Category: Character Fives

Written sketches of movie and story characters, tracing their Enneagram personality numbers.

CHARLES-HADEN SAVAGE, FIVE

I’m considering whether I should look at the Character Enneagrams of the three leads in Only Murders In The Building. They’re each very strong personalities who are the backbone of the series. The plots are a MacGuffin. We watch because of the characters, and the cast is dynamic. (Also, the opening credits and theme music are unskippable.)

However, I’m reluctant. None of their Enneagrams pop out at me. Steve Martin’s Charles seems like he’d probably be a Head Type and a Six. He has that worry and reluctance to engage socially. Every Hollywood actor has a stunt double for action work, yet Sazz is almost Charles’ physical alter ego, as if he has no body presence. The other two sides of the trio drag Charles along at times. All of these traits reinforce the notion of a Head Type.

He doesn’t have the dry wit of a Six, though. He doesn’t have the facial hair and questionable sartorial sense, either, lol. He does have a Five’s romantic sense with Jan. (Her unpredictability and danger help open up a Five’s emotional reserves; a Six would avoid these qualities.) His cluelessness about his own feelings is also very Five-ish. And he’s kind of a boring fellow. Only Steve Martin keeps him watchable.

I don’t blend Enneagram numbers, especially for fictional characters. You either act a Six or you act a Five.

I think he’s closer to Five. I only lean toward a Six because of his relationship with Sazz and their “tap in”. Ah. Like the murder plots, Sazz is a MacGuffin. She isn’t changing Charles’ Character Enneagram. She’s a feint. Jane Lynch is so magnificent that she prepares you to see a real person, but she’s a plot device.

COLIN AND PENELOPE, FIVE AND TWO

Penelope Featherington, a friend of the Bridgerton family, has had a crush on Colin since the beginning of Season One of Bridgerton. It was inevitable that their romance story become the focus of Season Three. Will Colin, who has returned husky and handsome from his travels, finally realize that his neighbor across the street is the love of his life? And will Penelope’s secret break them apart?

We definitely have a Heart Type with Penelope. She thrives on watching social interactions. A wallflower, Penelope has learned to listen and observe. She’s deeply connected to the stories and intrigues she uncovers. And Colin’s three-season ignorance of her feelings has been wrenching for her. Her distance within her own family is also painful. She takes command, though, of her dowdy image and reinvents herself as an interesting and attractive marriage prospect.

I’m tempted to call Penelope a Three because she’s successful at navigating the Regency milieu. However, I keep getting pulled back towards a Two. Partly that’s because of the casting: Coughlan’s voluptuous beauty is more Two than Three. Also, though, wallflower Pen is so ignored. I don’t know if a Three would be overlooked. And a Three might not maintain a secret — she would be too proud and confident to hide her accomplishments. It is very Two to think of others and give energy to them while denying her own self. She must learn how to balance her own needs while remaining a caring person, and that’s basically the character arc they give her.

Let’s look at Colin, though. He might also be a Two. In romance, a couple shouldn’t be the same number. It’s like dating a sibling. Colin was not my favorite Bridgerton protagonist — he bounces around in his traits — so I’m trying mightily to be fair to him. In what ways has Colin been consistent over the seasons?

His treatment of Marina in Season One is very courteous and generous. Nothing requires him to behave like that; it’s his true character to be kind. He’s also naive and young. In Season Two, when he considers investing in the ruby mine scheme, he still seems naive. However, he twists it around and exposes the fraud. (Apparently, travel has made him wiser.) It’s also made him more haughty. He tells his friends that he’d never consider Penelope romantically. When he enters Season Three looking like an Errol Flynn archetype, the gentleness of his early character is gone.

My God, please, he can’t also be a Null.

Okay, let’s do the math. He’s not a Four — not witty enough. Not a Three — not determined enough. Not a Body Type — do we ever see him engage in physical activity? 

Ah. This is a Five. World traveler, learning his own mind and studying the workings of society. It is so Five to miss seeing the beauty next door who has loved you for years. He’s kind of a social basket case while really trying to be a good man, which is proper Five-ness. Think of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. A Five can be stilted or brusque at first glance. The Colin of Season Three is a bit full of himself.

However, in his secret heart he’s a writer. Setting thoughts to paper is his ambition. How Head Type of him! I do think the showrunners cheated Colin by sending him overseas in lieu of actually showing his growth arc, and I think they could’ve measured his changes at home so that his character feels less erratic. I’m happy to call him a Five, though. His almost stodgy nature, evident across all the seasons, makes sense now.

GEORGE RUSSELL, FIVE

The second season of The Gilded Age has begun and I’m enjoying it as much as I did the first. Looking over the Enneagram studies I did last time for the major characters, I think they’ve held up well. Someone I didn’t discuss is Bertha’s husband, George. Why didn’t I include him?

He doesn’t immediately speak his Enneagram number to me. When I think about him I wonder if he’s a Null? He’s so good, I hope that’s not true.

He has a placidity that leads me to Nine, but he doesn’t shy from conflict. Bertha is conflict. Her ambition requires it. His own business of finance leads him into many conflicts and he shows no sign of discomfort. Basically, he’s too ruthless to be a Nine.

