The Personalities in 'It Ends With Us'

        

 Lily was an ISFJ. No wonder she did not get along with Ryle. He was an ENTJ after all. Those two never really work out.

 

Did that make sense to you? No? It's fine. It just referred to the MBTI types of Lily Bloom and Ryle Kincaid of the popular series- 'It Ends With Us'. According to the book, MBTI was right after all. Lily ended up with Atlas, who was an INFJ, a perfect fit for an ISTJ.

The Myers-Briggs personality test, more commonly known as MBTI is a popular personality test that groups people into 16 personalities. It was created by Katharine Cook Briggs, and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, inspired by the book Psychological Types by Carl Jung. It is even used by some organizations to choose their employees according to the job requirements. 

MBTI decides the personality of a person based on four key characteristics:-

 Extroversion(E)/Introversion(I) - Are you introverted or extroverted?

 Intuition(N)/Sensing(S) - Are you philosophical? Ever pondered upon existence or life?

Thinking(T)/Feeling(F) - Do you think with your head or your heart? Are you emotional?

Judging(J)/Perceiving(P) - Do you follow a structure or a timetable? Or are you more

                                                         flexible with your routine?

According to the test, each person will be assessed to find their dominant function in each of the four "dichotomies." This helps know the personality type of the person. They could be an ESTP, INTP, ENFJ, or any of the other 13 personalities. The test can give us an idea of our behaviour, famous people similar to us, our work styles, and even personalities compatible with us. Though it is not meant to be taken seriously, it is really interesting and can give us a lot of insights, both about ourselves and others.

As we delve into the book It Ends With Us, we can see a variety of MBTI types. Some of them complement each other while others obviously don't. We'll now go through a brief description of the personalities of each of the main characters.

Lily Blossom Bloom- ISFJ(The Defender)

Lily is an introverted character who cares a lot about the people around her. She is emotional and empathetic, always trying to see good in people. She has gone through a lot of trauma as a child, which is often reflected in her adult personality. She is also someone with a clear vision of what she has to do. She loves to follow a routine and is always in order.

This is similar to the characteristics of ISFJ. They are often considered the "mother" of the group because of their supportive and reliable nature. This is similar to Lily's character as she always tried to support Ryle whenever she could. She also often tried to repress her feelings, which is a known weakness of this personality. The ISTJs emotions run very deep and can be quite intense. Thus, they may find it hard to break off a relationship, due to a misplaced sense of loyalty or hopes that they could change their significant other. But even then, they are not pushovers. They have their own beliefs and principles, which if not valued could turn into resentment or negativity. All these are traits that we also see in Lily.

Coincidentally (maybe not), we see that in the end, Lily ends up with Atlas who is an INFJ. They are considered well-compatible by the MBTI community as they complement each other very well. On the other hand, ISFJs are considered a bad match to ENTJs. Any guesses on who could be an ENTJ??

https://www.verywellmind.com/isfj-introverted-sensing-feeling-judging

 Ryle Kincaid-ENTJ(The Commander)

 

Ryle is a confident neurosurgeon who seems to be an extrovert and seems to have good interpersonal communication skills. He oozes confidence and charisma, and projects authority. But he is also ruthless to anyone he considers an enemy(Atlas?). He often loses control of his emotions and lashes out. But in his professional life though, he is well-disciplined and focused, never falling behind.

 

 

  

All of these relate to the behaviour of an ENTJ. Considered as a ruthless and dominant personality who shows the my way or highway behaviour, they are also skilled leaders who can achieve anything they have set their eyes on. They are also confident, showing high self-esteem and confidence. They are considered cold and emotionless, which could be a reason why he is not compatible with Lily, a person who is well in touch with her emotions. On the other hand, his personality complements that of Marshall, his best friend and brother-in-law, who is likely to be an ENFP or ENTP. We observe that his personality can also be that of an ESTJ or INTJ, which is in some ways similar to an ENTJ.

https://www.verywellmind.com/entj-personality-type-2795981

Atlas  Corrigan-INFP(The Healer)

Atlas is portrayed as a very reserved and secretive character, who tries his best to keep his past and lifestyle hidden and loves solitude. He is an artist who uses his art form to convey his feelings and deep-buried emotions. He is thoughtful and always looks beyond the current situation. This can be seen when he gives Lily his card with his phone number, even though she tries to object to it.

