Using the Enneagram for Richer Characterization Continued: Types 5-9

Why do you read stories? You probably have numerous answers. We read stories to learn and escape from reality. Sometimes we read just because we’re told to, but many times we read because we can relate to the stories being told. This is why it is essential for storytellers to write developed, relatable characters.

Last Wednesday, I discussed how the Enneagram can help writers develop their characters. I took one scene from a short story that I am working on and wrote the scene nine different times, from the perspective of each Enneagram type. In last week’s post, I shared scenes from the perspectives of Enneagram Types 1-4. If you didn’t read that post, you can do so here. I am now going to share the scenes I wrote from the perspectives of Enneagram Types 5-9.  If you’re a writer, I highly recommend doing this exercise yourself. If you’re a reader, this will be a fun, light read that gets you thinking about different personality types.

Enneagram 5: The Investigator

The fact that her mother was late to the dinner party wasn’t the only reason that her father was angry. Lily knew that it takes multiple sparks to light a fuse. One of those sparks was working overtime this week. Lily had listened from her room every night as her father would slowly open the squeaky door to their apartment at nine o’clock when Lily’s mother had already gone to bed. Lily’s mom always complained about her father coming home late, which made her father more frustrated. 

The second spark was that the dinner party meant a great deal to her father. He had put it on his calendar a month ago and had been talking about it since then. Next, her mother had made a promise, and words are supposed to matter. Yet, she still arrived late, like she had the past ten times her father had an important work event. Lastly, there was the alcohol that Lily smelled on her father’s clothes when they returned home. It did what alcohol usually does. It helped ignite the flame. 

Because of all of this, Lily was now lying on her bed. She was trying to find a way to blow the fuse in hopes that the damage wouldn’t spread. 

Enneagram 6: The Loyalist

They were fighting again. It was the fifth fight they had this week. What if this one was the final straw? Would Lily’s mother begin filing for a divorce? What would happen to her, then? Would Lily have to spend weekends with her dad and weekdays with her mom? Would she be tossed back and forth like a yo-yo? Two neighborhoods. Two homes. Two bedrooms. But not two parents in the same place. 

Anxiety crept up Lily’s spine and to her head. Then it slid down to her chest and rested in a painful ball at the pit of her stomach. What if everything was going to change? 

Enneagram 7: The Enthusiast

So, maybe trying to step in wasn’t the best idea, but Lily didn’t see the harm in reminding her parents that being late wasn’t the end of the world. Lily was always late for her math class, and she was still alive. She didn’t see why her dad had to make such a big deal out of small mistakes. 

Because of Lily’s so-called “impulsive” input into her parents’ argument, Lily now found herself confined to her bedroom. She lay on her stomach, scrolling through her phone, trying to decide which one of her friends to text. 

Michael was on his annual family vacation, so he wouldn’t be able to hang out. Lauren was helping her younger sister pick out a dress for the middle school dance, and Penelope always had some excuse as to why she couldn’t hang out. Lily scrolled deeper into her contacts. Then she clicked on David’s name and began writing a message.

“Want to hang out?” 

After pressing send, she returned to her other contacts. She scrolled down and clicked on Morgan’s name and sent her the same message. Then she sent the message to Vivian. Pausing for a minute, Lily clicked on Penelope’s contact. After all, why not?

“Hey, I know it’s last-minute, but are you free to hang out?” 

Then she pressed send. 

Enneagram 8: The Challenger

Lily stood between her mother and father, unmoving. Hot rage filled her body. 

“Go upstairs!” her father repeated for the third time. 

She still didn’t move. Lily’s mother began to cry, and Lily rolled her eyes in annoyance. This wasn’t the first time her father was drunk. Why couldn’t her mother stand up for herself for once? 

“Why? So, I can listen to you cuss from the comfort of my room?” Lily retorted, her voice steady. 

She held eye-gaze with her father, who was struggling to find balance on his own two feet. She wouldn’t let him win. She wasn’t a coward. She took after her father and not her mother. She was also just as stubborn as her father, even when he was drunk. 

Enneagram 9: The Peacemaker

Lily leaned her head against her bedroom door, regretting going upstairs in the first place. She should have left the apartment and taken a walk, freeing herself from her father’s endless shouts. But she had chosen to stay, and now she had to listen to the anger explode from her father’s lips. She was too afraid to go back downstairs and confront her father face to face, even if it was just for a moment to cross the kitchen and slip out the back door. The object of her father’s anger could shift from her mother to her in a matter of seconds, which is why it was better to stay in her room and pretend she wasn’t there. 

Conclusion

Characters are what give life to stories. If characters are underdeveloped, readers won’t care about the story. Hopefully, this post gave writers some ideas on how to write unique characters, and if you’re not a writer, I hope this post was still an entertaining read.

As always, I love hearing from you, so be sure to let me know your thoughts! Writers, how do you bring your characters to life? Readers, what’s your favorite fictional character and why?