MBTI types of the characters

[tyger]

Good to hear, Lessa (I think ).

I have a good friend who is INFP and loves the show.  She just happens to have a daughter who is the same age as Rory, so she really identifies.  She thinks Lorelai is similar except when Lorelai takes such pleasure in some seemingly boring things like the museum of the history of the town and the like.

[ella]

Now that we are kind of settling on which types the characters are, let's see if we can take the next step and apply the findings.

It appears that Luke and Lorelai are an ENFP-ISTJ couple. Since they don't share a single letter, being opposite in every single category, does this bode well for their relationship? Here's one analysis of ENFP with ISTJ:

In problem solving, ISTJ will want a clear idea of the problem (I) and attack it by looking for the facts (S) and by relying on a logical, impersonal (T), step-by-step approach in reaching conclusions. In contrast, ENFP will throw out all sorts of possibilities (N), seeking feedback from the environment to clarify the problem (E). Brainstorming (NP) will be enjoyed. The human aspects of the problem (F) are likely to be emphasized over impersonal, technical issues (T). To the ISTJ, the ENFP approach is likely to seem irrational or scattered. To the ENFP, the ISTJ approach is likely to seem slow and unimaginative.

(From http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/papers/prbsmbti.html)

I like this thread.  My brother and I both got into character types a while ago and every so often we have these indepth discussions on people and their personalities...or ourselves and our personalities! (he's an INTJ and I'm an INFP so we get annoyed with each other's viewpoints sometimes, but on the other hand we both enjoy discussing things in detail.)

That very-different-character types thing between Luke and Lorelai is one of the reasons I've never thought their relationship was as ideal as most people make it out to be.  Not the worst relationship possible, but it reminds me of the way people view random numbers.  If you ask most people to write a list of random numbers, they will make sure that the same number never repeats twice and there aren't any numerical patterns.  Whereas in a truly random list of numbers, you will find patterns and repeats of numbers.  In other words I think that people see it as realistic that Luke is so completely and utterly different from Lorelai, whereas in real life most couples are somewhat more similar to each other.

A couple with totally oppsite personailties might not be a bad thing, though.  I don't think it usually happens, but I think it can work if they have common interests and goals and a shared background.  My mom is an ESFJ and my dad is an INTP--and honestly, had they not had a similar upbringing and cultural background, I doubt they would have gotten together.  The opposite personalities make for quite a few minor clashes--but their shared values and views of the world keep them together.

I'm not sure how much of that Luke and Lorelai have, though.  Other than Stars Hollow I really don't know what they have in common.  I guess on TV, though, those kind of relationships can work.

I agree, that those too could be the actions of an INFJ, though also SJs are very good in this kind of crisis too because of their innate desire to be providers.

Yes, the fights with Christopher could be NF behavior because NFs tend to be quite zealous. Many missionaries have probably been NFs.

I would think that, nerdy as she is, April is probably an NT (as am I by the way) Rational, the scientist type. I'm not quite sure what her other two letters would be yet.

I suppose the writers would have us feel that Luke is different now because he has finally solved his crises over April -- has overcome his stress, but the idea that April has made him a more well-rounded person is definitely an interesting one.

I agree with you about ESFPs -- very fun people. For example, it's practically impossible to have a good party without one. xSFP types are also very generous and Christopher has also demonstrated this. In real life I suspect that most actors are ESFPs, including on this show. I would not be bothered at all by a Lorelai-Christopher outcome as it seems to me they had a good foundation and his leaving was rather too abrupt for me to buy. But I guess a TV show thrives on conflict and problems in order to give the characters an emotional workout so ESFP characters tend to come in to trigger it. *Sigh* once again it's the story of the Ant and the Grasshopper, isn't it? When is a show going to give us the Grasshopper's point of view? (Well probably some do but I'm just not thinking of them right now.)

Thanks so much for joining the conversation with this interesting post!

P.S. After watching Tuesday's show, seems like Mia is likely to be an NF type, like Lorelai, which might help explain why the two got along so well, and another reason why she's not so popular with Emily.

I'm still not sure that Luke is that intuitive.  I do think he has a feeling-ish, compassionate side, though.  He might be kind of borderline there.

April is totally an NT type.  I think she might be an extrovert as well, or headed in that direction as an adult once she outgrows the early teenage phase of feeling different from her peers because of her intellectual interests.  I actually think her personality fits better with Luke's than Lorelai's.  She's just as blunt and factual as he can be, but she seems to be quicker on her feet and more likely to blurt outright what he might only be thinking internally.

And Christopher is definitely an ESFP.  I think he was good for Lorelai not just because of their similar personalities, but because of their shared background.  But I actually think they were too similar to make it work in any of the previous seasons.  I could see them as being totally happy for a while and just having fun together, but when it came to crisis situations, not being able to support each other. (More on that in the next paragraph.) This season, though, I think they had it right.  Because often as people mature, they start to develop different functions of their personalities.  Like Christopher...when he first came into town in Season 1 he seemed pretty impulsive and reckless and irrational, but in Season 7 I think that had changed to the point where he did sometimes make impulsive/emotional decisions, but he was also able to think things through and try to make wise choices.  In other words I think he'd matured enough to balance Lorelai out. 

