Illusion and Reality inEdward Albee’s The Zoo Story
Received 28 March 2015； accepted 14 May 2015
Published online26 June 2015 Abstract
Edward Albee’s The Zoo Story is about the interaction between its two main characters Peter and Jerry dramatizing the former’s disillusionment in the hands of the latter； Jerry’s speech and action aim at shattering Peter’s obsession with material things， his easy justification for stability， and his reluctance to understand the alienation at the core of his life. Jerry’s success in changing Peter comes at the cost of his life； however， there are interesting techniques deployed by him in order to convert Peter from an incommunicative person to someone who finally understands the value of human connection. Concentration on the conflicts between the two characters， detecting the causes of their alienation， and finally analyzing the techniques that Jerry employs to convert Peter， are the main issues discussed in this study with the hope to enlighten the hidden corners and revealing the implied meanings of a play which is quite rich in its symbolic
suggestiveness.
Key words： Albee； Alienation； Communication； Illusion； Reality INTRODUCTION
Edward Albee’s ability to dramatically present states of illusion and truth is one of his many strong points through which he lays emphasis on what is destructive. He provides us with an idea which haunts most of his early works： The choice between illusion and a life built on false opinion and reality and honest thinking. The Zoo Story is one of his best plays that demonstrate the dichotomy between illusion and reality. It is about the interaction between its two main characters Peter and Jerry dramatizing the former’sdisillusionment in the hands of the latter.The disillusionment comes at a price； Jerry has to play the role of a savior， a Christ figure （however sentimental or un-Absurdist it would sound （see Bennett， 1977，pp.55-56）； he sacrifices himself to save humanity， represented by Peter.
A. Peter’s Eluding Personality
Albee （1963）， in an interview with Digby Diehl，asserts that “People would rather sleep their way through life than stay awake for it” （p.62）.Throughout the play， and except
for the last part， Peter stands for the people who would rather sleep. He is an upper middle class publishing executive reading a book on a bench in New York City's Central Park where he goes on Sunday afternoons without the members of his family―a wife and two daughters. He is neither good-looking nor un
Illusion and Reality inEdward Albee’s The Zoo Story
