MBTI Type: ESFJ

Jarndyce sees strangers as friends and invites them into his home with ease and friendliness. His love for people and his dislike of conflict in any form makes him reluctant to confront others when they have done wrong, unless it threatens another person’s welfare. Jarndyce is very sensitive and in tune with the feelings of the people around him; he may not always intervene out of propriety’s sake, but it is this awareness that makes him sacrifice his own happiness to ensure Esther has a rich life. Discernment and concern causes him to question all Richard’s motivations, to gently test him to see if he understands the full ramifications of his decisions, but Jarndyce does not question his own motives, his generosity, or his decisions enough, causing him to enable a con man to take advantage of his ward (inferior Ti). Most of what Jarndyce thinks about the court case goes back to his own experiences and that of his father – he has seen so many people waste their lives pining for the money, actively scheming to get it, that he advises Rick not to pursue it, nor put all his hopes on it. He retreats to his study whenever he is in an ill humor, to comfort himself with the familiar and the routine. In many ways, he wants a sense of stability and family in his older age, adopting Esther and the youngsters into the house in an effort to build a family dynamic. He sees both Esther’s greater potential (and senses her resemblance to Lady Dedlock) and knows that ultimately, she would not be happy with him, causing him to pull back from and break off their engagement. But he can be willfully blind to the motives of others, assuming the best of them and indulging their whims.

Enneagram: 9w1 so/sp

Jarndyce’s biggest flaw is his apathy and unwillingness to take direct, aggressive action – rather than feel flustered or upset, he pushes away all his negative emotions and chooses to focus on optimism and positivity instead. This, tragically, contributes to Rick’s eventual illness and death, since Jarndyce could not bear conflict enough to stand up to him, nor to cast those who would prey on him from the house. He prefers to retreat to familiar places and brood alone, numbing himself to his emotions and is greatly distressed by conflict. He has an agreeable and temperate, forgiving nature and wants to constantly be pleasant, affirming, and others-focused. On the positive side, his 1 wing wants to do things for the right reasons, and sees how Rick could improve himself through a stable career. He focuses on supporting his loved ones and enabling them to do their best.