I love the quippy jokes, the true-to-life characters, and the cozy atmosphere of the town of Stars Hollow. Better yet, I really enjoy the lack of drama on a show that is supposedly in the “drama” category. The episodes don’t break on super dramatic scenes, begging you to keep watching as the drama resolves itself. It’s a wonderful show to watch when you just want to zone out and decompress for a while.
In fact, considering the primary theme of family relationships, Gilmore Girlsis surprisingly lighthearted compared to some other programs (I’m looking at you, Parenthoodand This Is Us). Yet, the characters are realistic (for the most part), and the storylines are well-developed. And that brings me to today’s topic: What are the personality types of the primary characters on Gilmore Girls?
Now, I am not an expert on MBTI or the Enneagram, but I have done quite a bit of research on the topic because personality types are a bit of a pet project of mine. With that disclaimer, let’s head straight to it!
Lorelai Gilmore
MBTI: ENFP
Enneagram: 7w8
Lorelai is the quintessential ENFP/Type 7 personality. She is fun and quirky, introspective yet outgoing. She leads with Ne (extraverted intuition), always looking for new possibilities and avenues to explore. She also has strong Fi (introverted feeling), as evidenced by the way she considers her own feelings over those of her parents – at least until they hash things out on occasion.
She’s an extraverted thinker (Te), always musing aloud, bouncing her ideas off whoever will listen. Finally, she has inferior Si (introverted sensing), which means she’s pretty good with details but has some trouble focusing.
Enneagram 7w8s tend to look on the bright side of life, ignoring the more difficult aspects of any situation. When confronted with a problem, they tend to ignore it completely. If that’s not possible, they lash out because the stress overwhelms them.
They have a knack for spreading happiness wherever they go and having a large group of friends, though they’re quite quirky and sometimes considered a bit odd. A 7w8 will be especially resilient and may quickly shift into “get it done” mode, becoming even more tenacious when necessary.
Rory Gilmore
MBTI: ISFJ
Enneagram: 1w9
Rory is a bit more difficult to type, mostly because she’s an introvert and she tends to take on the personality of whoever she’s around.
When she’s with Lorelai, she’s silly and quirky like her mother. When with Jess, she can be a bit broody and romantic. When she lives with her grandparents, she’s obviously thrown into her stressed personality, which is almost rebellious.
An ISFJ leads with Si (introverted sensing), which makes them excellent organizers, note takers, and students. Her secondary function is Fe (extraverted feeling), which explains why she’s so out-of-touch with her own emotions that she decides to steal a freaking yachtbecause she can’t handle the overwhelming feeling of rejection. You might also notice that she tends to be far too invested in her friends’ lives, much to her own dismay. Paris especially relies on Rory more than she should, but Lane, Dean, and even Jess are all quick to use her for emotional support when needed.
As a 1w9, Rory focuses on doing the “right” thing in any given situation, and she’s very slow to show anger, even when it’s warranted. When she is angry enough to lash out, she tends to be passive-aggressive rather than forthcoming, even running away on occasion.
1w9 types tend to feel pulled between what they feel obligated to do (“should” do) and what they actually wantto do, which causes them to act out in huge ways when the strain of holding it together becomes too much.
Emily Gilmore
MBTI: ESFJ
Enneagram: 2w3
Emily is an ESFJ and 2w3. She leads with Fe (extraverted feeling), which explains why she is so outwardly focused and seen as “meddling” or manipulating other people’s lives. She truly is acting out of love and concern because she feels like she knows what is best in any given situation. Unfortunately, she has low Ne (extraverted intuition) and almost no Ni (introverted intuition), so her gut feelings are often wrong.
She’s also a 2w3, the type most likely to worry about other people and their success in the world. 2w3s are very concerned with image and helping people reach their “fullest potential” – whatever that may be to the 2w3.
Twos are very loving, affectionate, giving people – as long as people meet their needs in relationships. Unfortunately, Emily consistently feels unappreciated by Lorelai (and vice versa), which causes their strained relationship.
Richard Gilmore
MBTI: ISTJ
Enneagram: 1w9
Richard is an introvert, though it’s sometimes hard to tell because of his career and business-minded personality.
Still, it’s fairly obvious. When home, he retreats to his office to avoid company, even if the company is just family. At Rory’s birthday party, he retreats to the porch, alone, instead of sitting with the other party members indoors.
As an ISTJ, Richard primarily focuses on order and conforming to rules, no matter what the consequences. He doesn’t understand why Lorelai didn’t get married when she found out she was pregnant because to him there is “a proper procedure” for these things, and she failed to follow it.
Though you could argue that Richard is a 1w2 on the Enneagram, he isn’t nearly as concerned with family affairs as Emily. In fact, this seems to be the primary source of argument between the two. Emily wants input in every aspect of her daughter and granddaughter’s lives. Richard is reluctant to even form a relationship with Rory at first (until Emily gives him a not-so-gentle nudge). He also doesn’t seem as preoccupied with the family’s position in society, refusing to participate in events that he deems pointless or silly.
Rory and Richard get along really well throughout the series (for the most part), thanks to their many shared characteristics. As an ISTJ, Richard also leads with Si (introverted sensing), which values orderliness and following rules. The primary difference is their secondary function: While Rory uses Fe (extraverted feeling), Richard uses Te (extraverted thinking). Instead of making decisions based on the needs of others, Richard makes decisions based on what follows most logically in any given situation.
The two are both 1w9s on the Enneagram, so they share many traits in common there, too.
Luke Danes
MBTI: ISTJ
Enneagram: 6w5
Luke is also an ISTJ, but he and Richard have very different family backgrounds, which explains their many differences.
Luke has a strong sense of familial commitment, just like Richard. However, he faced a difficult situation when his dad died and left him the family store. Because he wasn’t ambitious, he did what came most naturally to him: keep his father’s memory alive by taking over the family business. It’s the same sense of duty that makes Richard act so protective of his own family, but it manifests in very different ways.
While Richard is a 1w9 on the Enneagram, Luke is a 6w5. 6w5s tend to be more anxious and stressed than 1s. They are also less level-headed and can be a bit more volatile with emotions (hence Luke’s random outbursts of anger, which don’t seem to fit his otherwise controlled personality).
Luke is arguably the hardest character to type on this show, but it’s because he’s fairly unique. While ISTJs are common among men, the 6w5/ISTJ combination is a bit more rare.
Let me know what you think!
Do you agree with my typings, or do you think I’m way off base? Either way, let me know! As long as comments are civil, I love to hear other viewpoints. I’d also like to know which characters you’d like to see next.
Gilmore Girls is my favorite show, and I think your typings are spot-on! I’d love to see another list with some of the other characters, like Sookie, Jackson, and Rory’s boyfriends. And Kirk? Ha!
Aw, yay! I’m glad you think they’re accurate. I’ll try to do another one soon. The secondary characters {Kirk!} are some of my favorites!