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Do Fictional Characters Have to Have a Type?

Joined
Sep 8, 2007
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170
MBTI Type
ISTJ
While I was reading your responses to my questions about Seinfeld, Becker, and House's types, I got to thinking... Is it possible to make a fictional character that either doesn't have a type or can easily change type as the author pleases? Do you know of any fictional characters that defy being typed like this?
 

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
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Spock seems to defy typing, not quite INTP, INTJ or ISTJ.
 

Varelse

Wait, what?
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Apr 25, 2007
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I'd think that an idealized character would defy typing, through showing the strong points of various types, without the weak points. A stereotype might also be difficult.

A flawed character might be easier to type, and I'd think that most of such could be assigned a rough type.

:doh: I just realized my Oblivion char is probably ISTJ. Carry on.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
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It depends on the type of story. Comedies in particular often use characters to fulfill roles rather than having personalities. The same goes with some allegories and mythical stories.

On the other extreme, sometimes a character can be so fully realized or mature that it's well-rounded and capable of different function usage, making it difficult to see what type it started out.
 

Zergling

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Apr 26, 2007
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Even real people often aren't easy to squeeze into a type, but people do it any, so the same can be made to work with fictional characters. fictional characters are often based off archetypes and such, but those can be fitted into types if someone really wants to.
 

Usehername

On a mission
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May 30, 2007
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not to mention that tv shows have multiple writers that rotate, and thus would all add their own personal spins on how the characters would behave = blending/overlap of types depending ont he writers.
 

ygolo

My termites win
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Aug 6, 2007
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In a strange way, I think good fictional characters are more "typed" than real people are.

My theory (all-out, blind guess) is that when writers try to create a realistic person, what they end up with, is a symbolic version of a person (perhaps a Jungian archetype?). Also, I believe, it are these very "symbolic people" (the "persona's" of famous individuals and the "symbolized" versions of people known to those who created type theory) who form the basis for type theory.

:doh: I hope you can parse that. If not I can rephrase.:D
 
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