Edward Albee's The Zoo Story Analysis

Flashcards reviewing key concepts, character analysis, symbolism, plot structure, and themes from Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story.

Who wrote the play The Zoo Story?

Edward Albee

Who are the two characters in Edward Albee's play The Zoo Story?

Jerry and Peter

What key line from The Zoo Story carries both a literal and a metaphorical meaning?

Sometimes a person has to go a very long distance out of his way to come back a short distance correctly.

Where does Jerry live according to the text of the play?

In a rooming house on the Upper West Side between Columbus Ave and Central Park West in New York City.

Where does Peter live according to the lecture notes?

On 74th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenue.

What is the literal meaning of Jerry going a very long distance out of his way before meeting Peter?

Jerry walked all the way to the South End of Manhattan Island and then walked northerly to Central Park, rather than walking directly from his apartment on the Upper West Side.

What is the metaphorical meaning of the line regarding going a very long distance to come back a short distance correctly?

An individual must go through all the experiences of their life (such as thirty something years for Jerry) to eventually arrive at an epiphany or idea to have a specific encounter.

Why is The Zoo Story not meant to be viewed as a realistic interaction between two people?

Peter tolerates mental, physical, and emotional abuse from Jerry without walking away, which serves Albee's purpose of exploring specific underlying messages rather than depicting realistic human behavior.

What does the lecture explain about Jerry's reliability as a protagonist?

A protagonist can lie, so it is uncertain if Jerry ever went on his walk or if the stories he tells are real or made up.

How are zoo animals characterized in the lecture's analysis?

They are trapped in cages or bars, void of free will, and robbed of basic animal instincts such as fight or flight, reproducing, and eating whenever they want.

How does Jerry's walk through New York City compare to visiting a zoo?

He sees people walking around with their heads down focused only on their tasks and jobs, living within metaphorical bars created by society.

What primary message is Edward Albee trying to convey through the play?

To grab people by the shoulders, wake them up from complacency, and urge them to live life for joy and happiness rather than simply following societal expectations.

How is the plot structure of The Zoo Story described in the lecture?

It is nonlinear due to Jerry's past stories, but follows a overall climactic or intensive plot structure with considerable exposition, conflict, and a rapid buildup of rising action.

What does the prop of the knife represent in connection to Jerry?

A knife is multipurpose and unpredictable in how it will be used, summarizing Jerry's uncontrollable nature as a character.

What does the prop of the book represent in connection to Peter?

A book has only one purpose (to be read) and does not change, representing Peter's unyielding path of complacency.

How do the animal pet stereotypes of a dog and a cat contrast Jerry and Peter?

A dog (Jerry) is impulsive, uncontrollable, and gets to go outside, while a cat (Peter) represents complacency, routine, and indoor confinement.

What is the significance of Peter owning parakeets?

Parakeets are kept in cages, mirroring the caged animals in zoos and humans trapped by social constructs.

How does Jerry ultimately break Peter out of his complacency at the end of the play?

Jerry forces Peter to hold a knife and then runs into the knife, stabbing himself.

Why can Peter never return to his bench or his previous state of complacency after the stabbing?

He will constantly wonder if Jerry is alive or if the police or Jerry's friends are looking for him, forcing him to forever live in the moment.

Why does Jerry refer to Peter as a vegetable early in the play, but later calls him an animal?

Peter begins as a complacent vegetable rotting on a vine, but becomes an animal driven by fight or flight and living in the moment after the stabbing incident.

What 1950s post-World War II concept does Edward Albee critique in the play?

The American Dream, which defined success through graduating high school and college, securing a well-paying job, heterosexual marriage, homeownership, having children, and peaceful retirement.

Why does Albee consider the American Dream to be a fallacy?

It is not applicable to all people, and individuals can find purpose, success, and joy outside of traditional societal expectations.

In what period was The Zoo Story originally conceived and written?

It was first being thought about during the late 1950s and created going into the 1960s.