The promotional material for The Lord of the Rings Photo:VCG

The Magic Trilogy is the nickname for three famous book series: The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. I love all of them very much and they have had a profound impact on me. These three books have an interesting connection with their authors. The Lord of the Rings was written by English author J. R. R. Tolkien, who was a friend of C. S. Lewis, the book's reviewer. Their friendship was a beautiful story in the history of fantasy literature. Coincidentally, J. K. Rowling the author of the Harry Potter books, was also a fan of The Lord of the Rings when she was a child. And these authors influenced each other, spreading the charm of the magical world. 

Some people say that reading shapes people's personalities. This saying reminds me about the popular MBTI personality test. I also conducted my MBTI test, and the result was ENTJ. Although there are many factors that affect a person's personality, is reading books one of them? I opened these books again, and the plot emerged before me one by one. I found myself reflected in the protagonist and the author.

The promotional material for Harry Potter Photo:VCG

The 'ENTJ'

"E" refers to extrovert. I enjoy making friends because the friendships and unity of the protagonists in these books deeply moved me. In Harry Potter, during Harry's first battle with Voldemort for the Philosopher's Stone, he had to pass through layers of levels designed by his teachers. His friend Ron almost sacrificed himself and played the most exciting wizard game in history, passing the first level. Although they did not face Voldemort directly, they always accompanied Harry and fought alongside him. In life, it is always like this. Although we have to face our own difficulties, your friends always stand behind you. 

"N" is intuitive, which means a person who tends to focus on abstract concepts and future possibilities. These imaginative works made me more hopeful about life. The character of hobbit Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings reminds me a lot about this "N" quality. I think whenever I encounter a difficult situation, I always think that life is always full of surprises and I never know what will happen next. I must also be as firm in my beliefs as Bilbo, and a smile will bloom on my face.

"T" is thinking and logical. The logical structures of these magical books are complex and clear. The protagonists of The Chronicles of Narnia have intricate connections. The interweaving of time and space makes this book thought-provoking. After reading it, I not only marveled at the author's logic, which made me more thoughtful in writing, but also learned how to lay the groundwork for the following text, attracting readers' interest, and making my work more organized.

"J" is judging which means a planning type of personality. After reading these works, I deeply understand the importance of making plans ahead of time. In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the plan to break into the ministry of magic was developed through long-term planning by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. It would have been difficult for them to succeed without arrangements. This made me understand that planning is a key factor in the likelihood of success, and I became more organized in my actions.

Photo:VCG

I love who I am 

The full name of the MBTI personality test is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). It was invented by two US experts called Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. No matter if one is an introverted "I" person or an extroverted "E" person, those different personalities are typologies of people's characters. They are used to enhance the mutual understanding between people but not for one to use it as criteria for valuing others. 

After the personality test went trending on social media platforms like Sina Weibo, I saw many people turn such typologies into judgments. For example, there was a netizen who said that she was questioned by the HR in her company since she was an "I" person. 

The news is trivial, but has alerted me that one's personality is not for judgment, but for me to understanding the diversity of human beings. While environments such as the workplace are often more comfortable for someone who is good at socializing, an introvert has her or his special talents too. For example, some introverts are really detail-oriented, imaginative and artistic; those talents can help the one to come up with novel ideas that have never been proposed by others before. 

Understanding oneself and respecting one's personality is a lifelong task for a person. This task is very important as it will give a person a clearer understanding of his or her own value. If I were the employee who was questioned, I would be very proud to tell the HR that I would not feel ashamed of my personality and I love who I really am.

All in all, I want to go back to my reading experiences. Reading those books make me believe that books have personalities, perhaps every book has an MBTI. Every time you read a good book, it feels like you have met someone who has infinite power, enriching and influencing your personality. 

Let's discover our personalities together in a book and constantly improve ourselves!

The author is a student at the Beijing No.50 Middle School