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
Eddie has come to see May after a long absence. He seems to want her back in a lovey dovey kind of way, but apparently she's a thousand times bitten and now (finally) shy—she doesn't trust him not to run out on her again.
They argue back and forth about their history and whether they have a future, and it's not at all clear that May and Eddie will end up living happily ever after. Since—oh yeah—May is going out on a date with someone else that night.
Dream Stage
Initially, Eddie is really angry to hear that May was going out with someone else, but then he convinces himself that May made the guy up to get back at him for doing her wrong in the past. He hangs out and decides he's going to meet this guy, if he exists. Also, he threatens physical violence.
Naturally, May doesn't think this sounds like a great plan.
Frustration Stage
While they're still arguing back and forth about whether Eddie will get a chance to meet May's date, they see headlights outside May's hotel room. It's not May's date, however—it's some lover of Eddie's (May thinks it's some countess who had canoodled with him in the past).
Whoever she is, she makes quite a splash by shooting the windshield out of Eddie's truck. Eddie needs to go back and watch some romantic comedies to learn how to woo a lady back—because having your mistress show up with a gun is just in bad taste.
Nightmare Stage
The Countess leaves, and Eddie and May get back to arguing. Then finally May's date, Martin, actually does show up. Instead of whisking May off to the movies, however, Martin ends up in a conversation with Eddie about Eddie and May's cringe-worthy love life.
It seems that they're not only former lovers—they're also half siblings. And it turns out that the old dude who has been at the side of the stage talking to them (in their minds, natch) is their father, a bigamist who had split his time between Eddie and May's mothers. Charming. Eddie and May make googly eyes at each other during the storytelling and end up making out.
Destruction or Death Wish Stage
While Eddie, May, and Martin are talking/being gross, the Countess comes back and ends up setting fire to Eddie's truck (apparently by shooting the gas tank). Eddie says he's going out to check on the damage and will be right back, but May is sure he's fled for good.
She packs a bag and leaves, ostensibly to follow him. And Martin just ends up standing there alone (well, the Old Man is still around, but the only characters who could hear him are gone).