MBTI Type: ISFJ

The reason Mrs. Wilcox leaves Margaret Howards End is because she finds in Margaret a kindred spirit; even though Margaret is a product of a far more “advanced” generation, Mrs. Wilcox senses that Margaret shares her appreciation for what is established, old, and therefore beneficial to life; Margaret’s approach toward marriage (sensible, instead of romantic), her belief that Henry should leave everything to his children (as is appropriate, due to their family bonds), her dealings with the Basts (believing in their lesser social status), and her concern about her sister “showing the world too many of her feelings” all show evidence of past-based precedent influencing her perceptions. Because she cannot fathom that her sister would be immoral, it never crosses her mind as to that’s why Helen has ceased communication with them for months on end. She has no trouble articulating herself when necessary (she writes back frostily to Mrs. Wilcox, only to feel apologetic and race over to talk to her when there’s a misunderstanding; she says how she feels about Henry all along and right off the bat) but is very uncomfortable when placed into a situation which imposes on other people; she does not like Helen turning up with the Basts “to another person’s house and party… I don’t know what to do!” She, mild-manneredly, accepts Henry for who he is, until his hypocrisy becomes unable for her to bear and then she points out, in an attempt to “make you see the truth” how hypocritical his behavior is, keeping a mistress and cheating on his former wife, and berating Helen for falling pregnant outside of wedlock. She makes many of her decisions based on what seems logical to her, and feels safe / secure / adheres to social expectations (marriage to an older, financially secure man), but also makes emotional decisions (she wants nothing from Henry in his will, and asks him to leave it to the children, in an attempt to bond them). Her inferior Ne shows in her inability to read Henry’s colder nature until it manifests, her resistance to change (she says even before she marries him that she has no interest in changing him or asking him to become better), and in her lack of considering anything other than plausible explanations for her sister’s change in behavior (she must be sick, angry, or insane). But she is something of an intellectual and keep to discuss such things.

Enneagram: 6w5

Margaret always says she wants time to “think about things,” and is more focused on doing so than either of her siblings in terms of considering what to do, asking for advice if she needs it, and then being proactive in choosing what to do about it. She admits to always analyzing and dissecting people, wanting to know what makes them tick, and gets excited at the thought of someone else challenging her ideas and giving her new things to ponder. She seems to make practical rather than emotional decisions; she marries Henry because she likes him, but it also “makes sense.” She respects his advice in terms of financial matters, and goes along with his decisions in other areas—until it comes to his desire to divorce the family from her sister’s scandal in falling pregnant outside of wedlock. Margaret is suspicious about Helen’s behavior, then worries that her husband might have gotten pregnant from a “married man,” and adamantly refuses to abandon her, instead loyally sticking with her and eventually making her husband see reason by arguing on logical and moral terms (she does not care that he cheated on his previous wife, because it didn’t happen to her; but she does care that he is a moral hypocrite). At times, she can be a bit too rational and accommodating, choosing not to help Mr. Bast because her husband asks her not to, and she goes along with his agenda. Margaret is also somewhat withdrawn, secure in her own mind, and inclined to read to enrich her knowledge of the world. She can become stubborn when she puts her mind to it.

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