Since learning the Enneagram, I cannot help but read books and hypothesize what the characters’ Enneagram types are.
Some are very apparent to me, while others are harder to figure out. But it makes the reading experience a little more enjoyable when you sense what motivates a character to act the way they do.
I read some fantastic books this past summer with an interesting array of characters.
A character who is busy taking care of everyone else but herself.
One who doesn’t know how to get in touch with his feelings.
Another who doesn’t take shit from anyone.
I’ve highlighted five of my favorite books I read this summer below, and what I think each character’s Enneagram type is. All are recent releases and available wherever books are sold.
(Note: links are affiliate links where I get a small commission if you buy a product. This comes to no extra cost for you.)
Elizabeth Zott: Self-Preservation 8
Elizabeth Zott is one of those characters that will always stick with me for her willingness to fight for what she wants and stick to it “the man.”
While reading it, I knew she was giving me Enneagram Type 8 vibes. I looked back at my notes and read through Beatrice Chestnut’s book The Complete Enneagram. I concluded that Elizabeth Zott is not only an Eight but an SP8.
Here are some anecdotes from Bea Chestnut’s book (pages 111-112) to prove my theory:
- “…expresses lust through a strong need to obtain what they need for survival.”
- “…they disqualify any feeling, person, idea, or institution that opposes their desires. They will go against whatever.”
- “…they are survivors who communicate strength without feeling the need to explain themselves.”
- “…Self-Preservation Eight is fundamentally under-social, meaning they don’t mind going against social norms or breaking the rules…”
Those descriptions are Elizabeth Zott to a tee.
Adam: Type 5
Adam is clearly a Type 5, in my opinion. He doesn’t give up much personal information about himself and doesn’t consider people’s emotions or feelings when working with them.
He opens up to Olive but very slowly. Fives want to know they are with someone trustworthy before revealing deeper information about themselves.
I also considered Adam as a Self-Preservation 8, a subtype that can often be mistaken for a Type 5 for their tendency to keep their private life private.
But the distinction here is that Adam seems to b in his head more like a mental type than a body type. (Learn more about the Centers of Intelligence here).
Adam screamed Enneagram Type 5 to me.
Olive: Type 6
Olive was a little bit harder for me to narrow down what her Type was. I’m a Type 9 and can see a lot of 9 characteristics (like not putting her needs first). But I ultimately decided on Enneagram Type 6 because she is more in her head than 9s typically are.
She is most likely a Self-Preservation 6, one who tends to worry more outwardly and doubts EVERYTHING.
Olive doubted herself and her capabilities, which was also kind of heartbreaking to read. I just wanted to give her a big hug (and sometimes shake her!) and tell her that everything was going to be okay.
Sam: Type 5
I hypothesize that Sam is an Enneagram Type 5 for his unwillingness to talk about his emotions or admit when he is in pain.
He doesn’t like to draw attention to himself in these regards. Type 5s have difficulty opening up about their feelings and prefer to process when alone.
Because he enjoyed his “Mazer” persona, I think he’s a Social 5. This subtype tends to be a little more outgoing and personable.
Also, Social 5s like to surround themselves with people with the same interests as them, which Sam does with Sadie and Marx. However, they’re pretty much it when it comes to Sam’s circle of friends.
Like most 5s, Sam leans on one or two people he knows he can rely on.
Sadie: Sexual 4
Sadie was a little bit harder for me to figure out. I’m guessing either 9 or 4 because she tends to withdraw when things get tough (4s and 9s, along with 5s, withdraw from others as a coping strategy).
She constantly compared herself to others in the gaming industry, which makes me lean a little more toward Enneagram Type 4. But then again, she was a female working in a male-dominated industry. Who wouldn’t be prone to comparison?
Like Sam, Sadie was not one to open up about how she was feeling. She was prone to turning to anger as her first reaction, which leads me to believe she is a Sexual 4. This subtype externalizes their suffering onto other people and feels like the whole world is against them. This is very reminiscent of Sadie’s personality.
Marx: Sexual 7
Marx is the one character I am sure of, his Enneagram type. He gave me Enneagram Type 7-vibes for his ability to always look at the positive. He was my favorite character.
I think he is a Sexual 7 because this subtype tends to see the world through rose-colored glasses and doesn’t always want to look at the negatives.
Marx was a character who was the yin to Sam and Sadie’s yang. If it weren’t for his ability to push past negative situations, Sam and Sadie wouldn’t have been as successful as they became.
Meg: Social 8
Without getting into spoiler territory of this fun thriller, I concluded that Meg is a Social Eight.
Her motives for the (often illegal) things she does revolves around her need for justice and revenge on behalf of all women. Eights are tremendous fighters for justice, and Social 8s are even more so.
Social Eights like to fight for the underdog, are very supportive of people they trust/want to help and can be very protective. They are often mistaken for Type Twos because of their willingness to help others. However, Social 8s have no problems rebelling and going against authority (2s? Not so much).
Meg is a vigilante but a likable one you cannot help but want to root for.
Kat: Type 1
Kat was a little harder for me to type. I think she’s a body type (8,9,1) who all have a shared interest in fighting for justice causes (like Meg above).
I’m leaning toward Type 1 for Kat because she approaches what she does based on whether it’s right or wrong. She’s a journalist seeking the truth and fighting for what’s right.
However, she is very naive in her relationship, often turning a blind eye to her fiance’s shortcomings. This naivete had me waffling between Type 9 and Type 1 for Kat. But she’s most definitely a body type.
Kat’s storyline was a little meh until the last chapters. I won’t spoil it here, but I loved the ending and the path Kat decides to take.
Nora: Sexual 3
Sometimes I read a character, and their Enneagram type screams off the page from the get-go. Nora was one of those characters.
She is clearly a Type 3 and most likely a Sexual 3. Sexual Threes like to be successful like all Threes, but they succeed through the people they support, and can sometimes play a background role instead of being front and center.
Nora is a literary agent whose goal is to help her clients succeed, and she’s always ensuring her little sister, Libby, is taken care of.
Nora is so busy focusing on others’ successes and providing for her sister that she loses sight of who she is and what she wants. Not to mention lacking the fundamentals of how to be in an intimate relationship herself.Charlie: Self-Preservation 3
Charlie is also a Type 3, but he’s not as blatant about his image and flaunting his success as Nora is, leading me to believe he’s a Self-Preservation 3.
Charlie and Nora connect because they get each other, and I think it’s because they’re both 3s, though with different subtypes.
Charlie isn’t as in-your-face with his success as Nora can be (high heels and all), but he’s still afraid of failure all the same. But Charlie wants to be good, not just look good (as observed for his reason for moving back to Sunshine Falls), a common trait of Self-Preservation 3s.
Libby: Type 2
Oh, Libby. She wasn’t my favorite character by any means, but I could see her heart being in the right place during her (unconscious) manipulation tactics.
She’s upbeat and friendly with everyone, and she’s not shy about jumping in and helping the small town she and her sister are visiting, making me theorize that she’s an Enneagram Type 2.
Though she claims to be “helping” Nora by getting her out of the city, by the end, it’s clear that Libby is really doing it for herself. A “give to get” mentality that is common with Type 2s.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of my Enneagram Type analysis for each character? Let me know in the comments below!
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