obvious. Why must Intuitives get the credit for being imaginative when Sensors are,well, often called called creators for a reason?

Anyway, to the typing:


Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Rapunzel is very warm to everyone she meets. She's a people-person and likes to create a happy environment at home for Gothel. She is charismatic and easily inspires others- she gets everyone at the Snuggly Duckling to open up their feelings to her. She's very friendly and you'd be hard-pressed to find a single person in the movie who dislikes her at all (even Gothel goes out of her way to make her happy for her birthday). Due to the fact that she's something of a people-pleaser, this leads Rapunzel to need validation from others, and feel insecure if she doesn't have it. She can also be over-emotional, panicking when she thinks she may hurt Gothel. (Really, where do people see an ENFP's Fi in her at all?)


Introverted Sensing (Si): Rapunzel likes routine, and keeps to it everyday: chores, crafts, exercise, re-reading her books, and so on-and does these without fail, even though it all starts to bore her. She never misses the lights that appear every year on her birthday, which becomes a special tradition for her. She pays attention to details and remembers them well, like the sun symbol she's painted so much since childhood, and where exactly she's seen it before. She can be passive, doing as Gothel says and sometimes letting Flynn lead for her. She's always been taught that the outside is dangerous and believes it without questioning, because that's how Gothel has always taught her to believe.


Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Rapunzel has stayed in her tower for 18 years, only leaving when Flynn arrives and presents the possibility of leaving safely. She channels her imagination through her preexisting skills as an artist (Si). She eventually pieces together her backstory just from seeing the sun symbol. She enjoys new ideas, as shown in the "I've Got a Dream" sequence. Her lower Ne makes her very paranoid of bad outcomes, though- will Gothel be hurt? What about all the dangers in the world? Will Flynn really leave her as Gothel warns?



Introverted Thinking (Ti): Rapunzel is curious and wants to figure out who, or what, is behind the lanterns that mysteriously appear every year on her birthday. She is shown to enjoy the logical game of chess and solving puzzles at home. Once she pieces together the truth of her heritage, she is able to objectively look at her "mother" for the first time. She sometimes over-analyzes her own feelings, and can sometimes find creative solutions to problems, like using her hair as a lasso or underwater light. She rationalizes her desire to leave the tower, even while admitting it would be immoral to defy and deceive Gothel, so she won't feel guilty about it. However, she primarily prefers to make decisions based on how she feels.