Student Question
In Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, why did Jerry end his life in a strange way?
Quick answer:
In "The Zoo Story," Jerry's strange end reflects the play's blend of realism and absurdity. Albee highlights the absurdity of human existence, suggesting that rational explanations for Jerry's behavior are unnecessary. Jerry's death serves as a triumph over Peter, as it manipulates Peter into fulfilling Jerry's desires, reinforcing the play's commentary on the inconsequential and absurd aspects of life.
The Zoo Story is a mixture of both realistic and absurd elements. Albee maintains that he met many prototypes for Peter and Jerry while working for Western Union delivering telegrams to rooming houses. Yet, as the play progresses, the prevailing tone steers decisively towards the absurd and the dialogues between the two characters take an increasingly inconsequential direction. Thus, in a play of this type, we shouldn't try to find rational and logic explanations for the characters' behavior. The underlying message of the play is to comment on the absurdity of human existence. In this absurd context, death becomes a way for Jerry to triumph over Peter as he successfully leads him to do what he wants.
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