Dogtown

Metal Head is a robot dog who looks “like he’d been put together by a mad scientist” (12). Where most robot dogs are manufactured as sleek creations, the humans of Dogtown wonder if Metal Head was homemade. This theory is bolstered by Metal Head’s differences from other robot dogs. Where most robot dogs obey every command they are given and function exactly as they are programmed, Metal Head ignores commands and comes up with original ideas, such as the tail-out that saves Geraldine. Observing these differences, Chance realizes that Metal Head is not the average robot dog, which prompts her to give him a chance that she hasn’t given any robot dog before.

Metal Head’s character is thus an exploration of what it means to be alive. While Metal Head is not “alive” like Chance, he experiences emotions like Chance does, including hope and heartbreak. The attachments that Metal Head forms show that he has the capacity to care; for instance, his fixation on getting his home back stems from his loyalty to his “boy,” Jimmy, and his feeling that he belongs there. When Metal Head is rejected by Jimmy a second time, Metal Head pivots to a new goal—returning to Dogtown to help Quinn—showing his determination to find a new human to love. These actions allow Chance to see that robot dogs have the potential to be just as alive as organic dogs, a realization that brings the two characters together and builds an unbreakable relationship that bolsters the book’s ideas about The Nature of Family.

“Management” is the dogs’ term for the human in charge at Dogtown, and she represents some of The Dangers of Inequality. As the manager of the shelter, Management makes all decisions regarding both organic and robot dogs, including which organic dogs get put on the List and which dogs (organic or robot) are selected for reading buddy days. The dogs of Dogtown are at the mercy of Management’s decisions, some of which feel unfair, and this illustrates the inequality between humans and dogs.

More broadly, Management represents what happens when power is exercised without understanding. There are far fewer humans than dogs at Dogtown, and this means that there are not enough humans to offer adequate care when the number of dogs is particularly high. As a result, Management must make difficult decisions to keep Dogtown running. Since humans don’t understand dog language, the dogs have no input, which means that the dogs must resort to whatever means necessary to make their emotions and opinions heard. This sometimes makes Management’s job even more difficult and sometimes leads to positive outcomes for the dogs, such as Geraldine finding a home to get off the List. Altogether, Management illustrates the challenges of leadership and the dangers of inequality.

Quinn is a boy who comes to Dogtown for reading buddy days. Quinn takes a liking to Metal Head because, unlike organic dogs, Metal Head can read to him, which Quinn appreciates since he struggles with reading. Quinn’s relationship with Metal Head illustrates the uniqueness of each individual and, in particular, how learning is not a one-size-fits-all process. At the beginning of the book, Chance and the other organic dogs view buddy reading days as a time when they can shine because the robot dogs do not make for cuddly reading partners. However, Quinn’s unique situation shows the organic dogs that robot dogs possess strengths they do not. Thus, Quinn’s relationship with Metal Head helps end the animosity between organic and robot dogs because it allows the former to understand that the latter have the capacity to care and contribute positively to the world.