Character/actor archetypes and Enneagram fun!

POSTED BY: Lexan
UPDATED: Thursday, July 16, 2009 14:46
VIEWED: 7448
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LEXAN

Sunday, July 12, 2009 8:11 AM

Hey all

Been a while since I posted here. Haven't taken a good look, but I've wanted to explore this for a while now.

Back when I posted here more, I actually did post a thread about the Enneagram. However, I now have more knowledge of the Enneagram, and therefore my insights into the characters are more likely to reflect accurately in my typings.

A little background on the Enneagram:

http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/

1 - The Perfectionist
2 - The Giver
3 - The Achiever
4 - The Individualist
5 - The Investigator
6 - The Loyalist
7 - The Enthusiast
8 - The Challenger
9 - The Peacemaker

The nine types can be divided into three triads:
The heart/image/relational triad: 2, 3 and 4 (shame/grief)
The head/thinking triad: 5, 6 and 7 (anxiety/fear)
The gut/instinctive triad: 8, 9 and 1 (anger/rage)

There's also the instinctual variants/subtypes, which are very, very interesting..and could probably be brought up when it comes to certain characters, but I won't do so in this post.

Furthermore, it must be noted that, even though one can only have one main type/motivation, one can also lean toward one of the types next to theirs. This is called the 'wing'. For example, a 1 with a 2 wing is called 'The Advocate', while a 1 with a 9 wing is called 'The Idealist'. Be warned, don't go only by the titles, especially when typing yourself.

Though I have made an attempt to type the characters based on their behaviours in the TV series and movie, I must say that I am generally not inclined to type fictional characters. In a way, it undermines the purpose of the Enneagram as a real insightful tool into the human personality. I think the Enneagram is an extraordinary means of understanding ourselves and, to a lesser extent, those in our lives. That's why fictional characters rarely manage to consistently exemplify an Enneagram type.

Mal - 8w9 'The Bear'
Zoe - 9w8 - 'The Referee'
Wash - 6w7 'The Buddy', or perhaps 7w6 'The Entertainer'
Simon - 1w9 'The Idealist'
River - 5w4 'The Iconoclast'
Kaylee - 2w3 'The Host'
Inara - 4w3 - 'The Aristocrat'
Book - 9w8 - 'The Referee'
Jayne - 8w7 - 'The Maverick'

and their actor counterparts:

Nathan Fillion - 2w3 'The Host', or 3w2 'The Charmer' (or he could even be a 7, but I get a heart-oriented feeling from him).
Gina Torres - Interesting, I think she is an 8 or a 9
Alan Tudyk - Hmmmm
Sean Maher - Hmmmmm
Summer Glau - 9w1 'The Dreamer' (quite certain of this)
Jewel Staite - 2w3 (probably)
Morena Baccarin - Probably 9...
Ron Glass - Seems like a raging 7 to me...
Adam Baldwin - Hmmmm

Finally, the most interesting part of all, what is Joss' type????

I will say now that people have typed him as 4 and 6 before. I think he is 6w5 'The Defender', a title which definitely suits. However, I think there is room for argument there. So I thought it might relevant to bring up the 'misidentification' description on the E institute website:

http://www.enneagraminstitute.com/members/misid/4and6.asp

In bold, I have pointed out the bits which I think indicate that he is a 6

While there are real similarities between the two types, there are even more differences. The principal difference is that Sixes are usually extremely appealing and relate well to people; they have the ability to unconsciously engage the emotions of others so that others will like them and form secure relationships with them. Fours, in contrast, do not relate primarily to people but to their own inner emotional states. Fours take it for granted that they are alone in life, and find it difficult to form bonds with others—something that comes easily to Sixes. The psychic structures of the two types are also very different: Fours are true introverts, while Sixes are a blend of introversion and extroversion—true ambiverts who possess qualities of both orientations.

Confusion arises between these types principally on the part of Sixes who think that they are Fours for two main reasons. First, some Sixes identify with the

OUT2THEBLACK

Sunday, July 12, 2009 6:51 PM

Good , thoughtful post...

Thanks for coming back with this subject !

LEXAN

Monday, July 13, 2009 5:31 AM

Just to quote myself here...

Quote:
Originally posted by Lexan:

Mal - 8w9 'The Bear'
Zoe - 9w8 - 'The Referee'
Wash - 6w7 'The Buddy', or perhaps 7w6 'The Entertainer'
Simon - 1w9 'The Idealist'
River - 5w4 'The Iconoclast'
Kaylee - 2w3 'The Host'
Inara - 4w3 - 'The Aristocrat'
Book - 9w8 - 'The Referee'
Jayne - 8w7 - 'The Maverick'

Probably the typing of those which is most questionable is Zoe's. I think the Enneagram title that would probably suits her best would be 3w4: 'The Professional'. I see some 3 like behaviours in her, and it's also important to note that the three has a connection to 9. And really, is Zoe a peacemaker? The main reason I say this is because she just kind of 'does what she's supposed to'. Quite a good way to see a 3 is as a 9 with motivation. Zoe doesn't really have the 'softness' of 9, whereas she does have the 'get the job done' attitude of the 3. Also, Mal as an 8 doesn't quite resonate with me the way a true 8 would. I think he has a connection to two, and I can also see the stress point at five. By this logic, I type him as 8. Be good if I could get some feedback on all this though.

Thanks Out2TheBlack, do you think you know what your type is?

LEXAN

Thursday, July 16, 2009 10:19 AM

C'MON people!! It's a gorram interesting subject!! I don't want to continue having this conversion/argument with myself...

BYTEMITE

Thursday, July 16, 2009 2:46 PM

I don't really know what this is about, and I'm not sure where I'm looking for the explanations on the site linked... Perhaps the wikipedia entry will clarify?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enneagram_of_Personality

In any case, though I don't know the specifics of what you're talking about, I would agree that Zoe acts more like a professional than she does some sort of mediator. Also, I see Inara as more of a 9, her life is more about other people, helping other people, soothing them and calming them, and she becomes frustrated when she can't.