Who Is Sheriff Tate's Typology?

This assignment was to assume the identity of Sheriff Heck Tate from Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The instructions were to determine Sheriff Tate’s typology according to the Myers Briggs Typology Indicator (MBTI) personality test. Ms. Lee wrote “To Kill a Mockingbird” in 1960. To Kill a Mockingbird is a novel based in the early 1930’s in Maycomb County in southern Alabama. Heck Tate is the appointed sheriff of Maycomb County. There is not much information in the novel that would help to assume his identity when taking the typology indicator test. I had to assume the ideology of a sheriff in the 1930’s and also make some assumptions based on what Sheriff Tate’s actions in the novel. Upon considering the actions and ideology of

In the novel and also considering a career in law enforcement, Sheriff Tate has to deal with people on a daily basis. While dealing with people you have to consider many things when making decisions. According to the definitions of extraversion versus introversion for the MBTI, this domain deals with where a person gets their motivation. It either comes from the outside world for extraversion or from a person’s inner beliefs for introversion ("Definition of terms,"). A sheriff would have to obtain his motivation from the outside world upon acting on things. This would put his first area of the MBTI as an extravert. Sheriff Tate responds to Mayella and Bob Ewell’s and is confronted with allegations that Tom Robinson, a black man, sexually assaulted and beat Mayella Ewell. Sheriff Tate acts on these allegations by arresting Tom on rape charges without any incriminating or substantial evidence but rather based solely on the Ewell’s word. This to me shows more of an extravert’s actions rather than that of an introvert because he is acting based on others actions or the outside world rather than his own belief or inner

According to the definitions of MBTI again a thinker makes their decisions using their head, while a feeler makes their decisions based on their heart or their feelings. Based on all of Mr. Tate’s actions throughout the novel it seems that he bases his decisions solely around his feelings. There is the instance in the novel where a rabid dog appears on Atticus’ street. Instead of doing his duties as sheriff and terminating the dog himself, Sheriff Tate hands his gun over to Atticus and tells him to shoot the dog. Sheriff Tate gives Atticus the gun because he is worried that he will miss the dog and send a stray bullet into the Radley’s home. This is another clear cut sign of him letting his feelings overcome his