Edward Albee’s, “The Zoo Story” is about the innate animal instinct that resides in each human being. Regardless of things like social class, education, profession we are born with a primal animal instinct to either fight or flight when it comes protecting our territories much like wild animals. However, the animals at the zoo in this play are enclosed and isolated from each other just like the characters Jerry and Peter who struggle to break free from their own barred cages.
In the poem the character Jerry is lonely, antisocial and a rather socially awkward man who through befriending animals believes he will be able to better communicate with his own species. He firsts attempt to build a relationship with the landlady’s dog because, he says, “Man is dog’s best friend, remember” (Albee, Edward). Jerry explains, “It’s just that if you can’t deal with people, have to make a start somewhere. WITH ANIMALS” (Albee, Edward). Jerry realizes one day at the zoo that in order for him to better understand human interaction he must better understand the things that drive their animal like instincts. He states, “I went to the zoo to find out more about the way people exist with animals, and the way animals exist with each other, and with people too.” (Albee, Edward). He uses animals to comprehend his own social isolation because he has a difficulty developing relationships with people. The character Peter he engages on his way back from the zoo says, “You don’t really carry on a conversation; you just ask questions” and Jerry says, “It always happens, when I try to simplify things”(Albee, Edward). Jerry longs for companionship, but lacks an inability to connect with people and is unable to effectively communicate with those around him.
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...tween “Lexington and Third Avenue” (Albee, Edward). Peter’s second cage is his bench in the park. He becomes an animal when forced by Jerry to defend his honor and fight him for his “territory”. Jerry says, “You have everything, and now you want this bench. Are these the things men fight for? Tell me, Peter, is this bench, this iron and this wood, is this your honour? Is this the thing you’d fight for?” and “Fight for it, then. Defend yourself; defend your bench.” (Albee, Edward).
Human beings are very similar to both animals in the wild and those in captivity much like the characters portrayed in “The Zoo Story” by Edward Albee. Born with a primal instinct like wild animals they will both defend their territory, their honor and their pride. However, we also relate to those in captivity and at times caged by things like our fears, insecurities, and selfishness.
Animal rights have become a very serious issue here in the United States over the last few decades. One issue that has been discussed is whether or not zoos serve a good purpose or are they just a torture chamber for the animals. Locked up in small cages so people can yell at them and stare. Or are zoos the key to save our species in an ever growing human population. Rachel Lu, a philosophy teacher and senior columnist, writes the article, “Let’s Keep Zoos: Learning stewardship is a good thing.”, published April 18, 2014, argues that zoos are worth keeping. Rachel Lu uses her personal experiences to appeal to her audience that zoos are valuable to people especially young children because it gives them a perspective on nature.
This paper reviews and analyzes three main issues with the first one being leadership. Other sub-issues involve lack of vision, coercive leadership style, using taxpayer’s money for personal benefit and irresponsible top management. The organizational structure, mixed communication, and no clear indication to who to report to is the second. The third being communication, this paper tackles lack of the ability to speak about the actual problems in fear of being ostracized; if you’re not with us; you’re against us. We suggest a solution based on our SWOT analysis, star bursting, brainstorm, mind map, and rational decision making tool. With the use of these five tools we hope to help solve the problem at hand by making the city zoo a more engaging and dynamic experience for both employees and the public.
Throughout time, mankind and nature were always in altered societies or different classes. Robert Burns, the author of To a Mouse, used a style of writing that incorporates both nature and mankind. The poem illustrates a sympathetic situation in which a farmer is walking through their field and unintentionally disturbs the nest of a mouse. Robert Burns uses the two different classes to express the farmer’s sympathy towards a society unlike his own. The poem shows a strong connection between two different societies and a questionable superiority.
Due to the recent events in the Cincinnati Zoo, arguments have been sparked about the ethics of zoos. Most articles try to argue against zoos and closed environments, but there are those that still support zoos and the programs that they provide for endangered species. The argument “Zoos Are Not Prisons. They Improve the Lives of Animals” focuses on the positives of animal enclosures and fights for support to keep zoos in business. The author, Dr. Robin Ganzert, ties examples about programs that zoos help create and what type of research is conducted in the zoos, to support his claims. To limit his position, he decides to refute opposing viewpoints to conclude that ethical institutions
As Mark Twain once stated, “The more I know about people, the better I like my dog.” This sentiment is often echoed by general society; people seem to have lost faith in humanity. However, John Steinbeck illustrates his more optimistic opinion about “the perfectibility of man” by suggesting how man can improve. In his novel, Of Mice and Men, two tenants called George and Lennie go through many hardships all while chasing their dream of possessing their own farm. While they work at a farm, they meet an old swamper called Candy who offers to help them achieve their dream; he does so to ensure that he will have a future after he is fired for being too old. On page 60, Candy discusses the recent death of his dog and asks to join in on George and Lennie’s dream. Through this passage, Steinbeck proves that humans have an animalistic tendency of eliminating those who are weaker than them. This is depicted through the details connecting Candy to his dog as well as Candy’s diction when describing his potential future life. Steinbeck’s negative attitude towards man’s predatory nature implies that society needs to improve and prevent such oppressive behavior from occurring.
