Content Warning: The source material features discussions of suicide, self-harm, and distressing imagery, which is discussed in this section.

Mike Enslin is the dynamic protagonist of “1408.” His unwillingness to believe in the haunting of 1408 is constantly challenged throughout the story, bringing him face-to-face with a malicious entity that he cannot overcome, let alone explain.

Mike is drawn to 1408 because of his writing career, which is best characterized by a series of haunted travelogs collectively known as the Ten Nights books. Despite his success and journeys around the world, Mike bears mixed feelings toward his work. Mike attended college at Iowa State University, developing his craft under the mentorship of American novelist Jane Smiley. Mike attempted to become a literary writer with moderate success, drafting poems and publishing stories while working as a reporter. This pushed him to conceptualize his first Ten Nights book.

The strong sales of his first book pushed him to serialize its concept. However, Mike’s lived experience of the haunted locations rubs against the enthusiasm of his readers. Having never experienced authentic supernatural phenomena during any of his visits, he cannot bring himself to believe in any of the things he writes.