He is value-driven and has strong emotional awareness. His empathy for others, especially for Lily in their relationship clearly shows his alignment with feelings. We also see that he has an unconventional lifestyle. and doesn’t mind about the norms of society.

All these characteristics point to an INFP. They are the loving and caring healers, who try to make the world a better place. They can be kind to a fault, and can often find their feelings being trampled upon. They are artists who view the world in a different light. Although not always outspoken, they are quite passionate about their views, and can often be too idealistic. They can also become too self-isolating, withdrawing from everyone they love. They are also self-critical to a fault, which may lead to them lacking confidence and self-worth. We can see this in Atlas, as he refuses to speak to Lily whenever he sees her with another guy, believing that she would be better off without him(even though we all know that's utterly stupid). They need someone who can be attentive to their feelings and cheer for them.

https://www.verywellmind.com/infp-a-profile-of-the-idealist-personality-type-2795987

Alyssa Kincaid-ENFP(The Campaigner)

Alyssa is the manic-pixie dream girl. She is enthusiastic, eager to meet people and make friends, and is the liveliest person in the room. From the first time we see her, we know that she is a carefree person who lives in the moment. She is caring and always acts as a support to her friend. A fair and non-judgemental person, she is a big green flag who always roots for the right. She is the perfect example of an ENFP. 

ENFPs are known as the enthusiastic, energetic, and creative ones of the lot. They are outgoing and can connect with others easily, helping them open up and have heartfelt conversations. On the other hand, they might tend to be a bit too sensitive and impulsive, which could possibly result in a bad situation. Their view of the world through rose-tinted glasses means that they could be naive and gullible, which often leads them to trouble. But in the end, they are the warm-hearted goofballs that spread colour in the lives of everyone around them.

ENFPs are really compatible with ENTPs due to their similar views and her husband Marshall is one. Coincidentally, her brother is an ENTJ, and they too bond really well and have a close relationship. (even if she supports Lily in her decision to separate from him).
https://www.verywellmind.com/enfp-an-overview-of-the-champion-personality-type-2795980

Jenny Bloom – ISFJ (The Defender)

Jenny appears to be more introspective. She was abused by her spouse for the entirety of her life, demonstrating her capacity to internalise her pain and deal with it in secret. She is encouraging and sympathetic, particularly in the case of her daughter, Lily. She is prepared to offer Lily emotional assistance since understands the importance of emotional ties. Jenny's capacity for major life transformation, including establishing a new relationship in the wake of her husband's passing, points to a certain amount of decisiveness. She presents herself as a responsible, well-organized person who actively works to improve her daughter's and her future.

 All these indicate that she too is an ISFJ, just like her daughter. ISFJs are known for their strong sense of responsibility and their dedication to helping others. Jenny's journey from enduring an abusive relationship to supporting her daughter and finding a new, healthier relationship aligns with the empathetic and nurturing qualities often associated with ISFJs. What makes Lily different is that she got out of her toxic relationship, while Jenny failed to.

https://www.verywellmind.com/isfj-introverted-sensing-feeling-judging-2795990

Marshall – ENFP ( The Campaigner)

Marshall is characterized as cheerful and easygoing. Lily thinks well of him and he rapidly wins over Allysa’s affection, indicating an outgoing and gregarious disposition. Marshall seems to have an intuitive grasp of the emotional dynamics of those around him based on his capacity to connect with others, adjust to changing circumstances, and defend Lily when necessary. Marshall’s protective nature, especially in the context of Lily’s abusive relationship with Ryle. points to a robust emotional and sympathetic side. His laid-back and humorous demeanour suggests adaptability and flexibility, qualities linked to the perceiving preference. 

ENFPs are known for their lively and outgoing nature and ability to connect with others on a deep level. Marshall is carefree, goofy, positive, and easygoing, just like his wife.

https://www.verywellmind.com/enfp-an-overview-of-the-champion-personality-type-2795980

We see that It Ends With Us shows different personalities, each one with its own positives and flaws. But there are more than 8 billion people in the world now, and they cannot be defined by just 16 personalities. No personality is either fully good or fully bad. The book shows different layers of each personality, beneath just the common misconceptions.