I didn't want their relationship to end, but beyond that, there seemed to be something wrong about how it ended that seemed to sort of rewrite their relationship or their history to me.  Christopher's absence at the hospital I think was supposed to show sort of typical ESFP behaviour, in that he likes to have fun but when it comes to a crisis, he's not much support.  And then throughout the next episode it was mentioned several times that Christopher avoids conflict, he wasn't there to support Lorelai.  I think in the end that was supposed to show not that Christopher's a bad guy, but that Lorelai and Christopher's relationship was rooted in fun and teenage affection and that marriage is about being there for each other in better or for worse, a foundation they didn't have.  A problem which I could have seen in the earlier seasons, but as I said I thought they were more mature than that about their relationship in the earlier part of Season 7.  And if I did imagine their relationship ending, I'd imagine it going down with a few passionate emotional fights and then a painful recognition that they were much better off as good friends, leaving the partners-for-life side out of it.  Because they're both such emotional people and so similar in personality.  But I think it was kind of odd that they both had this sort of sudden rational, mutual decision to end their relationship.  As though they rationally decided that their relationship was too much based on teenage emotion to survive.  If they could be rational about ending their relationship I'm not sure why they couldn't be calm and rational enough to sustain their relationship.  Oh well.  That's probably an unpopular opinion.

[tyger]

I'm not sure how much of that Luke and Lorelai have, though.  Other than Stars Hollow I really don't know what they have in common.  I guess on TV, though, those kind of relationships can work.

Thanks for your comments, with which I agree.  I think at the very least Lorelai will want to do a lot more traveling that Luke will want to do.  Doubtful she will be happy only with short trips on Luke's new boat.

[tyger]

April is totally an NT type.  I think she might be an extrovert as well, or headed in that direction as an adult once she outgrows the early teenage phase of feeling different from her peers because of her intellectual interests.  I actually think her personality fits better with Luke's than Lorelai's.  She's just as blunt and factual as he can be, but she seems to be quicker on her feet and more likely to blurt outright what he might only be thinking internally.

Yes, she has the bluntness of an NT who hasn't learned just how all the (sometimes annoying) niceties of society work yet.  She is able to get a good handle on Luke's thoughts by use of her N (intuition).  In some ways, come to think of it, she is probably a good bridge between Lorelai and Luke, i.e. can get along well with both of them, sharing the T with Luke and the N with Lorelai.

[tyger]

I didn't want their relationship to end, but beyond that, there seemed to be something wrong about how it ended that seemed to sort of rewrite their relationship or their history to me.  Christopher's absence at the hospital I think was supposed to show sort of typical ESFP behaviour, in that he likes to have fun but when it comes to a crisis, he's not much support.  And then throughout the next episode it was mentioned several times that Christopher avoids conflict, he wasn't there to support Lorelai.  I think in the end that was supposed to show not that Christopher's a bad guy,

I think another thing it was supposed to show was the contrast between a marriage that's working (Richard-Emily) and one that isn't (Chris-Lorelai).

but that Lorelai and Christopher's relationship was rooted in fun and teenage affection and that marriage is about being there for each other in better or for worse, a foundation they didn't have.  A problem which I could have seen in the earlier seasons, but as I said I thought they were more mature than that about their relationship in the earlier part of Season 7.  And if I did imagine their relationship ending, I'd imagine it going down with a few passionate emotional fights and then a painful recognition that they were much better off as good friends, leaving the partners-for-life side out of it.  Because they're both such emotional people and so similar in personality.  But I think it was kind of odd that they both had this sort of sudden rational, mutual decision to end their relationship.  As though they rationally decided that their relationship was too much based on teenage emotion to survive.  If they could be rational about ending their relationship I'm not sure why they couldn't be calm and rational enough to sustain their relationship.  Oh well.  That's probably an unpopular opinion.

You raise good points.  I think it's easy for things to fall apart for two E types though as both can be looking outward.  Neither one is truly the type to hold things together against all odds.  I find your ending more appropriate for these characters too.

[tyger]

I thought Luke was very ISTJ in last night's show as he and Lorelai went car shopping.  He wanted to approach things logically and practically and was very out of step with Lorelai's intuitive-feeling approach.

Paris seemed rather ENTJ to me, analytical and in charge.

[Laurao]

I scored INFP, I read the description and it really describes me! It's weird I was reading more up on them and it got even weirder.....

[tyger]

That's cool, Laurao.  So which character do you identify with most?

[Laurao]

Yeah.....according to "mommy716" I identify most with Logan...I don't see myself like him at all though, I'll have to think about it. I see myself a liitle like Lorelai...except more introverted. What about you?

[lorelover09]

according to that test thingy i am most like the wonderis LORELAI GILMORE! :Dyayness go me!

[tyger]

LOL, good for you!

And whom did you think is better for Lorelai:  Luke or Chris or ..?

[tyger]

Wow, just saw A Year in the Life and started thinking about this site again. So cool to discover it still exists and this thread is still here! Thanks so much, gilmoregirls.org for a lovely trip down Memory Lane!