A player piano is a mechanized version of a craft. It takes out the human element of piano playing. Notes are never missed. Songs are always played as written. There are no mistakes. Perfection, right?

If we push industrialization, what are we working toward? Is there an end? What happens to the general worker when they are competing with machines? Paul asks these same questions in a world where machines have removed human error, making life easier, but leaving millions jobless. This dystopia is explored in Kurt Vonnegut’s novel, Player Piano.

Luckily, Paul was born to be an engineer, just like his father. In a futuristic New York, dominated by machines, he runs his factory, never crossing the bridge to the other side of Ilium. Paul is pushed around by his work’s politics, working toward his wife’s goal of his promotion. But Paul doesn’t feel fulfilled. As Paul tries to escape the bounds of society, he is faced with finding his place in the world — or moreso his place against it.

Vonnegut writes to give readers an omniscient point of view with his dual perspectives of Paul, the worker, and The Shah of Bratpuhr, the outsider. Americans reading this book relate to the American ideals that most characters have, but the outsider’s point of view gives us a new perspective to look at what the ideals have become. Although I think the book’s beginning is a little slow, the content makes up for it. As readers, we can widen our view of our society, just like Paul did.

Throughout his novel, Vonnegut expresses worry about the advancement of machines and where the American citizen falls if the advancement exceeds their ability. This book pushes you to think about the faults in our society in America today. A capitalistic society pushes innovation and competition, but where does it end? We pride our nation on individualism and freedom, but if people can’t keep up with the advancement of machines, is that the message of our nation? These questions hit us readers hard as they are also asked in conversations today. Since this novel was created, we may relate even closer to this topic as electronics have become integral in our daily lives. Vonnegut’s words push us as readers to relate the moral questions of this book to our
own lives.

Overall, a piano player can’t compete with a player piano in accuracy. A machine will always play perfectly. But, as Vonnegut questions, why must everything be perfect? Player Piano helps us appreciate ourselves not only for our achievements, but just for being alive at all.