Yet more contract au
Charles and Delia are both threatening to Beetlejuice in different ways. Beetlejuice eventually learns that Charles isn’t too much of a threat as long as he leaves him alone, even though not bothering the guy he doesn’t like goes against his nature. Charles doesn’t want Beetlejuice to be there, and he doesn’t want him to be a threat. Most of his orders are just things like ‘go away’ or ‘be quiet’ or ‘stay out of this room’ or ‘don’t touch that’. Charles mostly just wants Beetlejuice out of sight and out of mind.
Delia is the one who spent the whole musical trying to get Lydia to be normal. On Charles’ behest, yes, but she’s not nearly as avoidant of problems as he is.
Delia gives orders like ‘say please and thank you!’ and ‘turn that frown upside down— no, not like that, smile.’ and ‘go clean that suit of yours’ and ‘chew with your mouth closed’. Little expectations of normality that would be minor annoyances if he weren’t forced to comply with them. Charles poses the biggest threat to his freedoms, but Delia poses the biggest threat to his identity.