In Our Town, Wilder sets himself apart from Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, William Inge, and other playwrights of the American theater of his time by his innovations. He uses the typical three-act division as the basic structure of his play, but from this point on, he varies from tradition. He employs a structure which illuminates a theme of timelessness and which allows him to present a generalized view of small-town life in America.
He structures each act around a central idea. Act I is called "Daily Life " Interjecting himself as spokesman, the Stage Manager steps out on the stage and narrates simple facts about the town. Then, the milkman and paper boy make their rounds. The two families which are the focus of the drama get their children off to school. Later, two of the children return home from school. These short, pictorial scenes are dramatic moments intended to render a nostalgic picture of everyday activities. Between the scenes, the Stage Manager interprets for the audience. Wilder's technique is clearer in the second act where the stage manager explains what is happening in the wedding scene. In his words: "There are a lot of things to be said about a wedding; there are a lot of thoughts that go on during a wedding. . We can't get them all into one wedding, naturally, and especially not into a wedding at Grover's Corners " To increase his appeal, Wilder intimates that this is a universal wedding. He does so by choosing predictable aspects of any American wedding. In similar fashion throughout the play, Wilder presents the common and recurrent aspects of life.