He doesn’t have the impetuous temper of an Eight, nor the epicurean interests of a Seven. He doesn’t have the vivacity of a One, nor the wit of a Four. He can’t be a Three, that’s Bertha’s character. I see no sign of a Two’s collection. He’s too bold for a Six.

That leaves us with a Five. Really? Could that be true? First of all, that luxurious beard is not Five-ish. It’s Nine-ish. However, he has a cold attitude, an emotional distance from workers’ problems, that is Five-ish. It could also be why Bertha’s social intensity doesn’t bother him. Business is business. The way he looks at the maid when she sneaks into his bed is very Five. He almost laughs at her, then sends her quickly away. Also, to not tell Bertha about the maid is very Head Type. The emotions she feels when she learns — envy, anguish, embarrassment — aren’t something he can foresee. In his opinion the maid was silly and he handled the issue.

Well, I’m surprised. I still say that someone — showrunner or actor — is mixing in a little too much Nine, but I’m willing to declare George a bona fide Five. I didn’t expect that. Now, I’m quite excited! I can see the Mr. Darcy peeking out around his edges.

JONNY LEE MILLER’S HOLMES, FIVE

From the first moments of Episode One of Elementary, this Sherlock behaves like a Five. He’s much more serious and less fun than the archetypal Seven Holmes. His super-smartness also comes with a weariness because he must explain everything to the peons around him. (A Five hates to explain; a Seven loves it.) Also, his drug addiction is a result of emotional turmoil. His substance-usage is to forget his despair. The Seven Holmes partakes because it’s stimulating and fun.

We still have a Head Type Sherlock, but this is a darker version. There’s no twinkle in the eye with this Holmes. It’s a valid choice with interesting possibilities, but the showrunners need to stay on point. A Five isn’t going to lean close and sniff the rug, for instance. A Seven loves that kind of sensory input, but a Five would find another way to follow the clue. A Five wouldn’t invite hookers in. He would recoil from the need to touch and interact with a stranger. A Five can just shut that tap down, so to speak, and become celibate. A Seven is the Holmes who would explore all avenues, including sexual. I believe the show is playing with different parameters of Sherlock, but it slides back sometimes to the old portrayals.

By Season Two, this Sherlock is firmly established. His clothes, with the high-buttoned collar and bland styling, are very Five. He’s eccentric, but he likes an ordered world. Watson must live in his house so they can work at all hours. He’s more than disdainful of those who don’t understand, he’s actually pained. Everything borders on over-stimulating for him. It’s a complete and beautifully acted portrayal of a Holmes with a different Enneagram.

KAZ BREKKER, FIVE

He’s ruthless, of course. Incredibly smart. (“Is that scheming face?”) Iron-willed. That he can dominate even with his damaged leg suggests he isn’t a Body Type. His dexterity suggests he is. Are his lockpicking skills inherent, or a product of his determination?

Loyal. Patient. He doesn’t need instant gratification: his revenge plans go on for years. 

He’s a Five. It’s his observational skills. He can find the best crew, and he can concoct the most efficient plans, because his brain is always processing data. Inej surprises him when she approaches him at the Menagerie. He didn’t know she was there, and he’s super impressed by that. Immediately he arranges to buy out her contract and offers her a job. After that she never surprises him again. He heightens his ability to observe her. He knows everyone’s tell, and realizes the moment he’s shown one of his own. It’s that uber-consciousness that identifies him.

Also, he loves his crew but he never shows it or even thinks in those terms. His loyalty and his planning are how he proves himself. If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t do those things. This is very Head Type.

TYRION LANNISTER (BOOK), FIVE

When Catelyn captures him Tyrion is most offended that he didn’t see it coming. She successfully tricks him and it galls. When Cat is cornered, though, and against his own reason, Tyrion steps forward to fight. After the battle he takes the time to observe their foe. Poor weapons and thin bodies. He’s always gathering information. Afterward, he rides armed and free, with Bronn beside him. He can convince anybody of anything, it seems. Cat takes him to the Vale and claims he’s her prisoner, but that’s not how it looks.

He sees himself as the brains of the Lannisters. Cersei has “low cunning” and Jaime is rash. For all of Tyrion’s smarts, though, justice will not let him shut his mouth to save himself pain. He antagonizes Lysa when he should lay low. His mouth — his wit and his ability to craft an argument — is his strength. He’s stronger when he takes his time rather than reacting in an instant. Planning and the nerve to carry the idea to fruition as he does on trial in the Vale, that’s Tyrion when he’s successful. Risk, gamble, and study. 

“A Lannister always pays his debts.” That phrase is particularly poignant when Tyrion uses it as part of his telling of his wife, the maiden who ended up to be a whore Jaime had hired. It’s a great story, moving and character-revealing, and when Bronn says he would’ve made Tywin pay for what he did, Tyrion comes out with the motto, giving it a whole other meaning. Lovely writing.

He might be the greatest player of The Game. His observation skills, his poker face, his ability to think outside the box, his clarity in understanding the greatest threat. As Hand he’s perfectly situated to use his strengths.

