MBTI Type: ESTP

Jamie is impulsive and reactionary, often the first person to rush into conflict or combat and come out fighting. He doesn’t hesitate to put himself physically into situations and often is a catalyst for events happening – his incredible physical strength and inner resolve in withstanding his nearly lethal flogging is what infuriates Randall into obsession. Jamie is content to move about the countryside, improvising as he goes – he rarely lingers anywhere long, and while he does have natural leadership skills, he defers them to others, choosing to follow or set his own path. Others accuse him of being “short sighted” in his decisions, but Jamie does have an understanding of people. He senses his future is with Claire from the moment they meet. Many decisions he has more time to think about involve long-term desires (his wish to have a family, the consequences of Claire’s endangering of the clan, etc). He works hard to please her. His logic is swift and irrefutable – he doesn’t hesitate to tell Claire when her ideas, plans, or intentions are foolish, but also improves quickly in the moment, sometimes with too much detachment for his own good. This enables him to withstand punishment and torture, but brings conflict with Claire when she doesn’t understand his emotional distance – Jamie often just “accepts” things the way they are, which bothers her defiant individualism. He has a gentle, warm heart, often touched by people’s distress and aware of their emotional needs. When Claire asks why he stands in for a flogging, Jamie says, “She would have been humiliated in front of her village,” implying concern for her embarrassment, and his desire to protect her because he can “get over it” quicker. Jaime often self-blames and takes responsibility for things that have nothing to do with him, showing his tendency to self-reference. When he marries Claire, he shyly shares his true feelings with her, showing concern for whether she “enjoys” their marital activities or not.

Enneagram: 9w8 sx/so

If anything, Jamie is a tad too malleable in his environment. Even though he feels ashamed of his scarred, brutalized back and does not wish others to see it, he allows his uncle to show it off to a room full of strangers to gain money for the Jacobite cause. He “goes numb” to punishment – taking beatings and not reacting to them in ways that provoke and enrage Randall, who is looking for an emotional reaction. Unlike Claire, he does not judge people for their decisions, and urges her to put aside her moral judgments for the time being. Jamie goes out of his way to avoid conflict – avoiding public gatherings, so he does not have to choose a side or put himself forward as laird, and often downplaying his importance. He does not want to push himself on Claire, and is worried about hurting her when they have sex the first time. His 8 wing, however, is sometimes provoked into seeking power. He punishes Claire when she endangers the clan. He reacts violently at times, and is not afraid to show aggression or “be against” others for a good cause. Jamie thinks he must take care of everyone. He puts social causes first, including in how he feels about Claire (though he likes her, he dares not sleep in her room, aware of the damage it would inflict on her reputation). Jamie is almost recklessly indifferent to his own survival and bodily needs, enduring all kinds of punishment and brutality without allowing it to break him.