6 Fictional Characters You’ll Relate to if You’re an ISFP
The ISFP characters you know from movies, TV shows, and books will possess the typical array of ISFP traits. They are frequently called on to put these characteristics to good use, to find clever and dynamic ways to solve problems and resolve conflicts. They may be summoned to save the universe every now and then as well, responding to the stupendous and spine-tingling dangers posed by supervillains or supernatural forces.
What follows are brief biographies of six fictional ISFP characters, whom you may be able to relate to as you seek self-comprehension and personal empowerment. You may not want to adopt these characters as role models, since your life is probably far less dramatic than theirs. But they may still have something to teach you, about who you really are and about how you engage with the world.
#1 Harry Potter, Harry Potter Books and Movies
The world’s most famous boy wizard is an ISFP through and through. Driven by an unbreakable devotion to his friends Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, and his own self-generated code of morality, Harry Potter is ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice when someone innocent needs help or when great evil needs to be thwarted.
As someone who is always awake and aware of his surrounding environment, Harry displays the ISFP’s finely-honed instincts for smelling trouble or detecting people with bad intentions. Unfortunately, Harry often finds himself in risky and dangerous situations because of this gift, as his ISFP idealism won’t let him stand idly by when those he cares about are threatened with harm.
Like most ISFP characters, Harry Potter isn’t naturally drawn to leadership positions. Organizing isn’t his strongest skill, and he seldom likes to plan for the future (another primary ISFP trait). But his fierce loyalty to the people he cares about, and his dedication to the greater cause of good, shines through his modest and introspective exterior. He possesses a low-key charisma that others are instinctively drawn to, and he shows time and time again that he is willing to step forward and take charge when failing to do so could allow evil doers like Lord Voldemort to run amok.
In the enchanted Harry Potter universe, opportunities for Harry to display his magical talents abound. Possessing the typical ISFP sense of duty and honor, he never backs down from any challenge.
#2 Jon Snow, Game of Thrones
Acting as the moral consciousness of the cut-throat Game of Thrones universe, Jon Snow fits the pattern of the ISFP who will never sacrifice their principles, no matter how much they might benefit from doing so. Jon will always be there for the people he thinks of as family, even if he can’t always be sure they will be there for him.
Like many ISFPs, Jon Snow is obsessed with finding his true identity and discovering his true purpose in life. His quests and adventures are always motivated in part by this deep need, even when his actions also benefit others.
Never the leader but always close to those who desire to lead, Jon’s pledges of support and fealty are firm bonds. Threats of death, imprisonment, torture, or banishment will never stop him from standing by his friends, family members, and comrades in their hour of need.
Jon Snow’s serious yet ever-helpful persona reflects the ISFP’s telltale combination of a reserved nature and uncompromising moral integrity. He will leap into action quickly when motivated by his own emotions or by his empathy for others, and his effectiveness as a warrior emerges from his prototypical ISFP immersion in the sensory world and the present moment.
Yet through all the trials and tribulations there remains something enigmatic and distant about Jon. Like many ISFP characters, he would prefer to keep his most revealing thoughts and feelings as close to the vest as possible.
#3 Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie
Laura Ingalls Wilder, the young star of the timeless TV classic Little House on the Prairie, puts the real Laura Ingalls Wilder’s ISFP tendencies on display in situations that range from tense to humorous to melodramatic.
The fictional version of Laura is instinctively kind and generous. But when she is angered by mistreatment or injustice, her reactions can be righteous and indignant. In true ISFP fashion, her values are so strongly held that they frequently provoke moral outrage. This is often on display in her dealings with the terminally bratty Nellie Olson, whose antics never cease to infuriate the good-hearted Laura.
Like virtually all ISFP characters, Laura is deeply immersed in the real world and acutely sensitive to everything happening around her. This is expressed in her love for nature, and in her capacity to act quickly and decisively if she senses someone is in danger. Unfortunately, it is also reflected in her impulsiveness, which occasionally gets her into trouble.
