Player Piano Themes

Kurt Vonnegut’s novel Player Piano illustrates the many downsides of technological progress. The protagonist, Paul Proteus, lives in a near future in which American society values technological advancement more than anything else—including actual people. Because the entire country is controlled by machines, physical laborers have been forced out of their jobs. This leads to booming economic growth, but it also strips many people of their livelihood and takes away their sense of purpose in…

Player Piano highlights the relationship between happiness and a strong sense of self-worth. As a result of widespread automation in a futuristic United States, many people no longer have jobs. Because a person’s value in this society is mostly determined by their career, putting people out of work robs them of their pride and dignity, making them feel like they’re no longer “needed on earth.” And yet, the novel also indicates that having a good…

In Player Piano, a dedication to business and corporate life often keeps people from genuinely connecting with one another. Paul experiences this firsthand, since everyone around him in Ilium only seems to care about things like productivity or career advancement. But because Paul isn’t particularly interested in these things, he doesn’t have many people he can relate to. Even his wife, Anita, cares more about whether or not he lands a big promotion than…