The Zoo Story Lesson Plan

Consider the role of sexuality in The Zoo Story.

Jerry is attracted to men and has had relationships with them; he does not seem to be ashamed of this, but also does not seem to claim an identity as a gay man. Are his anecdotes regarding his sexuality an attempt to shock Peter or connect with him? Consider Peter’s relationship to his own sexuality. He's established as a “family man,” the head of the stereotypical American nuclear family… and yet, is Peter & Jerry’s relationship a queer one? Is there sexual or romantic interest, and if so, how does this affect the characters' interactions? How can we interpret Peter and Jerry's sexual tension in the context of the...