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Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Player Piano, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Technology and Progress
Happiness, Self-Worth, and Passion
Class Division and Competition
Corporate Life vs. Human Connection
Summary
Analysis
Paul keeps his excitement about the farm to himself, and Anita assumes he’s in a good mood because he’s looking forward to the Meadows. Over dinner one day, he tries to remind her that the anniversary of their wedding engagement is coming up, but she keeps interrupting to talk about the Meadows. Does he have nice tennis shoes to wear? And what about his socks? Apparently, Shepherd is taking 12 pairs of green socks because he is the captain of the Green Team—did Paul know that? Paul says that he does, indeed, know that Shepherd is captain of the Green Team, and he sidesteps Anita’s questions about what it might mean that someone like Shepherd, who isn’t that high up in the company, was named a captain.
Once more, Anita shows her obsession with Paul’s career. With her somewhat comical fixation on socks (and Shepherd), she shows that she’s more concerned with him succeeding in the arbitrary competitions at the Meadows than with their upcoming anniversary. This clearly demonstrates that she cares more about their social status as a couple than about their actual relationship.
Themes
Distracted by all these questions, Paul finally thinks to ask how, exactly, Anita knows all this about Shepherd, and she says that he came over to get her help as he plans for his trip to the Meadows, since he doesn’t have a wife. Paul asks if Shepherd had anything “interesting” to say, and Anita reveals that he told her about the police finding Paul’s pistol and that the authorities know he was with “underworld people” several nights ago at the bar in Homestead.
Anita and Shepherd’s relationship is strange, but it makes sense that they would enjoy each other’s company. They both, after all, care about status and corporate success more than anything else. Plus, Shepherd wants to sabotage Paul, so it’s unsurprising that he goes out of his way to tell Anita about all of Paul’s mistakes, which just makes Paul’s home life that much harder.
Themes
Paul tries to steer the conversation back to the engagement anniversary, saying that he has a surprise planned for Wednesday night. Anita, however, is uninterested because Wednesday is the day before they’re supposed to leave for the Meadows. When Paul tries to get her to forget about the Meadows, Anita is appalled by his lack of enthusiasm and team spirit. Still, she agrees to go along with his engagement surprise—as long as he knows what he’s doing. He is, after all, the captain of the Blue Team.
Paul just wants to make an emotional connection with his wife, but all Anita can think about is the Meadows. This conversation is a good illustration of how lonely it must be for Paul in Ilium, where nearly everyone—including his own wife—only cares about business-related matters.
Themes
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