The practice of keeping wild animals in a zoo or aquarium is looked at favorably in most aspects but what we fail to realize is that we have placed animals which at one point lived freely in wide open spaces into captivity. Society is assuming these animals are happy to be taken from their natural habitat and placed in pens and cages because they have every need handed to them. David Suzuki asked “What gives us the right to exploit other living organisms as we see fit?” (681). Through selfishness, people have justified zoos and aquariums to be an educational benefit to children, to help them learn about animals, their individuality and where they come from. Zoos and Aquariums are for society’s personal entertainment not for the good of the animals and should be closed down.
Have you ever seen an animal sitting in a cage all alone with nothing to do. Well, zoos are trying to change that fact. They will allow the animals to live in an environment that is like their home. Many people don't realize this, but zoo are keeping and breeding these animals because they would not survive in the wild alone. In the three passages, ¨The Stripes Will Survive,¨ ¨The Zood Go Wild from No More Dodos,¨ ¨Our Beautiful Macaws and Why They Need Enrichment.¨ All of these articles present one claim, that is that the role of zoos is no longer to keep animal, but to protect them.
What comes to mind when one thinks of the word ‘puppy’? It is probable describe a puppy as a lovable, adorable, and cuddly companion. However, one might also identify the animal as a menace and a liability or even as a delicious source of food. Why does this single word hold so many meanings? One’s past experiences and biases influences these conflicting views and attitudes. For instance, an individual’s fond view of puppies may exist because they were raised with puppies and consequently grew affectionate toward the animals. On the contrary, if another individual has not bonded with puppies as pets, then they will share the latter point of view. In the short story “Puppy” by George Saunders, the multiple characters view single events and objects with contrasting perceptions. Therefore, instead of painting a precise picture of the characters and the plot, the story expresses several views regarding the morals of the characters, the motivations of their actions, and the meaning of the events that take place. In “Puppy”, George Saunders explores the theory that perception is not an elementary, universal definition of an object or idea, but a complex interpretation that is influenced by one’s unique and varying past experiences and opinions. The complexity of perception is evident in one the story’s narrator’s, Marie’s, vantage point.
The animal lives comfortably in the cage, until one day, the animal finds the cage door open. Faced with the internal conflict of deciding whether or not to leave the safety of the cage, the animal must make the hard decision. Nevertheless, drawn to the light and the outside, the animal decides to venture out of the cage, and never comes back. As stated in the passage, "So does he live, seeking, finding, joying and suffering." (para 8). This explains how the animal now lives outside the cage, with freedom. The theme is revealed through the animal being able to get out of the cage and have his freedom. The reader connects with the passage by being put in the shoes of the animal. Having the feeling of being caged up lets the reader connect with the passage and the
...fascination with the animal world. Children, they are permitted to love things they do not understand. But coming to these books as an adult, and loaded down with knowledge of their author’s life, with its longings and fears, one cannot avoid reading them as fables about E.B White’s own life” (Epstein 380). Reading about the tales and adventures of animals is different to a child compared to an adult. Children are fascinated with animals, but do not understand the hidden meanings, whereas the adults do. After knowing about White’s life it is easy to understand that these three books are pieces of his life that he is telling from a different point of view, the view of animals. White’s writing is an expression of himself (Sampson 530). “Hardly any literate American has not benefitted from his humor, his nonsense, his creativity, and his engaging wisdom” (Hasley 526).
Michelle Carr uses the rhetorical mode of argumentation for the purpose of persuasion in her article, “The Reality of Zoos.” Carr focuses on the issue of the imprisonment and maltreatment of zoo animals in her article. She effectively presents her points by using the persuasive methods of pathos and logos. Carr establishes an emotional connection with the reader by recalling an occasion she noticed how unhappy zoo animals were during a childhood memory. Carr also uses logic and reasoning; she appeals to the reader by using facts and figures about the suffering zoo animals experience, for instance, the animals developing “zoochosis” and the animals being forcibly inseminated for money-making purposes. By establishing an emotional connection
Lemonick, Michael D. “Who Belongs in the Zoo?” Time. Time, 11 June 2006. Web. 12 Dec.
There are many places where people can go to see live animals such as aquariums, zoos, and safari parks. A pleasant way to define a Zoo is to call it “an establishment that maintains a collection of wild animals”. (Google def) Another way to say that is a facility in which animals are “enclosed in cages for public exhibition”. I believe zoos are ethical; however, changes need to be made to eliminate problems I have discovered. In this argumentative essay, I will be arguing the ethics of zoos and certain problems that need to be addressed that people are not aware of. Zoos are great places to take the family out for the day to have entertainment; however, problems such as captive breeding, length of life, and animal stress need to improve.
In a crowded city such as Manhattan, it was no wonder that a man like Jerry felt lonely. He was without a friend, a mother and father, and the typical 'wife, two children, and a dog,'; that many others had. Jerry was thrown in a world that he felt did not want him, and his human flaw of wanting to escape loneliness led to his tragic death. In Edward Albee's play, The Zoo Story, all Jerry wanted was to be heard and understood, and in the end, after sharing his life story with a complete stranger, he got his final wish - death. The Zoo Story not only tells of the alienation of man in modern society, but also reflects the philosophy of twentieth century existentialism.
The Zoo and Its Benefits Zoos bring humankind closer to wildlife. Though, sometimes that means taking the animal out of its natural habitat. Some animals have lost most of their habitat and are on the verge of extinction. In this way, the zoo helps the animals rather than using them as a form of human entertainment. Zoos also allow humans to study different kinds of animals more closely.