If you’ve been paying attention, you know that a very important conversation has been brewing here on For the Record.
It started three days ago when Lex shared his thoughts on The Enneagram.
Then I started thinking about it.
Then Gilmore Girls, of course, got worked into the mix.
Lex started off the guessing. And I think his guesses are probably dead on. But I haven’t had enough time to really think it through. (And you and I both know I could really spend some time really thinking it through.)
I did start thinking about it, though. And I did give some initial guesses.
And I’m going to keep thinking about it. But I’ve got to put it on hold. Chris has the flu. Caelyn has this crazy need for a mother who doesn’t spend all day on the computer. And, once again, I didn’t do the laundry last week or the week before that, which means, if she and I intend to leave the apartment sometime this weekend, I had better break down and do it.
But I don’t want to forget what I started thinking. And I want you to be thinking about it too.
(We already know Lex watches GG. But there are others of you too. JSmo, John, Jan, Jerry, Nathan, Trevlyn, Lindsey, Steve, hundreds of random Googlers, I’m talking to you. Walt, you don’t have to admit it, and I know you’re tired of online discussion, but I’m sure you’ve caught enough episodes to have an opinion. You guys don’t have to speak up, although it would be fun if you did, but you should at least think about it. I think you’ll enjoy it. Some of you writers could even benefit from this exercise in that it could help you develop your own fictional characters with fictional relationships.)
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I’m not necessarily expecting you to write out all your reasons for your guesses (but you’re welcome to if you want. We always celebrate detail on For the Record). You don’t even have to write down your guesses or respond at all.
I’m just getting my own ball rolling, and I hope you’ll think it looks like enough fun to jump on.
Here we go:
For the moment, I’m standing by my original guesses. With the exception of one. I’m changing Luke to a Four, and you can read here and here the initial reasons why.
As time allows, I’ll look into each character more and give you a brief explanation for why I think they match up with a particular number. But for now, I’ll keep the focus of this introduction on the two main Gilmore girls and their major romantic relationships. I’ll give you my current guess for the character and then my guess for their significant other, along with some links to read about those specific numbers. Hopefully, I add Emily Gilmore soon and then think about the Gilmores’ relationships with each other and then tackle the show’s supporting cast.
But I make no promises.
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(There’s a lot of info out there, but I’m limiting it here for time purposes. If you know of other sites, please refer us. And I haven’t looked into the credibility of all these sites. The one that talks about compatibility makes you pay money to find out the pitfalls. Lucky for us, JSmo should be able to identify a few for us for free.)
LORELAI: I feel confident that Lore’s a Seven. A raving Seven.
LUKE, Lorelai’s Major Romantic Interest (although Lore’s relationships with Max, Jason, and Christopher weigh heavily into my assessment of her as a Seven): More and more, I’m seeing him as a Four.
LUKE and LORELAI together: (This description makes me see Luke as a Four even more, so I’ll share it here, instead of making you follow the link.)
“Enneagram Fours and Sevens tend to be intrigued by each other since they are a generally a case of opposites attracting. Fours tend to be quiet, introverted, self-doubting, emotional, and pessimistic, while Sevens tend to be outgoing, extroverted, self-confident, mental, and optimistic. Sevens help Fours overcome shyness and a possible reluctance to try new experiences. Fours help Sevens stay focused on what they really want—and to respect and allow their feelings. Fours and Sevens bring to their relationship the charge and mystery of their differences—that they think so differently, react so differently, and find pleasure in such different ways. They can therefore become intrigued by the other, finding him or her endlessly fascinating, always ready with something new and unexpected.
