don't hate me for saying this and don't think I aprove a rape action ... but I can relate to Thomas. Maybe it is just because it is in my nature to see goodness in everyone and to find reasons for someones actions, even rape...
I think Covenant might be an INFP, definately an F. First of all, in his first live he was a dreamy writer, writing fantasy. He needs quiet time to be able to write. He postpones his writing untill that certain moment the inspirations comes and he writes non stop. I can very much relate to that, I do the same. I think he is very much in touch with peoples feelings. Also his time with Lena and her family, the book tells us a lot about how he see these people and what he gets from there feelings and it is to much to type him as an T.
But then, the leprosis comes and his wive abandons him. Not only that, everyone despite him, he has no physical or even emotional contact with people. That is terrible for an INFP because they NEED that kind of contact to keep sain. Not only that, he needs to be very focussed to stay alive, focussed in the here and now, use his Si and Te to do that. Something in the writing of the book tells us that he wasn't that organized. He needed to learn it by repetition over and over again.This turns him into an STJ I think. He creates rituals to stay alive, and he uses anger to keep control over his mind and emotions. His only concer for months HAD TO BE to focus on staying alive, he was not allowed to leave that stricked path. I don't know for sure but I think, if I was in his situation, I would do the same and become a cynical, bitter and over controling creature.
Take this in mind. You need pysical and emotional contact but are cut from it, even dispite, you need to alter your personality in a very unnatural way to keep alive. He has builed walls around him to keep sane, to not be touched by the crualty of the people of his world. Lena was the first one who was friendly. She broke his walls so rapidly that she opened the dam to his emotions and he couldn't stop them any longer. But that doesn't mean he is a rapist in the sense "emotionless bastard that needs to have control over people or needs to feel resistance in order to get excited".
It may not be the same but I know how it feels like when your world convinses you that you have to stop being a dreamer and start getting control over your live, emotions, thoughts to stay alive in this world. I have blocked myself in the same way as he has. He needs time to realise that he doesn't need the barriers anymore and will not be reject when he shows his true self.
I love these kind of caracters. There are two sides to every story and most of the time we only hear or take in acount one side. Most heroes are, maybe not perfect, but very idealistic. We are now confronted with an antihero who has no intention to be a hero in the first place but is forsed in that role. The author shows us a hero that does a crime we judge hardly in normal live but since he is supposed to be the hero, we are forced to not get rid of him (kill him, lock him up for good) but instead to follow him and to try to understand him.
