ENFJ: Morpheus, “The Matrix”

ENFJ, the Giver, the Mentor, the Believer

Morpheus joins a long line of archetypal ENFJ mentor characters in the movies (like Glinda, or Obi-Wan), showing up in the movies to push our hero to realize his or her potential. Just last week, my church lost someone who I’m pretty sure was an ENFJ, judging by the way his positive impact spread to everybody around him, through others, and into people who didn’t even know him firsthand, like me. So as I write this profile, I’m thinking deeply about how the goodness we pursue can affect others without us even knowing it—whether or not we’re trying to save the world from robots.

Dominant Function: Fe/Extraverted Feeling, “Relate to the Experience”

Morpheus presents an imposing presence, but he’s not aloof and detached like the other characters in The Matrix. He speaks warmly and can’t hide his enthusiasm when he finally meets Neo. His gestures are open and expressive, and he commands the room when he speaks.

Morpheus has an emotional bond with his crew members, and inspires them to follow him. When he introduces the crew to Neo, he lays his hands on their shoulders as he names them off (even Cypher!). Tank says, in his mini-eulogy when they think they’re about to lose Morpheus, that Morpheus was a father to them. When Neo starts suiting up for the rescue mission, Trinity tells Neo that Morpheus means more to her than he does to Neo, so she’s going to come along.

Morpheus genuinely cares for Neo both as a person and as the iconic One. He sounds pained as he explains to the newly awakened Neo that Neo has never used his muscles or his eyes before. When Neo “pops,” puking in disorientation at the truth of the Matrix, Morpheus feels regret and apologizes for breaking it to him when he wasn’t ready. Even when he’s beating the crap out of Neo in the dojo program, Morpheus encourages Neo and patiently guides him.

Auxiliary Function: Ni/Introverted Intuition, “Anticipate the Experience”

Morpheus decides before anyone else does that Neo is The One. He sees clues or connections that no one else does, puts them together to form his conclusion, and believes without question. Paired with his Fe-dom, this means Morpheus is willing to sacrifice himself to save Neo, which the Oracle (another Ni user) warns Neo about. He believes in Neo blindly, she says.

ENFJ: Glinda, “The Wizard of Oz”

The Giver

In stage versions of The Wizard of Oz, it’s traditional for the actress who plays Auntie Em to also play Glinda, just like the farmhands and Miss Gulch show up as their imaginary counterparts in Oz. Auntie Em and Glinda, though, contrast much more than the other real-world/dream-world pairs. Both act as strong female mentors to Dorothy, but while Auntie Em leads with her stern, no-nonsense Te-dom (Extraverted Thinking), Glinda gives Dorothy the emotional affirmation she needs as a fellow Fe-dom (Extraverted Feeling).

It seems like a bit of subconscious wish-fulfillment on Dorothy’s part to have a nicer, sweeter mother figure to guide her.

Dominant Function – Extraverted Feeling/Fe, “What We Need”

It’s not clear what exactly Glinda’s relationship to the Munchkins is, but they certainly look to her for a kind of emotional leadership. They hide away until she gives the okay on Dorothy, and then they emerge to the encouraging sound of her voice. The movie’s biggest musical sequence gets started then, and Glinda watches with increasing pleasure as the Munchkins express their joy. Their happiness becomes her happiness.

Glinda states that “only bad witches are ugly,” showing confidence that a good person’s inner being will reflect in the way they present themselves to the outside world (it also sounds a bit insulting when you remember that she had to ask Dorothy if she was a good witch or a bad witch). When Glinda appears at the end of the movie, she pulls the focus of everyone in the Emerald City. Even Scarecrow, who’s never met her before, is certain that she’s someone who can help. Her presence sets a peaceful, comforting mood wherever she shows up.

Dorothy, who’s working from a damaged Fe-dom that’s stinging from not getting acceptance and understanding from her family, probably learns a lot about being confident in her feelings from Glinda.