Character Analysis

Tazza and Dr. Barlow are rarely apart. Tazza is a Tasmanian tiger, a non-fabricated animal that seems like a cross between a dog and Tigger from Winnie-the-Pooh.

While Tazza never says a word, he's always there, sniffing things and being taken for walks. He also occupies a special place in this Darwinist world of animals that are created for certain purposes. As Dr. Barlow explains:

"Tazza isn't fabricated, and he isn't for anything. Except that I hate traveling without him." (16.33)

In other words, though Tazza might look fierce, he's pretty much there for companionship and love—in short, he's a pet. Tazza serves as a reminder that animals, fabricated or not, are beings in their own right, and his presence invites us to consider how animals are treated in Darwinist society.