What is the significance of Balram's encounter with the white tiger at the zoo in "The Sixth Night"?

The image of the white tiger in the cage is important for several reasons. It is a clear echo of what the narrative referred to earlier as the Rooster Coop, in that both images involve animals trapped in cages that Balram feels he and others like him live. Second, it is a vivid externalization of Balram’s inner situation.