MBTI Type: ISFJ

Ruth is down to earth and rooted in what matters; she compares her life with Idgie to the relationship they had when Idgie was a child, and likes to reminisce. She enjoys hearing the same stories over and over again. Most of the talents she cultivates are culinary, and she is happiest with a stable life that is predictable. Anything unusual, like Idgie taming bees, is a shock to her until she gets used to it, but even then she compares it to something she already knows (“I’ve heard of bee charmers before, but never seen it done”). She is warm, friendly, and relational. Others easily are charmed and encouraged by her, since she knows what to say to make them feel better about themselves. Ruth tries to adjust her behavior to be appropriate to the situation, but also can adapt to Idgie and let loose and/or go on adventures. She does not know what happened to her husband, but is curious for the truth; Idgie keeps it from her, since she thinks Ruth is too sweet, innocent, and accommodating to hear about such hard things. Her Ne is quite low. She rarely looks beyond the surface of the situation she is, but has a natural curiosity about the things that are unfamiliar to her.

Enneagram: 1w2

Ruth is always highly proper and concerned with doing the right thing, which makes her see Idgie at times as “shocking” in her behavior. She even gets the local pastor to lie for her to get her out of trouble, by promising Idgie will turn up at church (and she tells Idgie not to make her a liar). She tries to make it work with her abusive husband for a while, then when she finds out she’s pregnant, decides to leave, out of the principle of the thing. It’s hard for her to tell a lie. Initially, she objects to throwing food off the train, because it doesn’t belong to them (is a moral wrong) but then she looks at the faces of the recipients and changes her mind. She is critical and unafraid to share her true opinion (her statement that Idgie’s fried green tomatoes are awful starts a food fight). Ruth also has a warm and generous side, and everyone “loves her” because she is so sweet, generous, and considerate of others and their needs. She wound up taking care of her mother toward the end, and finding fulfillment in doing it.

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