#theodora ‘ theo ’ crain. we make ourselves really safe. and no one ever gets in.

[lovehurried]

@wasworthy​ said:    “ i can’t say that i miss it. ” whiskey words and a shovel ii starters  •  accepting.

“Good.” Theo can’t keep the smile - the proud smile - off her face, even as she continues speaking. “Because to be brutally fucking honest with you? I don’t miss it for you, either. None of us do.”

[tvandenneagram]

The Haunting of Hill House: Theodora Crain - Type 8w7

Theo is caring, intelligent, reactive and sensitive. Theo has built up emotional walls as she is sensitive to other people’s emotions and feelings and doesn’t want to get hurt. She has also had a lot of bad things happen in her childhood so she has always felt like she needs to protect herself.

At her best, Theo is extremely caring and empathetic, as we see in her job as a child psychologist. Theo wants to help her loved ones through her actions (integrating to 2) Theo starts off the series emotionally closed-off, but as the series progresses, Theo becomes more open to love.

At her worst, Theo can be reactive and aggressive when she feels threatened. Theo can also be a bit harsh when she feels like she has been betrayed. She can also be a bit deceitful. For example, she lis to Shirley about taking the royalties from Steven, because she fears Shirley’s reaction. 

Theo was hard to type as she acted a bit like a 7 and cp6 throughout the series. She seemed to want to avoid negative feelings by seeking excitement like a 7, and was very fearful underneath it all like a cp6. However, I also think that she doesn’t really avoid all negative feelings, especially as her job as a child psychologist can be very sad and upsetting. She also actively uses her ‘sensitivity’ to help her patients, which would not be a good feeling. So, I didn’t think she was a 7, instead I settled on 8 as I think Theo has always wanted to protect her family and herself which I think is due to her tumultuous childhood and her sensitivity. 

When we first meet Theo, she puts up a facade of being tough and not needing anyone else. I think this is because Theo feels like she doesn’t want to be vulnerable and also that she doesn’t want to burden anybody with her childhood trauma, which is typical of 8s. However, Theo does want to be close to others and does crave human connection. For example, she tries to be close to Shirley as she drives to have lunch with her most days (despite being very far from the house). I think this shows that she does want to have a relationship with her siblings, and isn’t as tough as she seems.

Theo is very good at helping her patients in her job as a child psychologist. I think this is because she is very empathetic and can understand how they feel, in part due to her traumatic childhood. I think her main motivation in choosing to be a child psychologist was to help children and make them feel safe. She knows that these children are very strong and have been able to survive, just as she has. 

Theo seems to have quite balanced wings as she is very reserved, but is also quite outgoing and extroverted. I settled on wing 7 as she is seems to seek excitement.

Tri-type: 8w7 - cp6w5 - 2w3

Some quotes to describe Theo’s motivations

“All this time we tried to get into this room, now we can't get the f**k out!”

“I'm sorry. I should have made more of an effort with you. You tried as best you could. I should have met you halfway. People f**k up. I guess you don't get that, you don't really get it until you f**k up. Really f**k up.”

“Well be sure to let your imagination get the best of you. That's the first step. Imagine the worst thing possible. Assume it's true. Then go from there.”

“I'm drawing boundaries, which is something you should look in to.”

Theo: “It's kids like us who've been through more than other kids. We're tougher than other kids. We're really good builders. We make ourselves really safe. And no one ever gets in.” Kelsey: “Mr. Smiley does.”

Shirley: “My kids are going to ask me how she died.” Theo: “And you'll tell them.” Shirley: “Tell them what? She killed herself? Aunty Nelly killed herself.” Theo: “Yes. That's better than lying.”

[lovehurried]

@willowdied​​ said:      ❛  why did you bring me here ?  ❜ not here starters  •  accepting.

“That’d be telling.” Theo’s smile is small but indulgent as she teases her sister, a gloved hand gesturing for her to sit down. “No, seriously - am I not allowed to want to see my baby sister outside of wedding prep? I just thought it’d be... I don’t know, nice to grab a coffee or something instead of one or both of us being stuck with pins during a fitting, y’know?”

[lovehurried]

muse tag dump  -  t + v + w.

[lovehurried]

LYRIC STARTER  •  @blueletterss​​​​  •  Shirley Crain           Call Me  ( Blondie,  American Gigolo  (1980) )

“I know where you’re coming from.” Is how she greets her older sister as she joins her on the porch. “What you were saying at dinner tonight, about how sometimes dealing with people’s grief at work drains you. I just wanted to say, you’re not alone in that.”