In the 19th Century, plays would often follow a set formula. Melodramas contained likeable characters. In the Zoo Story, there are no likeable characters. The audience dislike Jerry right from the beginning of the play. Peter is different. Although the audience may feel sympathy for Peter, they dislike him because he comes over as quite stuck up and he looks down on Jerry. Jerry is rude and aggressive. He is not someone that the audience would like. Several issues are raised in the play. Although the play was written around 30-40 years ago, many of the issues raised are often discussed in today's society. Sexuality is a very important concept of the play, as Jerry has had a homosexual relationship: "I was a h-o-m-o-s-e-x-u-a-l."" and Peter has not fathered a male child. Jerry knows that Peter wanted boys and Jerry uses this fact to his advantage throughout the play, and I do not think that there is any coincidence in that it is Peter being taunted about this that eventually forces Peter to get up and fight. Smoking is another important issue in the play. Jerry makes references to disease and health throughout the play, the first of which is raised when Peter prepares his pipe. "You're not going to get lung cancer, are you?- This unnerves Peter and from here I think that Jerry takes total control of the play. The people who Jerry lives with are not what one would call normal'. They are social outcasts, separated from the rest of civilisation. The coloured queen who Jerry mentions: "All he does is pluck his eyebrows-. Even the landlady and the dog are Hidden away'. The landlady, who is described (by Jerry, who points out that he doesn't like to talk of people harshly) as "fat, ugly, mean, stupid - The list goes on. She is an alcoholic and she traps Jerry in a corner whenever he walks in: "She presses her disgusting body against me-. Jerry would probably go as far as saying that she is pure evil.