So, which Enneagram number is he? Head Type, without a doubt. Everything is about deducement and plotting. Interestingly, we can’t use his build as a clue. 

He’s no Six. Rules are more like guidelines to Tyrion. He has a great love of the sensate pleasures of life, suggesting a Seven. I’m going to say Five, though. It’s his attention to detail. He misses nothing and he notices everything. I also kind of love the notion that if he were a full-sized man, he’d be tall. It’s so perfectly Tyrion.

FITZWILLIAM DARCY, FIVE

Mr. Darcy. Colin Firth is in the most popular version of Pride and Prejudice, but other versions are just as good. Matthew Macfadyen plays a wonderful Darcy. Don’t forget that Laurence Olivier himself played Darcy. What do these portrayals have in common?

Handsome men with snooty faces. Heh heh.

It’s been so very long since I’ve seen the Olivier version. 1940’s Hollywood was happy to truncate the story and turn it into a bedroom drama. I don’t really recommend it. However, Olivier’s Darcy is a much happier man than I would’ve expected. Eyes twinkle, if you can believe it. He’s very much an aristocrat still. Some people are naturally beneath him. However, he doesn’t have that reticent temperament that Firth and Macfadyen give Darcy. They are socially shy and, therefore, awkward.

So, what have these two actors, in their own personal ways, tapped into? Their Darcys are unique and similar. When Darcy begins to value Elizabeth, he becomes emotionally generous to her. She can do no wrong. His heart is not given immediately, though. He’s cautious and not impulsive. I think we can say quite definitively that Darcy is no Heart Type.

He’s Head, of course. A Body Type would join a country dance, regardless of social stigma. And he’s no Seven. He just isn’t fun enough for that.

We have Five, which I guessed him to be, and Six, which is what I’ve guessed Mark Darcy of Bridget Jones’ Diary to be. 

Fitzwilliam’s character gets to write his letter when Elizabeth rejects his proposal. Mark decides his heart more by consulting his gut: he just knows that Bridget is a good person. Fitzwilliam must use analysis. Even after the pain of Elizabeth’s refusal, he still won’t admit he’s harmed Jane. He can’t see the facts of such an error. Both numbers will weigh right and wrong, but a Five will reason the problem to death. His letter is an example of that process.

MR. POTTER, FIVE

He’s the villain. He’s stingy, cross, and infirm. He’s ambitious. Without George he practically turns Bedford Falls into Vegas. He certainly fits a lot of tropes: greedy capitalist villain, angry physically-challenged villain, crotchety old man villain. If he had a mustache, he’d twirl it.

Underneath all of that stereotyping, do we have an Enneagram? When he realizes that Uncle Billy has left the bank deposit in the newspaper, does he have a brief moment, a flash, of sympathy? (Well, no. He takes an evil glee in knowing a secret.) When he and George are the only two to keep their heads during the bank run, he admires George as more than a competitor. And when he offers George a job, tempting him to sell the Savings and Loan for an easier life, isn’t he almost successful because he knows what pains George the most? Either he’s just the Devil, or he’s a man who has watched George over the years. Does he have — gasp — fatherly feelings toward George?

Let’s make some guesses. Potter physically declines with age, which in the most general and anecdotal way possible suggests a Head Type.

Five, Six, or Seven? Not a Six. He doesn’t seem to have a moral code, a black-and-white view of the world. He’s bad because he’s stingy and cheap, not because some great wrong offends him.

He’s a Five. A Five’s besetting sin is stinginess. They’re just knee-jerk that way. They’re also uncanny in their observation of others. Potter’s understanding of George, of what drives him and of what he fears, fits this. And the Bedford Falls he creates without George is just a mash-up of others’ vices. A Five would become overwhelmed with a bunch of competing desires and step away, letting everyone do as they want. As long as order was maintained a Five would turn hermit and escape.

Also, a Five’s social clumsiness can turn them into a curmudgeon. They want to be liked but other people are so baffling! Potter is a Five pushed to all the extremes.

KAHN’S ELIZABETH, FIVE

Victor Frankenstein’s girl — fiancee, cousin, whatever she’s called — is a non-entity. She’s fridged! She basically dies so that Victor can feel something. Her arc is incidental.

Frederick’s girl is a whole ‘nother matter. Go Madeline!

She’s fussy. “Taffeta, darling.” Precise, prissy. Appearances, order, decorum, are all important to her. Partly she’s portrayed as uptight because it gives her an arc, a very funny one. Also, she represents society and civilization to Frederick. His arc is to leave all that behind and embrace his wild ancestor side. Although her character is stylized as a comedic tool, Kahn crafts all this into a true portrayal. 

Like Frederick, she also is set free by the end: she loves the Monster. He, reversing our expectations, becomes civilized. This Elizabeth has it all. Order, social appearance, dignity on the outside. Passion on the inside.

The Monster, with half of Frederick’s brain, becomes the Seven that can live in society without losing his wildness. (Frederick becomes a Seven who lives in the wild while holding onto some semblance of society.) This is the version of the man that suits Elizabeth best.

Passion on the quiet, dignity on the outside? Five.