Laura’s loyalty and love for her family are among her most admirable characteristics. These impressive traits are a reflection of who ISFPs are on TV, in books, in the movies, and in real life. They possess a stoic optimism and quiet belief in the overall rightness and decency of the world, which makes them certain that unselfishness and virtue will be rewarded in the end.
#4 Shaggy Rogers, the Scooby Doo Cartoons
As the most cowardly member of Mystery, Inc., Norville “Shaggy” Rogers is one of the more unorthodox ISFP fictional characters. Along with his best friend and partner in crime, the talking Great Dane Scooby Doo, Shaggy offers a clear representation of the hyper-sensitive ISFP, who is so immersed and in tune with his environment that he responds to it powerfully and reflexively, without any filter.
Unfortunately for Shaggy, his friends have been on a 50-year mission to uncover the truth behind mysteries involving haunted houses, spooky old buildings, ghost-occupied cornfields, and other incredibly scary locations. These exposures trigger Shaggy’s fear instincts constantly. He would like to remain quiet and laid-back, keeping his emotions to himself, as befits his ISFP nature. But it just isn’t in the cards, as long as he and the rest of the gang insist on putting themselves in constant peril.
Yet through it all Shaggy somehow perseveres, doggedly determined to do the right thing. He does so because he is extremely loyal to his friends and committed to helping those in need, displaying one of an ISFP character’s most conspicuous and defining characteristics.
#5 Dr. Meredith Grey, Grey’s Anatomy
On the long-running hit television show Grey’s Anatomy, Dr. Meredith Grey has had many soul-searching moments and just as many soul-crushing experiences. She has come close to the breaking point many times, but like so many ISFP characters her sense of purpose and desire to help others has made her a survivor.
Dr. Meredith Grey is always on the move, never overwhelmed by all the tragedy and disappointment she’s had to face. Her focus on the here-and-now prevents her from wallowing in the past or being depressed about the future, acting as a counterbalance to her tendency to take things too personally.
As is often the case with ISFP characters, Dr. Grey sometimes holds her feelings inside for too long. This prevents her from releasing her pain and hurt as readily as she should. She also possesses the ISFP gift for spontaneity, however, which prevents her from staying stuck in unproductive situations indefinitely.
Meredith is deeply sensitive, sharing a trait common to other ISFP characters. This has been the key to her success in the medical profession, as her compassion for her patients has never waned. Her attunement to her environment and the people in it are why she excels in diagnostics. She always remains calm and focused in the surgical room, concentrating completely on the task at hand.
In the best ISFP tradition, Meredith is tremendously loyal to friends, family, and colleagues. She constantly adds new people to her network of loved ones, thanks to her impressive ability to forgive and forget.
#6 Luke Skywalker, Star Wars
With his calm demeanor, deep empathy, quick reflexes, uncompromising loyalty, and superhuman moral code, Luke Skywalker is the quintessential ISFP hero. He was born into chaotic times, yet possesses all the important qualities required of those who are called to restore order, stability, and justice to a universe beset by darkness.
When first introduced, fictional ISFP characters are often portrayed living modest and humble lives. They are happy to serve and do their duty to their loved ones and their communities. But like Luke Skywalker, these ISFP characters are convinced they’re destined for something profound and transformational. Luke was loyal to his family, but when the opportunity came for adventure he couldn’t let it pass him by.
Luke’s personal growth speaks to his long-hidden but impossible-to-deny inner drive. Most notable is his success in learning how to use and control the Force, under the able guidance of trusted comrades Obi-Wan and Yoda. Luke is humble enough to listen to those he respects as they show him how to repress his natural ISFP instinct for immediate responses and instant gratification.
Yet it is important for Luke to preserve his tendency for spontaneity and not let it die completely, since it helped spark his creativity and ingenuity. Luke Skywalker’s unique capacity to combine decisive action with controlled fury help him become the Star Wars universe’s most acclaimed hero, fulfilling the type of lofty aspirations that motivate the most memorable ISFP characters.
