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What Type Should The Protagonist in My Novel Be?

spleen

New member
Joined
Jun 9, 2011
Messages
38
MBTI Type
Entp
Enneagram
7
This character is:
-quietly reliant
-underappreciated
-feels that...life has a meaning, she just dont know what*
(self-realization is the novel's theme)
-Works hard, has a distant family, and feels inwardly lost as to where her life is going
-She has little empathy, focused on her "work"
-Lives alone, and does not care for a boyfriend, though really desires to find what she is meant to "do" with herself
-Ignores friends commonly, friends must first inquire to her, but is supportive of others
-People really admire her, but at a distance, usually
-a leader, eccentric in her social disconnect, and gives horribly plain advice

Those are the personality traits.
Her best friend is an Entp (based on my own persona), she has childhood friends of the stereotypical technological nerd (intj or intp), bumblingly comedic friend (esfp), and her unlikely mystical friend, being an Infp.*

I thought that the Istj would be good, but I really wanted an original personality type that is UNDER represented as the main character of famous stories.

What say the masses

Istj seems like, overrepresented as main characters. Like, Clint Eastwoodish, To Sir, With Love-ish, the typical quiet yet strong leader.*

Really struggling with further choices of this main character in my current chapter, because, the decision is very attached to the overal persona of the main character. And...I havent really defined that yet.*

What is an under represented personality type as the main character of stories?
 

Offog

New member
Joined
Nov 13, 2010
Messages
99
MBTI Type
INTP
Well, ESFJs seem underrepresented as protagonists, considering how common they are. I don't think that will help you much, though.
 

ZPowers

New member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Messages
1,488
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
Well, I guess the character should follow the characteristics you have ascribed to her, not work as a unusual type or unique quirk to your story that doesn't have a point inside the overall narrative. If a certain type is best for the character or story, then make it that type BECAUSE it's what the story demands, not because you're worried it's a cliche type or over represented in the story. Even characters of the same type can be very different, and unique characters come in all types.

So, I think the character and their motivations and actions dictate type, rather than making the type something determined first or somehow independent.

Just my two. Hope it helped.
 
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