When it comes to characters in the Stephen King universe, the good, bad and ugly transverse just about every personality type imaginable. There are also those that are so utterly insane that they can sometimes walk the tight rope of different Myers Briggs personality types (MBTI).
This is also true when looking at the movie adaptations of King’s characters – some of which are not always as loyal to the books as fans would like. From the serial killers and obsessive fans to evil clowns, disturbed children and even those good and pure at heart, King knows how to write just about anyone. Let’s break it down and take a look at where the movie versions of King’s characters fall on the MBTI spectrum.
JACK TORRANCE - ESTP
Jack Torrance is one of Stephen King’s characters that underwent the biggest transformation from book to screen. Instead of the father in the book who was unsure of himself and was eventually corrupted by the Overlook Hotel, Jack in The Shining by Stanley Kubrick was a psychopath who finally went over the ledge.
In the MBTI personality types, Jack is the ESTP – someone who has no problem letting his emotions lead the way and then apologizing for the results later. He doesn’t seem to care about consequences, taking his family to an isolated location and then realizing too late that he made a huge mistake.
ANNIE WILKES - ISTJ
When it comes to Anne Wilkes in Misery, there is no changing her mind. She only looks at things with her own sense of practical logic and what she considers her integrity – and she will make sure that her goals are achieved. When it comes to her favorite author, she knows what is best and has a carefully structured plan to ensure that her goals are met.
She works with patience and accuracy and refuses to accept failure. When it comes to reaching her goals, she also shows the ISTJ personality trait of becoming angry and frustrated when it seems that time might be running out, and will take a mallet to anything that might be challenging her final destination.
CARRIE WHITE - ISTP
Carrie White is as introverted as they come. However, she is also someone who wanted so much more. Throughout Carrie, she was seen trying to make things for herself – much to the chagrin of her God-fearing mother. Finally, when the chips were down and Carrie was humiliated for the last time, she proved to be a true Virtuoso.
Carrie turned the prom into a bloody work of art. Shen then returned home and when she dealt with her hateful mother, she did so in a very unique, disturbing, yet somewhat darkly beautiful way, before bringing the house down on them all. When it comes to the ISTP, they are willing to tear everything down to rebuild it better than before – unless their freedom is threatened. Then, they will just burn it all down.
JOHNNY SMITH - ISFJ
Johnny Smith enjoyed two different adaptations, the first, a brilliant David Cronenberg movie starring Christopher Walken and the second a television show with Anthony Michael Hall. In the movie, though, Johnny was someone who had no problem risking it all to save the world while in the TV show he was someone who set out to help people but wasn’t really ready to throw his life away.
In both cases, though, the Dead Zone saw Johnny as someone who was there when someone needed help. He is easily the MBTI Defender – someone who knows when he needs to take control and make sure that he does what it takes to save the day.
ANDY DUFRESNE - INTJ
Andy Dufresne made one huge mistake and he paid for it with his life. After losing control when he learned his wife was cheating on him, he ended up in Shawshank Penitentiary where he looked to serve out his life behind bars. However, while he did make that one mistake, he was always planning his escape.
In The Shawshank Redemption, Andy was the MBTI Architect through and through. He planned and waited until the right moment. The warden, the guards, his closest friend Red, and the viewers watching this Stephen King movie had no idea what was coming until Andy had already pulled off his ultimate escape to Mexico.
PENNYWISE - ENTP
Pennywise is a scary creature – and not just because he looks like a scary clown. This demon from IT likes to lure children into the sewers and then eat them, surviving for years on the children he captures. The scariest thing is that he does it by tricking them into following him.
He is the MBTI Debater – someone who loves to play with people mentally, making them question everything they believe in. He not only does it to capture their souls but he does it because its fun – this is something that he enjoys and he will lead them on as long as it amuses him until he decides enough is enough and he bares his teeth.
CHARLIE MCGEE - ENTJ
When it comes to Charlie in Firestarter, she fits the role of the ENTJ. She is someone who can rally people behind her due solely to her single-minded intensity. When protecting the ones she loves, she has no problem ruthlessly doing anything in the world to achieve her goals.
While the world wants to hold her down and take advantage of her, Charlie is too strong for that and she has the personality to decimate anyone who thinks that they can control her. She loves a big challenge and has strong willpower – enough to achieve anything, usually with the results being spectacularly explosive in the process.
MIKE ENSLIN - INTP
While the movie is not mentioned in the same breath as other Stephen King films, 1408 was a great movie and a solid ghost story. The film starred John Cusack as Mike Enslin, an author of the paranormal. The problem is that he doesn’t believe in the paranormal but goes to haunted locations to try to debunk them.
When he arrives at a hotel that is deemed haunted, he gets more than he ever bargained for. As for his MBTI classification, Enslin is clearly a Logistician – someone who hates chaos and has to make sure that everything is perfect, struggling when the world he knows starts to fall apart.
ROLAND DESCHAIN - ISTP
When it comes to the ISTP personality type, the biggest characteristic is that they are experts at what they do. When it comes to being the best in the world at what he does, Roland Deschain fits that description as the last surviving Gunslinger. He has a plan and has followed that plan for years.
Whenever things happen that disrupts his carefully laid plans, he gets frustrated. More than that, whenever his rules are disrupted, it is something that drives him mad. While The Dark Tower movie disappointed many fans of the novel series, Idris Elba still gave Roland the stoic demeanor that he deserved – someone who will fight for everything.
STU REDMAN - ISTJ
The characters in The Stand takes The Breakfast Club motif and delivers just about any and every character type you can think of. Heck, it even has Breakfast Club alumni Molly Ringwald returning to her good girl character.
When it comes to the moral compass of the heroes of the war against Randall Flagg, Stu Redman is the clear backbone of the survivors. He is straightforward and realistic, playing things by the rules. He is the guy who wants to do the right thing and won’t let the various personalities in his camp sway him from their mission, which ends up being facing evil head-on.
