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Deliberate use of type theory in fiction

Quinlan

Intriguing....
Joined
Apr 6, 2008
Messages
3,004
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
9w1
Often it seems that fictional characters are too inconsistent or poorly written to accurately type them.

What I was wondering was have you ever come across a book, tv show or movie where it seems like the writers have based characters/groups directly and consistently from type theory?
 

Haphazard

Don't Judge Me!
Joined
Apr 14, 2008
Messages
6,704
MBTI Type
ENFJ
I know a writer who typically gives her characters types (enneagram and MBTI) when developing them.

I find it's easier to match enneagram than MBTI.
 

Synarch

Once Was
Joined
Oct 14, 2008
Messages
8,445
MBTI Type
ENTP
I know a writer who typically gives her characters types (enneagram and MBTI) when developing them.

I find it's easier to match enneagram than MBTI.

I would probably due this if I were writing a novel. Not only would you get the type interaction, you're also providing something for different types of readers.
 

augmented

New member
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
39
MBTI Type
ENTP
it's not like people aren't equally, if not more, inconsistent than fictional characters. think about it - even if authors don't know the specific principles of typology, they are still creating characters who are meant to represent something, and their goals and motivations are typically pretty consistent and easy to pinpoint. you judge a persons type by the sum of the behaviors you see in them, and its the same with fiction.
 

redacted

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
4,223
^I agree with my brother.

If the character isn't type-able (or, I should say, less type-able than any real people you know), it's most likely due to poor writing. Good characters are even more exaggerated than real people.
 

edcoaching

New member
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
752
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
7
Depends on whether books are character-driven, plot-driven, etc...

Isabel Myers wrote Murder Yet To Come with a type for each character. It beat out Ellery Queen in a mystery-writing contest but is a typical quick read mystery.

I don't know if Cynthia Voight (young adult author) knows type, keep meaning to write to her, but her characters are unbelievably complicated yet typable.

I've tried and it helps me pin down how the characters would interact. It's plotting that's really hard for me...
 

BlueScreen

Fail 2.0
Joined
Nov 8, 2008
Messages
2,668
MBTI Type
YMCA
"Bones" works massively on psychology. The type interactions are highlighted a lot also.
 

Valiant

Courage is immortality
Joined
Jul 7, 2007
Messages
3,895
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
I am not sure, but Raymond E. Feist sure seem to use something along the lines of typology to create characters... Robert Jordan seemed to do so, too.
The Stargate SG1 and Atlantis series also seem to have very MBTI-correct characters. Like the portrayal of Rodney McKay (INTJ) and dr. Zelenka (INTP).
Also, Jack O'Neill seems like a real ESTP and he sticks to being one.

I wonder if they've used MBTI or anything like it...
 
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