David Eddings' Belgariad

[arcticangel02]

So, I've been re-reading David Eddings' Belgariad, which I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed, and I eventually come to wondering about the types of the characters. I'm halfway through Magician's Gambit, and so here are my guesses:

Garion - SULK.

Polgara - I can't decide. At first I thought some sort of FJ - she's rather motherly. But then I realised that she's only really motherly and huggy when someone's scared her half to death - the rest of the time she's fairly intimidating and doesn't mind stepping on people to do what she needs to. And although she's about as important as a woman can be, she's still cooking and looking after the party. She obviously disapproves of her father's rascally ways. But she's very loyal and dedicated. So, my best guess is ESTJ.

Belgarath - Rascally and boyish at times, irritated at formality. Can be sensible, can be irresponsible, can just be uncaring. ENTJ? INTJ? ENTP? NT-something, anyway.

Silk - One of my favourites. Clever, witty, sarcastic, completely adaptable and loves messing with people - ENTP.

Barak - Quiet, doesn't talk much. Lets his actions speak for him. Is wearied with wife Merel's insistance on 'duty'. ISTP.

Durnik - The epitome of the 'sensible Sendarian'. ISTJ.

Ce'Nedra - Obnoxious, attention-seeking and manipulative. :P Willful, but does calculate her actions in advance. ESFJ.

Hettar - Quiet, grim. Holds grudges. Sympathetic and considerate of his horses. INFP.

Mandorallen - Noble, outspoken, insistant on doing the 'right thing'. ESTJ.

[JivinJeffJones]

I refuse to admit to having read this series.

[arcticangel02]

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by JivinJeffJones

I refuse to admit to having read this series.

What series? No! I know nothing! NOTHING!!!

(I never read any of the DragonLance series either. NO!)

[arcticangel02]

Okay, so. Hypothetical.

If you had read the series, which of course you haven't, what types would you guess for these characters that you in fact know nothing about?

[JivinJeffJones]

Originally Posted by arcticangel02

Okay, so. Hypothetical.

If you had read the series, which of course you haven't, what types would you guess for these characters that you in fact know nothing about?

I might guess that this "Belgarath" chap is clearly a P with a very messy tower. Probably ENTP. And Hettar sounds like an INTJ all the way. The name has that INTJ ring to it.

Hard to say, since it's been a lot of years since I didn't read it.

[comicsgurl]

Man, it's been years since I've read that series - maybe more than fifteen years. That being said, I think Polgara was more NF in the series. Hard and cold, but more NF. I agree Belgarath was NT.

[YourLocalJesus]

I love this series. In fact everything Mr. and Mrs. Eddings has written. I've read the Belgariad and the Malloreon about five times. These are my views:

Belgarion - Definitely an introvert. Sensor, he has a really hard time understanding things not outright said to him. Lets his feelings guide him. The J/P question is difficult to answer. But i'd go with ISFP.

Belgarath - Recognize myself in this a lot. To him order at home is unimportant due to a larger scheme. Loves to be in control, thinks outside the box, very impatient, loves a drink. He's probably ENTJ. Could be a P too, but there's too much that seem different in my opinion. The small things doesn't match. He's definitely the leader of the pack. Literally, because his animal form is a wolf

Polgara - I'd say she's some kind of weird INTJ. I mean, she clearly gets her motivation from within and only talks if she has something to say, wich I have to admit is quite often. But still an introverted MO.

Silk - ENTP. No doubt about it. Cunning little rats

Barak - Our bear warrior... I'd say he's ISFJ or ESFJ.

Durnik - ISTJ. Always dependable, all-knowing, orderly, quiet, does what needs to be done, a special sense of humor.

Ce'Nedra - ENFP. Pretty unbalanced one at that
VERY extroverted, VERY intuitive (this leads to lots of fights with Garion due to them being so different in ways of communication), VERY emotional and good at understanding other people (at least if she's not directly involved). Very, very disorderly and spontaneous etc.

Hettar - Really hard to tell. He's so introverted and rarely say things. Too little information to make a judgement. Guessing INXX at least.

