Susan AnthonyENGL 1010-1923 November 2005Essay 5When Worlds Collide : The Difference Between Mattie and Dawn The Myers – Briggs personality test consists of a large series of questions pertainingto a person’s ethics, habits, and reactions to different situations. Based on the Myers – Briggs personality assessment it can be assumed that Mattie is an INTJ, which stands for “Introverted – Intuitive – Thinking – Judging”. This assessment dictates Mattie’s probable behavior for how she deals with stress, her role in a group setting, and her personal growth. These probable behaviors are presented in several scenarios throughout Kent Nelson’s novel, Land that Moves, Land that Stands Still.

Furthermore, the Myers – Briggs personality assessment provides information on how Mattie’s personality type, INTJ, relates to Dawn’s personality type. The two personalitieswork together in a “tribesman relationship”, which means that, although similar in commongoals, the two personalities compliment each other in a conflicting manner (Heiss par. 13).

As an INTJ Mattie copes with situations and works through them differently from Dawn. Upon discovering Haney’s past and the fact that he was a homosexual man, Mattie retires to solitude at the picnic table to mentally dwell on the stressful information rather than talking about it (Nelson, 104). Despite her solitary self- consolation, Mattie, true to INTJ nature, actsas a leader for the makeshift family that forms on the ranch.While acting as a leader to theothers on the ranch Mattie is given the opportunity for healing and personal growth after the lossof her husband.

In that time of personal growth she allows others to participate in her development, giving them the opportunity to shape her healing. According to the Myers – BriggsAnthony 2personality assessment, this is common for an INTJ personality type (“What Makes an INTJ Tick?” par 5). Mattie, the Introverted – Intuitive – Thinking – Judging personality, both compliments and differs from her cohort, Dawn, in her ways of coping with stress, her role in the group setting, and dealing with personal growth. Dawn represents the ENFJ personality in Kent Nelson’s novel, which stands for “Extroverted – Intuitive – Feeling – Judging”. With Mattie she shares some common personality traits, as well as common goals for her immediate future. Dawn, however, acts as the extrovert in the group on the ranch.

With Dawn as an ENFJ type personality, her actions and motivations canbe predicted based on the Myers – Briggs personality assessment. Like Mattie, Dawn is forced to deal with stress on the ranch and in her past life, exercise her role in a group setting, and grow personally. Unlike her “tribesman” counterpart, Mattie, Dawn copes with tension and stress outwardly. By organizing the group to reconstruct Mattie’s kitchen after the fire, Dawn revealeda true characteristic of an ENFJ personality, which is getting a group organized in a time of stress(“What Makes an ENFJ Tick?” par 6).But also like an ENFJ, Dawn fails to consider consequences.