Historians have tried to decipher the odd collage of characters and objects in the arrangement of the painting, which is the set of the musical over which George wields godlike power as the artist, adding and subtracting trees and other scenic elements at will. "I hate this tree..."
The musical does this too, hypothesizing relationships and reasons: "That...is Louis's waffle stove!"
George is considered "odd" staring at and sketching all manner of things not considered good subject material for a painting: "Staring at the monkey cage!" His lover and model Dot thinks he might be cheating on her:
Who was at the zoo, George?
Who was at the zoo?
The monkeys and who George?
The monkeys and who?
In the finale of Act One the painting comes together as George completes it, organizing the chaos that has erupted from his life and subjects. Dot is front and center, featured, obviously very important despite the fact she has left him and is moving to America with a baker. George looks her in the eye as he positions her and a monkey appears at her feet. While holding her gaze, he unwinds the monkey's leash and places it in her hand.
That's what he was doing at the zoo. It gets me every time.
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