Mandorallen - This guy is so stupid, i'd have a hard time guessing if I didn't have a friend who is very much like I percieve him. I think he's an INFJ, though something as rare as a stupid one. The few I have the privilege to know are strange and intelligent, caring people.

[arcticangel02]

Originally Posted by YourLocalJesus

I love this series. In fact everything Mr. and Mrs. Eddings has written. I've read the Belgariad and the Malloreon about five times. These are my views:

Belgarion - Definitely an introvert. Sensor, he has a really hard time understanding things not outright said to him. Lets his feelings guide him. The J/P question is difficult to answer. But i'd go with ISFP.

I did briefly consider him being an iNtuitive (I think Belgarath commented on how his mind was strange - he didn't understand simple things but he gets the big picture very easily, which seems quite iNtuitive to me), but you're definitely right about him being rather thick when it comes to realising things unspoken. I'd say ISFP is a good guess - he seems much more Fi than Fe.

Belgarath - Recognize myself in this a lot. To him order at home is unimportant due to a larger scheme. Loves to be in control, thinks outside the box, very impatient, loves a drink. He's probably ENTJ. Could be a P too, but there's too much that seem different in my opinion. The small things doesn't match. He's definitely the leader of the pack. Literally, because his animal form is a wolf

He is the leader, but only out of a certain necessity, really. He really doesn't like ceremony and remember, he spent all those years before Garion showed up as a bit of a vagabond. Living here, living there. Often on his own, it seems. He just seems too unstructured to be a J. He doesn't seem to mind doing things in a sneaky way, or by pretending to be someone else. He doesn't care if it's 'undignified'. He's annoyed by Polgara's 'what if's, but it seems to be because he's thought through everything already and can't be bothered going through every single detail again. What about an INTP? I'm not totally convinced he's an extravert, either.

Polgara - I'd say she's some kind of weird INTJ. I mean, she clearly gets her motivation from within and only talks if she has something to say, wich I have to admit is quite often. But still an introverted MO.

She doesn't chatter, for sure. But that is more the realm of an EF, I would think. She is definitely expressive in her emotions - she just normally isn't very emotional. But when she does - like her rage when she found out Garion had snuck out of Riva without her - everybody knows. Somehow I think an introvert would be more private/contained about that sort of thing. She's also very regal and proud - has a hard time pretending to be somebody else.

Barak - Our bear warrior... I'd say he's ISFJ or ESFJ.

I'm pretty sure he's an introvert - in the first book it says "Barak spoke rarely, and there seemed to be a kind of hulking menace about him." I think he comes across as more talkative because he gets to know the group fairly well, especially in the later books. Is definitely more keen on going out and bashing people's heads in rather than sitting around in a court somewhere - indicative of an SP? (As opposed to an SJ who might feel it's their duty to do so.) Not really sure about F/T. He's sensitive around the issue with his wife, but pretty impersonal elsewhere. It's hard to tell.

Ce'Nedra - ENFP. Pretty unbalanced one at that
VERY extroverted, VERY intuitive (this leads to lots of fights with Garion due to them being so different in ways of communication), VERY emotional and good at understanding other people (at least if she's not directly involved). Very, very disorderly and spontaneous etc.

Is she really that disorderly and spontaneous? She's very very manipulative and calculating! I recall when she finds out she's going to be the Rivan Queen, she is going through mental lists to work out who's going to be her equal in rank, who's still above her and who she now outranks. And she mentions not being sure about one point and having to write home to double-check it. That sort of meticulous mental list-keeping seems so very Fe to me. Plus, later on she notes how Adara manipulates Hettar at one point and stores it for later use against Garion. ENFJ!

Mandorallen - This guy is so stupid, i'd have a hard time guessing if I didn't have a friend who is very much like I percieve him. I think he's an INFJ, though something as rare as a stupid one. The few I have the privilege to know are strange and intelligent, caring people.

Mm. I suppose he is a bit of an idealist - but unlike Lelldorin (who wants to rush off and save the world by the first idea that pops into his head), Mandorallen is all about duty and loyalty. He gets a bit carried away, and is over-confident and somewhat stupid, but it all boils down to that, I think. Which is very SJ of him. Maybe ESFJ?