The Zoo Story Philosophical Viewpoint: The Absurd Quotes

Jerry is talking about what he did at the zoo; apparently it's dramatic enough that he thinks it will be on TV. What happened at the zoo may be absurd because it's goofy (did Jerry dress up as Superman and attack a rhino with a cheese grater?), but it's also absurd philosophically—you have to try to create a meaning, or picture, of what happened at the zoo, even though there is none provided.

Jerry seems to be able to read Peter's mind; he knows that Peter isn't having more kids. How does he do that? The answer is more straightforward than you might think: the dude is in a play, and the author told him what to say. The artificiality of the play then becomes a kind of absurdity itself—someone is arbitrarily controlling what happens. It makes you want to look over your shoulder and see if some playwright is moving you around at random too.

Jerry is predicting the rest of the plot of the play; he'll walk around and then he'll sit down. But as predictions go, it's pretty unimpressive and uninteresting. There doesn't seem like there's a larger meaning to it. Even when you know what's going to happen, it doesn't necessarily make sense. Knowledge doesn't stop the absurd.