I am Calvin's tiger who, from Calvin's perspective, is as alive and real as anyone else in the strip. I'm named after 17th-century philosopher Thomas Hobbes, who had what Watterson describes as having "a dim view of human nature." He is famous for his claim that humans' natural state is a state of war, where "the life of man [is], solitary, poore [sic], nasty, brutish, and short." I'm much more rational and aware of consequences than Calvin, but seldom interferes with his troublemaking beyond a few oblique warnings—after all, Calvin will be the one to get in trouble for it, not me.
For the most part, Calvin and I converse and play together, reveling in what is ultimately a deep friendship. We also frequently argue or even fight with each other, though their disagreements are generally short-lived. Often I ambush Calvin with an energetic pounce-and-tackle attack, which leaves Calvin bruised and scraped up but not seriously harmed. I take great pleasure in my demonstrations of feline prowess, while Calvin expresses keen frustration at his inability to stop the attacks or explain his injuries to his skeptical parents.
Watterson based some of my characteristics, especially his playfulness and attack instinct, on his own pet cat, Sprite. I take great pride in being a feline and frequently makes wry or even disparaging comments about human nature, declaring my good fortune to lead a tiger's life. In Calvin's philosphical ramblings, it is evident that I am usually Bill Watterson's voice on the subject, whereas Calvin usually seems to echo the sentiments (or lack thereof) of modern America.
