Anita (Player) Proteus

I believe that Paul Proteus' saddest moment occurred in Chapter 18 of Player Piano. It is in this chapter that Paul's relentless wife, Anita, manipulates him to the fullest degree.

Purchasing the farm was not an impulsive action that Paul decided on. He had truly thought about life on the farm, the escape it would offer, a new closeness he would rekindle with Anita. After collecting his courage and thoughts, he made the decision. One is deceived, just as Paul is, in believing that Anita has changed when she reacts with delight to the surprise of the farm. For a brief moment, there is hope for the conniving wife whose ambitions have been set on one goal: corporal advancement of her husband. She demands that Paul use a stronger word than 'happy' when wishing her a 'happy anniversary' because of her excitement (180). This demand shows that she has control of the situation. She beams with a chipper, 'Ecstatic anniversary to you, Paul. I love you. Lord, how I love you' (180)! As a reader, one thinks: Wow. Is this Anita coming to her senses? One is soon found to be mistaken. Anita is already formulating how she will change the small farm house, how she will expand it into something grand with her ideas. She is capable of envisioning this all in her head, just as she is capable of laying out plans for Paul's future. At this point, Paul's excitement goes stale. Reasoning does not work with Anita. No. God no. She is set in her ways. Either she gets to alter things to her liking, or she will not have it. The reader anticipates an argument: Come on, Paul! Tell her how you feel! Paul instills the reader with hope when he says, 'It doesn't matter what you think...I've made up my mind to quit my job and live here. Do you understand? I'm going to quit' (183). Vonnegut includes this quote to create anticipation that builds up-- only to dissipate into nothing. Paul is belittled from the dominant one in the conversation to a 'little boy' (184). Anita uses her sex appeal to distract Paul from his objective. After he is pulled in, she asserts her control in saying, 'You're not going to quit, sweetheart. You're just awfully tired.'

In a matter of seconds, Paul is reduced from a man in control, with a new dream, to a helpless little boy, stuck in the same position. He allows himself to be subject to Anita's alluring ways and is reduced to a fool of 'Mmmm' responses (185). The worst part about all of this is that Anita knows exactly what she is doing. She is the ultimate symbol of deceit. It is out of selfish desires that she manipulates Paul into doing what she believes is right.