How we cite our quotes: (line number)
Quote #7
I don't know what I was about; of course you don't understand. (In a monotone, wearily) I don't live in your block; I'm not married to two parakeets, or whatever your setup is. (176)
Jerry is not married to two parakeets. Peter is not married to two parakeets, either. Jerry's making fun of Peter's marriage—but you could also see him as accidentally revealing that he would like a different kind of wedded bliss. He's jealous of Peter, which means both that he's jealous of Peter having a marriage and that he's jealous of Peter. Hey, nobody said life was fair.
Quote #8
I had my own zoo there for a moment with…hee, hee, the parakeets getting dinner ready, and the…ha, ha, whatever it was, the… (199)
Peter gets tickled and loosens up and imagines that his family life is more whimsical and goofy than it is. Tickling will do that to you.
Quote #9
You have everything in the world you want; you've told me about your home, and your family, and your own little zoo. (247)
Having everything you want, for Jerry, means having a family. But at the same time, a family is a zoo, or a bunch of folks in cages. Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose, is the message here. (Thanks, Janis.)