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 : Overcoming the Monster
Anticipation Stage and "Call"
Dracula Moves to England from Transylvania
Jonathan Harker gradually realizes that the Transylvanian count he's helping to purchase a house in England is actually a vampire... and intends to feed on the English populace. Harker wants to stop him, but succeeds only in escaping alive from Castle Dracula.
Dream Stage
Mina and Lucy Hang Out in Whitby
This isn't much of a dream stage. Mina is worried about Jonathan's long absence and the lack of letters. Lucy is giddy with excitement about her engagement to Arthur. Mina becomes increasingly worried about Lucy's habit of sleepwalking, which seems to be getting worse.
Lucy seems to be getting weaker, and they don't know why. The men try to save her by giving her blood transfusions, but it doesn't work: She dies. Only Van Helsing realizes that Dracula is behind it.
Frustration Stage
Lucy Becomes a Vampire
After Lucy's funeral, Van Helsing explains to the other men what has happened: Dracula has turned Lucy into a vampire. The only way to stop her from preying on the children of England and to give her peace is to put a stake through her heart and to cut off her head. The men aren't happy about it, but they agree to the plan. They kill Lucy and want to destroy Dracula himself. But how to go about it?
Nightmare Stage
Dracula Attacks Mina
As the men work on tracking down the vampire, Dracula has slipped in under their noses to drink Mina's blood. If they don't kill Dracula quickly, Mina will turn into a vampire like Lucy. But when they all seem to have lost hope, they figure out where Dracula is headed, and race to cut him off…
The Thrilling Escape from Death, and Death of the Monster
The Chase Scene Through Transylvania and the Death of Dracula
Mina and the men track Dracula back to Transylvania and finally catch up with him almost at the front door of Castle Dracula. They kill him, and Mina is saved.