IT (Novel) Characters: Ben Hanscom
Myers Briggs: ISFJ - The Nurturer They are industrious caretakers, loyal to traditions and organizations. They are practical, compassionate, and caring, and are motivated to provide for others and protect them from the perils of life.
Enneagram: Type 5 - The Investigator Thinking center; can be detached, isolated, and overly intellectual, but also perceptive, self-reliant, respectful, and dependable; they live largely internal lives and can be better at observing and pondering than participating in life.
4-Wing: The Iconoclast This wing has a better balance of emotion and intellect that allows them to use their intelligence in expressive and creative ways; tends to form deep and intimate connections in relationships; can also be more prone to withdrawing into fantasies, or to feeling depressed from isolation.
Sexual Variant: The Secret Agent The sexual variant of Type 5 will share confidences from their inner world with their partner; can have a reserve to them that reflects the tension between the need to make contact and to preserve autonomy.
House: Ravenclaw Though a strong case could be made for sorting Ben into either Hufflepuff - if based on nothing but his unwavering loyalty to Beverly - or into Gryffindor, his true house is most definitely Ravenclaw. Not only is Ben a diligent student in the glimpses we see of him during the school year, but he also demonstrates throughout the book deep loves of reading, learning new things (see his delight at the concept of the Greenhouse Effect), and at solving problems. Pair that with his wonderful unapologetic attitude towards these interests, and what you get is a true Ravenclaw nerd and proud of it.
Intelligence: Spatial & Logical When I think of how Ben Hanscom thinks, I usually picture the special vision master builders in the Lego Movie get that lets them instinctually see all the pieces they need to build something and how they will fit together. Sorry if you don’t know the reference, it’s just the best illustration of Ben’s inner workings I can think of. The point is, from building a functioning dam and an underground clubhouse as a kid to designing skyscrapers as an adult, Ben has a preternatural gift for, simply put, building. The way Ben can solve physical problems in his head without even really trying is a gift that can only come with a strong helping of both spatial and logical intelligence.
Alignment: Lawful Good
Other Characters: Bill, Beverly, Eddie, Richie, Mike, Stanley
