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 : The Quest
The Call
The Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and the Americans are officially drawn into World War II. The Marines need men to join up. Will Chester answer the call? Of course he will. He's our man. Chester's recruitment by the Marines represents the first stage in the "The Quest" plot, because our hero receives a call, and he answers it.
The Journey
Chester hops on a military ship, and is sent off to the Pacific. There, he and his buddies put the Navajo code to good use in a series of battles against the Japanese on the islands of Guadalcanal, Bougainville, and Guam.
This trip to the Pacific islands—and the battles that follow—represent the "Journey" section of the "The Quest" plot. Our hero makes his way to a hostile terrain where his courage is tested.
Arrival and Frustration
Chester and his buddies are doing great in the Pacific. They're dodging bullets and passing messages around like pros. Chester thinks he's way overdue for some R&R (Rest and Relaxation). He's been working really hard, after all.
But no. The Americans still haven't won the battle against the Japanese, and he's shipped off to another island: Peleliu. This represents the "Arrival and Frustration" stage because, even though Chester's been working his butt off, he still can't get a break, let alone go home.
The Final Ordeals
Peleliu is the big battle of the Pacific. It's the toughest battle, and the one that requires the greatest courage and endurance. The Japanese are well fortified on the island, they outnumber the Americans, and the terrain is really difficult.
Can Chester live up to the challenge? Not only does he live up to the challenge, he lives through it. He makes it out a-okay. The battle for Peleliu is the final and most difficult ordeal that Chester has to survive in the Pacific, and for this reason it can be considered "The Final Ordeal."
The Goal
Finally! Chester gets his discharge. After that horrible battle on Peleliu, he seriously needs a break. And this is a big break: he gets to go home, for good. A few months after his return, the Americans defeat the Japanese, and the war comes to an end. Hurrah!
Chester settles down to start his own family. Chester's return to America represents him accomplishing "The Goal" because he's survived the war. He's done his duty defending his country and he's made it through alive. Now he can just chill a little bit.