Christopher Booker is a scholar who wrote that every story falls into one of seven basic plot structures: Overcoming the Monster, Rags to Riches, the Quest, Voyage and Return, Comedy, Tragedy, and Rebirth. Shmoop explores which of these structures fits this story like Cinderella’s slipper.
Plot Type : Tragedy
Anticipation Stage
Newland Archer has just gotten engaged to May Welland when her scandal-plagued cousin, Madame Ellen Olenska, arrives in town. Newland looks forward to his marriage to May; he seems to have everything he ever wanted in life. But Madame Olenska forces him to question whether he really is happy with life as it is. Is he happy? Nope, not so much.
Dream Stage
Newland Archer and Madame Olenska gradually fall in love, even though they see each other only every so often. They're both attracted to how different the other person is. To Newland, Madame Olenska represents the cosmopolitan world outside New York, and for Madame Olenska, Newland represents everything that's decent and good about American society. Also, they think each other have pretty faces and banging bodies.
Frustration Stage
Although at first they have accepted that they can’t be together, they eventually become more convinced that they cannot live without each other. Secret cousin love: can’t live with it, can’t live without it. At first Newland and Ellen are okay with remaining friends because they know that if they did lock lips, they'd hurt everyone around them. But as time goes on, they can’t deny their white-hot passion for each other.
Nightmare Stage
New York society supports May Welland and eventually manages to prevent Newland and Ellen from running off together. There are a couple of times when Newland and Ellen almost succeed in running away together. The first time, they’re stopped by May's telegram announcing that her family has agreed to move the wedding date up. The second time, they’re stopped by May's announcement that she is pregnant. Newland can't help but feel that all of New York society is conspiring to keep him apart from Ellen, because, you know, they are.
Destruction or Death Wish Stage
When May announces she is pregnant, Newland and Ellen know that there is no hope and go their separate ways. May's pregnancy is a kind of death for Newland: he loses the passionate, artistic, and unconventional Newland and he settles into being the good daddy and upright citizen Newland. De-pressing.