The Commander, The Field-Marshall, The Trailblazer
Ray Bolger was almost cast as Tin Man, and fought to play Scarecrow, where his limber lankiness created an icon. Scarecrow is a rare ENTJ in fiction for two reasons—one, he’s not the bad guy, and two, he completely lacks confidence at the beginning of his journey. Thanks to the support of his friend Dorothy, and his adventures on the Yellow Brick Road, he grows into the strengths he’s underestimated.
Dominant Function – Extraverted Thinking/Te, “How To Do It”
Scarecrow’s first words to Dorothy are to point her in the right direction down the Yellow Brick Road.
Of course, he’s just messing with her—“Some people do go both ways!” But can you blame him? For an Extraverted Thinker who needs something to do, being stuck in one place with a pole up your back is bound to drive you a little ‘round the bend.
When we first meet him, Scarecrow is apparently bad at his job—scaring crows. This gives him a huge complex. He needs to be good at something, and he’s failing at the one thing he’s been given to do. He’s completely lost confidence in his competence, and an ENTJ without confidence is barely anything at all.
“I’m a failure, because I haven’t got a brain,” he announces. More likely, he just hasn’t met a challenge worthy of his wits. Scaring crows is kids’ stuff, the kind of thing any old inanimate stuffed fool could do. Taking care of a girl and her dog and the motley companions she picks up along the way, down a road full of unpredictable dangers, while being pursued by a Wicked Witch—now that takes real brains.
And of course, although he promises he won’t try to manage things as long as Dorothy lets him come along, Scarecrow jumps right into action as soon as they meet those grumpy apple trees. Even though he’s likely never been in this situation before, he knows exactly what to do, and his trick works. By the time Dorothy is kidnapped and the Witch’s castle needs storming, it’s Scarecrow who’s calling the shots.
Auxiliary Function – Introverted Intuition/Ni, “What Will Be”
Scarecrow likely hasn’t been alive for very long, so it’s only natural that he would be focused on the future. He’s quick to see how his plans will work out—realizing, for instance, that chopping a rope will drop the chandelier on the Witch’s soldiers, or that taunting the apple trees will make them give up their precious fruit. He snaps at the Tin Man to stop crying, because he knows the consequences—“We don’t have the oil can with us, and you’ve been squeaking enough as it is!”
Also, being aware of subtleties and symbolism allows him to understand Toto when the little dog arrives to summon them. While the other two are befuddled, Scarecrow gets it right away: “Don’t you see? He’s come to take us to Dorothy!”
Tertiary Function – Extraverted Sensing/Se, “What Is”
Scarecrow makes good use of the tools at hand—Tin Man’s axe, to break the chandelier rope; his own body, to shield Dorothy from tossed apples. Not being a creature of flesh and bone, he’s a bit floppy and clumsy, but he’s also aware enough to be afraid of one thing. A lighted match.
Inferior Function – Introverted Feeling/Fi, “What Is Important”
Scarecrow could just have easily asked for a heart instead of a brain. Like the Tin Man, he’s only a facsimile of a human being, so he probably doesn’t have any insides, either in his chest or in his head. Or maybe the farmer sewed a little patchwork heart on him? Who knows. Because of his dominant Thinking function, however, Scarecrow values a brain most of all.
When Glinda finally prods Dorothy to reveal the lesson she learned, Scarecrow says, “But that’s so easy! I should have thought of it for you!” A very Rational response to an emotional truth.
Don’t let that make you think he’s unfeeling, of course. He’s devoted to his friends and their welfare, especially Dorothy. He’s cheerful and trustworthy. He’s the kind of Extraverted Thinker that does what he does because he wants the best for people and he knows how to do it.
And by the end of the story, the Wizard puts Scarecrow in charge of the Emerald City. That’s quite an ambitious arc from dissatisfied farm implement to honorable ruler of Oz.
Next on our trip down the Yellow Brick Road, we run into the Tin Man, an INFP (like me!).
Heroes & Villains of MBTI 
