Commentary on The Zoo story Essay

Edward Albees The Zoo Story is a great American play, which takes place in a secluded corner within Central Park. The two characters converse on a bench, while one young man illustrates his fight against society and his figurative idea that the world we live in is a zoo. Albee uses the witty conversation and stage directions to show that everyone is affected by the emotions and thoughts of others. Jerry approaches a stranger, Peter, and converses about personal experience and information. Peter listens to all of Jerrys stories, which lead up the surprising ending. One would argue though that there are many significant clues that predict and build up to Jerrys death in the end of the play, therefore this ending should not be a surprise at all.

Sitting on his favourite bench in Central Park we are introduced to, Peter, a middle-aged man reading a book by himself. Jerry enters the scene with a startling announcement that I HAVE BEEN TO THE ZOO(Albee 1190) which interrupts Peter from his reading. Peter is unsure of what to make of the situation, but soon finds he is sharing personal information with this stranger. Jerrys willingness to share his stories with Peter and his ability to persuade information out of Peter can be considered that he his taking his last chance to tell someone everything about himself and his view on the world before he passes. Peter goes into details of his sexuality, where he lives, his and his parents relationship and other very personal facts. Surprisingly Peter then finds himself too opening up to a stranger, releasing personal information and feelings he would not usually share with someone.

Through the conversations between the two characters it is evident that Jerrys death is a predictable action that can be anticipated during the entire play. For instant at the beginning of the play Jerry says Youll read about it in the papers tomorrow, if you dont see it on your TV(1191), which could be an early reference to the forthcoming of Jerrys death at the end of the play. Peter then refers back to what Jerry said about the zoo, What were you saying about the zoothat Id read about it, or see?(1192). Jerry quickly brushes this aside saying, Ill tell you about it soon.(1192). Once you read the ending of the play you see that Jerry once again refers to the TV and about the face Peter will see on it. The death of a man within Central Park is something that is going to appear on the news, and this is Jerrys foreshadowing to his death.

Jerrys death is also evident through stage directions you can see that Jerry is restless and cannot stay still throughout his entire conversation with Peter. For instance Jerry even comments that about his need to keep moving Ill start walking around in a little while and eventually I will sit down Jerrys emotions take a roller coaster pattern throughout his entire conversation with Peter. At one point Jerry observes Peter who he thinks is (...anxious to dismiss him)(1190), which could also be a lead up to Peter stabbing Jerry, he was anxious to dismiss Jerrys life. Jerry was unstable throughout the entire play, the stage directions show the emotional roller coaster he experiences. One minute he is happy and the next he is furious and is battling for possession for a bench he did not originally occupy.

In conclusion it is evident through the support of quotes and stage directions that Jerrys death was something that could have been foreseen and is not an unpredictable ending. From the moment Jerry joined Peter in the secluded corner of Central Park, he began a short-lived relationship with a stranger that lead to the transformation of Peters outlook on life and the lost of a life. Jerry was at a point in his life where he realized his duty was to help inform someone about the ferocious zoo we live in.