“Both Fours and Sevens bring a capacity for joy and ecstasy, spontaneity, emotion, and for passion. Both Fours and Sevens love lively conversation and they can pass hours sharing with each other detailed accounts of the events of the day as well as their thoughts and reactions. Both Fours and Sevens love the finer things of life, travel, good food, wine, clothes, and furnishings, and, for better or worse, both can tend to overspend their incomes on what they consider life’s necessities—caviar, champagne, and another trip to Europe. They both have a love of the new and a sense of adventure and romance that can keep their relationship fresh and lively for themselves and be a source of joy and inspiration for others. Both types can be funny, irreverent, and entertaining. There is also an earthiness and bawdiness to both, as well as, paradoxically, a sophistication and elitism. Being opposites, Fours and Sevens can balance each other: Fours bringing a sense of depth and interiority, while Sevens contribute a sense of fun and emotional resilience.”
* Copyright 2003-2004. The Enneagram Institute. All Rights Reserved.
* Read more at “Relationships and Type Compatibility”. (This site talks about all the styles, provides a free sample test, and discusses the compatibility of each style with each of the other eight styles. Looks like good basic information, but they want you to pay for the deep stuff.)
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RORY: Five (but I think she’s got lots of One and Two too)
LOGAN, Rory’s most recent love: Three
“This is a frequently seen combination, although one that might not be expected. Enneagram Fives often give Threes depth, new areas of expertise and credibility, while sparking creativity. Threes give Fives confidence, presentation skills, and awareness of the importance of communicating effectively with others. Both Threes and Fives are primarily focused on their work and on objective issues and concerns. Both types are preoccupied with competency and effectiveness, especially in their professional areas, and this is where they support each other in an outstanding way. Although both have deep feelings, both tend not to focus on them for the sake of getting on with their work. They tend to understand each other’s need to balance closeness with their need for personal space: they do not crowd each other. Threes contribute social skills, the ability to communicate and to sell ideas and projects, charm, energy, and a strong sense of practicality to the relationship. They can often see what is needed in the relationship or in the world and help to marshal the Five’s skills toward that goal. Fives bring depth of understanding, expertise in one or more areas, perseverance with details until the goal is accomplished, an objective dispassion, and lack of attachment to outcomes.
“This can be a ‘brilliant’ couple—sharp, successful, deeply competent, and well respected. If they are attractive, Threes can be a trophy for Fives who are usually less concerned with appearance; Fives, on the other hand, can also be a trophy for Threes who are proud of the Five’s expertise and who are glad to learn from them whenever they can. Both regard the other as a catch who enhances their own self-esteem and social standing. Their deep, often unspoken, feelings for each other frequently deepen even more over time, gradually allowing this couple to discover not just passion but quiet affection and pride in each other.”
* Copyright 2003-2004. The Enneagram Institute. All Rights Reserved.
* Read more at “Relationships and Type Compatibility”.
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And that’s it for now. Hopefully I’ll be back soon with a more thoughts and a fresh stack of underwear and long-sleeved onesies. In the meantime, feel free to jump in with your thoughts. Or if you can’t bring yourself to apply such material to Gilmore Girls, apply it to real life and share your results with us here.
Big thanks to Lex for starting the topic and getting me hooked on Enneagram fun!
2 Comments
February 11, 2008 at 10:04 pm
So far, I think you’re right on!
BTW, what number would say the statement, “Anyone who sits around trying to figure out others’ personalities must have too much time on her hands.”? That may give us further ammunition/insight as we seek to classify and understand our family members (Kevin).
February 11, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Whatever number Kevin is.
And whatever number Chris is.
But Kevin would at least appreciate the information aspect of it, I think. And he has a defense, since he doesn’t waste much time. Also, you can just remind him that if things keep progressing as they are now, it won’t be long before he’s driving around town on Saturdays with junior-high Claire, drinking cokes and counting storm cellars in backyards, like Dad and I used to do, instead of doing yard work and home repair.
Chris would make such an accusation, and then when I respond, “Wii much lately?” he’d say, “I’m not saying it’s bad.”
And I can’t resist. What number would refer to gaining information about a person’s personality as “ammunition/insight”? I’d say a One at home and a Two at the therapeutic office.