Player Piano

Doctor Halyard, a kind of ambassador for the U.S.to other nations, sits in a limousine with “the Shah of Bratpuhr […] a spiritual leader of 6,000,000 members of the Kolhouri sect […] wizened and wise and dark as cocoa […]” (19). With them is an interpreter, Khashdrahr.

As they drive toward Ilium, New York, Halyard and the Shah cannot find a suitable translation for a “citizen.” For the Shah, there is only the elite class and the slave (takaru). The Shah sees the common man as slaves. 

Vonnegut writes, “Doctor Paul Proteus, the man with the highest income in Ilium, drove his cheap and old Plymouth across the bridge to Homestead” (23). Like other things, Paul was attached to the old-style machines.

He enters a smoky bar in Homestead, which is the lower-class residential area. The bartender assumes a sudden air of superiority over the rest of customers once he sees Paul, and quickly runs to fetch Paul a bottle of Irish whiskey.

Rudy Hertz, an aged, former machinist for Ilium, recognizes Paul, and blows Paul’s cover: “Addled Rudy Hertz thought he was doing a handsome thing by Paul, showing him off to the crowd” (29). They discuss old times. Rudy tells Paul about his son, who is not smart enough for college. He asks Paul if he can find a spot for him at the “Works.” Paul tells him that he must have a graduate degree; it’s policy.

Rudy plays a song on the old player piano in the bar:“‘Makes you feel kind of creepy, don’t it, Doctor,’ Rudy remarks, ‘…watching them keys go up and down? You can almost see a ghost sitting there playing his heart out’” (32). 

Paul and Anita sit awkwardly together in their living room. Paul notices the power struggle that exists within their relationship. They’re discussing Ed Finnerty, a brilliant employee of Ilium who “has always been shockingly lax about his grooming” (34). Paul reveals that he secretly admires Finnerty and his peculiar ways.

Paul and Anita discuss Paul’s trip to Homestead and the bar. Paul feels bad for the folks who haven’t adjusted well to the new way of life. Anita does not. She treats Paul like he is a baby by leaving out his clothes for him and handling all of his decisions. 

Paul goes upstairs to get ready for his speech marking the 13th anniversary of Ilium Works being placed under the National Manufacturing Council. When he opens the door to his room, Finnerty waits for him on his bed. They discuss the speech and Finnerty quitting his position.

Anita comes upstairs to get Paul, and Finnerty orders her to go without Paul. “‘If you don’t show more respect for men’s privacy,’” Finnerty says, “‘I’ll design a machine that’s everything you are, and does show respect’” (40). They bicker for a while. Paul leaves Finnertyand rushes out to go with Anita. 

Paul, disappointed with Finnerty, goes with Anita to the dinner. At the dinner, the new graduates who have been hired at Ilium gather around Kroner and Baer. Kroner “spoke of himself as a father to all of the men under him,” and tries to maintain order amongst his employees (43). Baer, “a social cretin,” was the smarter of the two and chief engineer of the Eastern Division (43). They always worked together and made the perfect managing pair.

They inquire about Paul’s health, and Anita asks them why they are asking. They say that Doctor Shepherd told them about Paul’s nerves. Shepard, hearing this, storms out of the dinner for revealing a confidential point.

They discuss the annual tradition of the new employees challenging Paul to checkers and always losing. Berringer, a privileged, not-so-remarkable youngster, acts as a leader because his father was a famous engineer. Berringer laughs with the others that they might win this time.

When they sit down to dinner, Paul realizes that Shepherd has not come back. He goes outside to invite him in and tell him there are no hard feelings: “To Shepherd, life seemed to be laid out like a golf course, with a series of beginnings, hazards, and ends, and with a definite summing up—for comparison with others’ scores—after each hole” (49). Shepherd loves to compete with people, especially Paul. Shepard gets annoyed that Paul doesn’t want to fire him, and begrudgingly goes back inside the dinner.

Paul starts to give his speech but is interrupted by Finnerty’s sudden appearance at the dinner. Finnerty and Kroner bicker about the greatness of machines. Finnerty obviously questions whether machines are good for humans or not.

The chess game begins, and Berringer reveals that his father made a computerized chess player called Checker Charley. Paul gets up and walks away. Finnerty says that he’ll put money on Paul to beat the machine. Bets are taken. Paul returns to face the machine.

To his surprise, he’s winning easily. Berringer gets upset and says that something’s wrong. Finally, Charley breaks down and catches on fire. Paul has won. They accuse Finnerty of tampering with it. He did not, but says, “my sympathy’s with any man up against a machine” (60). Finnerty takes their money. Paul laughs. Finnerty reveals that he will be staying with Paul and Anita for a while.