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
Just so's you know, we're ignoring the (awesome) subplots of this novel and focusing on the tragedy of Coalhouse. We're considering his plot to be the main plot, because it's a total character arc and a super-good story.
At the beginning Coalhouse is an accomplished pianist with a motorcar and lifestyle that is unlike the majority of fellow African-Americans at the time. Life is good. But remember, this is the beginning of a tragedy. It's not going to stay that way.
Dream Stage
But things progress in an aww-inspiring manner for at least a little while: Coalhouse attempts to court Sarah, the mother of his child, and she agrees to marry him. This all seems so sweet, like the best happily-ever-after fodder.
Frustration Stage
On the way home from visiting Sarah, Coalhouse's car is vandalized by a volunteer Fire House. It's super disgusting: they poop in the backseat of his shiny new automobile. Coalhouse goes to the police and asks them what he can do, but they just say "Oops, oh well. You're a black guy, so just clean off the seat and drive away." Coalhouse is not amused.
As the action of the story heats up, Sarah is killed and Coalhouse seeks revenge by bombing firehouses and killing police and firemen. An overreaction? Depends on who you're asking. Coalhouse just lost the love of his life, and he's also sick and tired of being treated like a second-class citizen because of the color of his skin.
Destruction Stage
After seizing J.P. Morgan's library, Coalhouse negotiates with Booker T. Washington, among others. Initially, he asks for both his car back (in mint condition, of course: no poop in sight) and for them to hand over Fire Chief Conklin. They talk him down.
Coalhouse says, fine. They can keep their Fire Chief (he's gross, anyhow) but he still wants his car. Coalhouse gets his car back but is killed when he emerges from the library. It's totally set up: the cops say he was running, but we know better: Coalhouse doesn't run from anyone or anything.
The itty-bitty, teeny-weeny silver lining in this gigantic hurricane of a cloud is that Coalhouse was sick of living anyway. After Sarah died, life meant nothing to him.