BSV Forum - General - The Bloodshedpub

Enneagrams All Around

Dec 24 2007 05:41 pm   #1Spikez_tart

I was recently reading a book about writing that suggested using Enneagrams to set up characters.  For those who haven't heard about it before, enneagrams are a squish psychological theory that there are only nine basic types of personalities.  More useful for writing than for headshrinking, I'm sure.  It seems to me that Joss may have used that theory when assembling his cast of characters: 

  1. Reformer – Angel – needs to live his life the right way, improving himself and the world around him.
  2. Giver – Xander/Tara – needs to be loved and valued and express his/her positive feelings toward others.
  3. Achiever – Willow/Fred – needs to be productive, achieve success and avoid failure. Obsesses about work; afraid to find out how dull her life really is.
  4. Artist – Spike – needs to experience his feelings and be understood; everything has to be a big drama, emotional outbursts.
  5. Observer – Giles/Wesley – needs to know and understand everything, deep thinker, detached, sometimes arrogant.
  6. Questioner – Cordelia/Anya – seeks approval, questions the motives of others
  7. Adventurer – Oz/Riley – need to be happy, adventures and projects.
  8. Leader – Buffy/Faith – needs to be self-reliant and strong and avoid feeling weak or dependant.  Into justice, fights for a cause, likes to be close but drives others away.
  9. Peacemaker – Joyce? – soft spoken; seeks to avoid conflict, keep the peace.
If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone' who?
Dec 24 2007 05:52 pm   #2SpikesKatMac

I would agree with all those enneagrams except for the Peacemaker; I think that would be more Tara then Joyce.  Spike would also fit under the Adventurer category.  I'm assuming that people can combine more than one type??  Other than that, pretty spot on.

A beautiful and ineffectual angel, beating in the void his luminous wings in vain - Matthew Arnold
Dec 24 2007 07:32 pm   #3Blood Faerie

I don't see Xander as a Giver, unless giver of annoyance and headaches, but really don't see him in any of the other roles either. But I do agree with everyone else and Tara could go either way either the giver and peacemaker ^.^

Unfortunately, we had big vampires in the next room, and I didn't think they'd wait while we had hot monkey sex. ~Cerulean Sins :: (Anita to Jean-Claude)“Is there anything your bloodline does that doesn’t involve getting naked?" ~Danse Macabre :: I’m dating three men, living with two more, and having occasional sex with two others. That’s seven men. I’m like a pornographic Snow White. I think seven is plenty. ~Danse Macabre
Dec 24 2007 08:21 pm   #4Izzy

I really like the idea of these basic types for personalities, and I agree in some cases an aspect of another might be added. Sometimes, too, I think a person may act like a certain type but their motives and feelings are of another type.

Xander is a tough character to pin down. I've read Xander as malicious and nasty, as confused but hopeful, as evil and vicious, as just bitter, and as immature but growing up. He is an important part of the group and a Giver in many ways, but at the same time he gets distracted by negative feelings. He's used to sitting judgment on people and claiming 'I told you so', and he can fall back onto prejudice and discrimination without anyone faulting him for it. As it is, lots of stories that show Xander very differently all seem realistic to me depending on what his personality would do in a certain situation.


Dec 24 2007 09:19 pm   #5Scarlet Ibis

 I agree about Tara being peacemaker.  Giver makes sense for her as well, but she doesn't need to be loved.  I do feel that she wants to be, but is okay with just giving it out.  I don't really see Xander or Oz being cookie cut from any one of these specifically...In fact, I think Xander may make more sense for the definition of Adventurer (mostly the "needs to be happy" and "projects" bit), and Oz as a Peacemaker type. 

"Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly."
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Dec 24 2007 11:29 pm   #6SpikesKatMac

I see Oz as very much the Observer; and perhaps Xander fits best under Questioner??  God knows, he seeks approval, and he definitely questions everyone's motives...

A beautiful and ineffectual angel, beating in the void his luminous wings in vain - Matthew Arnold
Dec 25 2007 12:08 am   #7Spikez_tart

I agree that Tara could be a Giver as well.  Xander is a very giving person, but he sometimes goes on Adventures (the car trip around the country).  Oz also travels to Tibet and stuff. 

The way I understand it, you can combine major traits with one and minor traits with another.  So Spike can be an Artist and an Adventurer.  Also, each of the personalities can have a negative side - a giver is very generous, but giving could come with strings attached, or the giver could neglect his own needs to a bad point.

 

If we want her to be exactly she'll never be exactly I know the only really real Buffy is really Buffy and she's gone' who?
Dec 28 2007 12:02 am   #8SpikeHot

 I don't see Xander as a Giver, unless giver of annoyance and headaches, but really don't see him in any of the other roles either.

Aw, I think you're a little unfair. Xander has always been about being loved and valued. As for giving, I do think he gives all he can to help out Buffy and the others save the world, even though he has no super strength to support him. He's a very brave man indeed. Questioner does work with Xander as well. Peacemaker works with Tara better than Giver, I think.