Tim Burton is known for his dark, quirky, "strange and unusual" characters, but that doesn't mean they're all sung from a single note. His Beetlejuice cast is a prime example of the many varied personalities that we can find in his works, from the macabre ghoulies and beasties we expect from his imagination to the more "normal" characters, who are often not as normal as they seem.
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When analyzed beneath the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator® lens, each character has even more distinctive traits, and often the very ones we see within ourselves. That's why Burton's eccentric figures are ultimately so successful: not just because they're interesting but because we resonate with them.
Beetlejuice: ESTP
The ghost with the most is a classic ESTP, the "Entrepreneur," with his flashy gimmicks, bold personality and penchant for pushing the boundaries beyond everyone else's comfort zone. He loves to socialize and could be an asset to souls like Adam and Barbara who need help if he weren't such an insensitive monster who doesn't care about what happens tomorrow as long as he gets his fun in today.
Boredom is the enemy of this impatient spirit, and he'll do anything if it sounds like fun. That's a recipe for disaster when you're as dangerous as Beetlejuice happens to be, and he tends to jump in to solve a problem without truly thinking it, or the consequences of his actions, through.
Otho: ENTJ
Delia's bestie Otho has dabbled in everything from the supernatural to chemistry, all roles in which his own strong sense of self-confidence got him by more than anything else. As an ENTJ, or the "Commander," Otho is a brutally dominant personality that clashes with Charles Deetz and the Maitlands terribly. He has zero regard for anyone else's feelings, especially when they get into the way of his great plans.
While Otho is known for his charisma and style, he's also an arrogant person who pushes forward even when it's not what the people affected by his decisions want. Throwing intense energy into his goals is what Otho is all about, even when it hurts other people.
Delia Deetz: ESFP
Catherine O'Hara is a staple artist in Tim Burton's films, and Delia Deetz is one of her most robust personalities to play. An ESFP, Delia is the "Entertainer," an original thinker and artist who lives for the appreciation others give her for everything from her home and way of dressing to her strange art. Everything she does is a chance to be creative and perform for others.
Delia might be a bold, imaginative creative, but she's also deeply sensitive and doesn't take criticism of her art very well. She gets bored easily, which is why moving out into the country isn't the best idea for her. Her attention isn't held for long, but luckily as long as she finds something to hold it for a day, like sculpting a bust of Beetlejuice's head, that will get her by.
Juno: ISTJ
The Maitlands' caseworker, Juno, is the most honest person in the entire movie. She's quite direct with the couple, even to the point of being blunt, which is common of the ISTJ, or the "Logistician." Always booked for months out and swimming in paperwork, Juno is dutiful and diligent, assisting the clueless souls who come to her as calmly as possible, even when it's frustrating.
Structure is the name of Juno's game, which is why she's frustrating for someone like Adam to work with. She is irritated that the Maitlands haven't read the entire handbook before contacting her, which would have answered many of their questions. Like other ISTJs, Juno can be insensitive with her frankness.
Adam: INTP
There's a reason Adam prefers the company of his model than actual people. As an INTP, the "Logician," Adam is a wonderful abstract thinker who just doesn't get people as well as he gets his ideas. When he's passionate about something, you won't find anyone more enthusiastic about it, but he can be rather absent-minded while absorbed in his favorite project.
It's frustrating for Adam to have to explain something like his model to those who don't get it, and figuring out his new "life" with Barbara after the accident tries his patient logic. Given the INTP's disdain for rules, it's no wonder that he ultimately turned to Beetlejuice for some help.
Jane: ESFJ
Busybody Jane may believe she means well, but her intrusion into the Maitlands' life as a nosy real estate agent is unwelcome, annoying at best and a case of harassment at worst. As the "Consul," or an ESFJ, Jane believes she is doing everyone a favor. It's her nature to care for everyone, and she has a warm personality that fits her line of work. The problem is, she's so inflexible and unwilling to budge in her assessment of the size of Adam and Barbara's home that she hurts their feelings in the process.
She wastes no time selling the home after their accident, which might make her seem callous but it's simply an extension of her sense of duty.
Charles Deetz: ISFJ
All Charles Deetz wants is some quiet time in the country with his introvert thoughts, a chance to relax in his new office long before the term "man cave" was even invented. Unfortunately for this ISFJ, or "Defender," there's no way that's going to happen with his wife in tow. Luckily for Delia, Charles has a tendency to do whatever it takes to support his loved ones, which even means giving up the country look of the home he desperately wanted.
Charles needs the break because he suffers from something a lot of ISFJs experience: becoming overloaded with work and family while repressing his own feelings. He needs to engage in a bit of self-care, which was the point of buying the house in the first place.
Maxie Dean: ESTJ
Without any introspection, Maxie Dean might be typecast as an Entrepreneur, but he's really an ESTJ, or the "Executive." He's less charismatic, and more about ensuring the order of things than new, innovative ideas. Unconventionality is not his cup of tea, and as the chairman of Botco Industries, he's quite skeptical of the Deetz's business idea.
Dean's wife, Sarah, adores the supernatural, which is one of the real reasons why he entertains the idea in the first place. Dean is very judgmental, which is why the family knows they need proof before going to him with the idea that ultimately gets him ejected from their home, carnival-style.
Barbara: ENFJ
As the "Protagonist," or an ENFJ, one of Barbara's main goals in life is to spend it with the person she loves most. ENFJs are all about being in a loving, committed relationship, and her life was built around that prior to her demise on the bridge. She is loving and loyal, but she's also open-minded and good at being a partner or member of a team. She knows she doesn't have all the answers and is comfortable seeking out help, whether it's in the form of the dubious Beetlejuice or in Juno, her case worker.
Barbara wants to always do her best and do good in the world, which is why she's ultimately willing to share her home as long as she gets some space within it to call her own.
1. Lydia: INFP
Lydia is one of the most cliche Tim Burton characters in the film, which is, of course, why we all love her so much. She is the epitome of the Burton character, an artistic INFP, or "Mediator," known for her creativity and passion. Introverted and unconventional the INFP is often the oddball who defies practicality and is too private to get to know well, but is so kind and altruistic that they usually make great friends.
Like other Mediators, Lydia is all about her own emotions and doing what's right, but she's also a teenager, which means she can take it to an even more dramatic level.