The Zoo Story post1

“There are…there are two parakeets. One…uh…one for each of my daughters.”
This statement in the play, “the Zoo Story” by Edward Albee introduces a specific animal motif that reoccurs throughout the story. Edward Albee uses several literary and rhetorical devices in this simple statement which highly contributes to the play as a whole.
Edward Albee utilizes a very important literary device in this sentence to emphasize the importance of this sentence. Albee uses symbolism to represent each of the daughters as parakeets. The fact that the narrator, Peter, hesitates to describe that one parakeet is for each of his daughters indicates Peter’s comparison of his daughters to parakeets. This theory can give the reader evidence to support that Peter is unhappy with his family life because he compares his children to such an unintelligent animal and does not speak with a fatherly tone to Jerry about his daughters. This lack of affection also foreshadows to the reader the possibility that there is as underlying story about Peter and his children. The use of symbolism and various other devices contributes to the significance of this line.
Another important trait of this sentence is the obvious introduction of an animal motif throughout the play. Edward Albee compares Peter’s daughters to parakeets and earlier in the conversation Peter considered himself a “guinea pig” because Jerry wanted to get to know someone. This reoccurring idea con hold evidence that Albee believes that human beings are like animals. The assimilation between animals and humans demonstrates how Edward Albee views the way human beings interact and react to one another. The statement can be considered included to bring an existentialist effect to the play because it repeats a reoccurring motif which has existentialist properties. The quote gives the reader an idea of Edward Albee’s opinion towards humans and existentialism.
Therefore, the statement in question has various literary and rhetorical devices which greatly contribute to the play as a whole. It introduces a reoccurring animal motif and displays symbolism which supports this motif. These characteristics reinforce the importance of this quote and how it provides for the play as a whole.