Christopher Booker argues in his book "The Seven Basic Plots – Why we tell stories" that “there is a number of plots which are fundamental to the way we tell stories” (Booker 6) and that every single storyline is constructed of one of the seven predetermined plot developments. Booker characterizes each of the possible plots roughly and then states that there cannot be any story that differs from one of these patterns.
The author then goes even further. He states that every plot actually runs through the same five stages, which he calls “meta-plot” (Booker 157).
In other words C. Booker demonstrates how to analyze the plot of a story by classifying it into the category it fits in and then subdividing its different stages.
But does his concept really work for any story? Is it possible to categorize a book into one of Booker´s seven plots and to subdivide its plot into the five stages of Booker´s meta-plot afterwards?
In order to question whether his theory works for different stories this work deals with the analysis of the novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde according to C. Booker´s scheme of the Seven Basic Plots.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Seven Basic Plots
2.1 Overview
2.2 The Picture of Dorian Gray as a Tragedy
3. The meta-plot
3.1 Overview
3.2 The Meta-Plot in The Picture of Dorian Gray
3.3 Evaluation of the analysis
4. Structuralism in The Seven Basic Plots
4.1 Critics
5. Conclusions
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this work is to critically examine whether Christopher Booker’s structural theory of "The Seven Basic Plots" and his associated "meta-plot" can be applied to analyze the narrative structure of Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. By systematically comparing the novel's plot developments against Booker’s defined stages, the paper evaluates the validity and limitations of structuralist approaches in literary analysis.
- Application of Booker’s Seven Basic Plots to The Picture of Dorian Gray.
- Systematic analysis of the five stages of the "meta-plot" within the novel.
- Classification of Dorian Gray’s narrative arc as a tragedy.
- Critical discussion of structuralist reductionism in literary studies.
- Evaluation of the tension between narrative structure and artistic uniqueness.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2 The Meta-Plot in The Picture of Dorian Gray
In the following passage it will be analyzed whether the “Meta-Plot” with its five stages can be found in The Picture of Dorian Gray, therefore the stages will be regarded systematically. According to C. Booker, the first stage of a tragedy is the “Anticipation Stage”. He describes the characteristic feature of this stage with the words: “The hero is in some way incomplete or unfulfilled and his thoughts are turned towards the future in hope of some unusual gratification. Some object of desire or course of action presents itself, and his energies have found a focus.” (Booker 156) Comparing this first pattern to the beginning of The Picture of Dorian Gray many parallels can be found. For instance we have Dorian Gray as the hero who is totally young, beautiful and innocent – just until the moment Lord Henry enters. Lord Henry is the one to influence the young Dorian with two thoughts. First he claims that Dorian´s quality of life is totally depending on the transient nature of beauty and youth. Hence, he makes Dorian think that remaining young and beautiful is of great relevance for living a joyful life. Secondly Lord Henry seduces Dorian by creating a wonderful image of the hedonistic lifestyle in Dorian´s mind. Henry truly upsets Dorian with his speech about this life of total physical self-indulgence. This speech can be marked as the moment when Dorian Gray recognizes his alleged incompleteness for the first time. It is the moment of allurement; of seduction towards “some unusual gratification”, how Booker puts it. The function of the “object of desire” in this plot fulfils the life-changing idea of the hedonistic lifestyle which is presented to the young Dorian by Lord Henry (Wilde Chapter 1-2). Consequently the first stage of Booker´s Meta-Plot perfectly agrees with the first two chapters of The Picture of Dorian Gray. But what about the other stages?
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the theoretical premise of Christopher Booker’s "The Seven Basic Plots" and sets the research goal of testing this framework on Oscar Wilde's novel.
2. The Seven Basic Plots: This section provides an overview of Booker's seven plot types and argues that "Tragedy" is the most fitting classification for the narrative arc of The Picture of Dorian Gray.
3. The meta-plot: This chapter breaks down the novel’s progression into the five stages of Booker’s "meta-plot" and evaluates the accuracy of this systematic application to the text.
4. Structuralism in The Seven Basic Plots: This section explores the structuralist theoretical underpinnings of Booker’s work and raises critical questions regarding the reduction of literature to fixed patterns.
5. Conclusions: The final chapter summarizes the findings, acknowledging the innovative nature of Booker’s work while ultimately asserting the importance of uniqueness and unpredictability in literature.
Keywords
Structuralism, The Seven Basic Plots, Meta-plot, Tragedy, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Christopher Booker, Literary Theory, Narrative Analysis, Plot Structure, Hedonism, Character Development, Symbolic Analysis, Reductionism, Artistic Uniqueness.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on evaluating the applicability of Christopher Booker's structuralist theory of "The Seven Basic Plots" when applied to the literary narrative of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.
What are the central thematic areas discussed?
The central themes include narrative structure, the classification of tragic plots, the influence of hedonistic philosophy on character development, and the debate between structuralist generalization and individual artistic uniqueness.
What is the primary research question?
The research asks if Booker’s concept of seven basic plot types and a universal "meta-plot" can effectively explain the narrative progression of The Picture of Dorian Gray without oversimplifying the novel.
Which scientific methods are employed in this analysis?
The work employs a comparative literary analysis method, systematically mapping the chronological events of the novel against the specific requirements and stages of Booker’s "meta-plot" theory.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body covers the definition of the Seven Basic Plots, the classification of Dorian Gray as a tragedy, a step-by-step application of the five stages of the meta-plot, and a critical evaluation of structuralism in literary studies.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The study is characterized by keywords such as structuralism, narrative analysis, tragedy, plot structure, and literary reductionism.
Does the author believe the "meta-plot" fits The Picture of Dorian Gray?
The author observes that the "meta-plot" fits the novel surprisingly well, noting that the stages of anticipation, dream, frustration, nightmare, and destruction align with the trajectory of Dorian Gray's life.
What is the author's critical stance on structuralist analysis?
While the author acknowledges the analytical power of structuralist models, they remain critical, arguing that reducing complex literature to rigid patterns risks destroying the "special magic" and unique character of a story.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2015, Oscar Wilde's "The Picture of Dorian Gray". An analysis with Christopher Booker's "Seven Basic Plots", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/336327
