Player Piano

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Player Piano is usually described as a dystopian novel. What is a dystopia? What distinguishes a dystopia from a utopia? Consider other examples of dystopian (or utopian) literature you may have read, such as Thomas More’s Utopia, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, and George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four.

Teaching Suggestion: A dystopia is the opposite of a utopia. Whereas a utopia is an imaginary or speculative ideal society, a dystopia is an imaginary society characterized by great suffering or unhappiness. The genre of dystopian literature is in many ways inseparable from utopian literature: Even the most famous utopias, such as that depicted by Thomas More, often contain dystopian elements. Dystopian literature became increasingly popular toward the middle of the 20th century, with examples of dystopian political, economic, and ideological situations depicted in novels such as Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World (1932), George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), and Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale (1985). In the early 2000s, many popular dystopian novels, films, and television shows were created for young adults. Dystopias are also popular in cinema. After students address the prompt and optionally share their thoughts, they might address an extended discussion topic: What makes dystopian literature and film so popular with—even appealing to—audiences?

• This resource page offers a definition of dystopia and discusses several important examples of the genre.
• This academic article, suitable for more advanced readers, discusses the relationship between utopian and dystopian literature. (Registration may be needed to view.)

2. What are some examples of science fiction you have encountered? Consider examples of science fiction in literature, cinema, or the visual arts. What characteristics do you associate with science fiction?

Teaching Suggestion: Science fiction is typically defined as fiction that explores the potential of scientific principles, discoveries, or technologies. Science fiction became increasingly popular in the 19th century through novels written by European authors such as Jules Verne and H. G. Wells. The middle of the 20th century, the period during which Vonnegut began writing, saw the emergence of influential science fiction authors including Isaac Asimov, Philip K. Dick, Frank Herbert, and Ursula K. Le Guin. Vonnegut’s novels often draw on many of the characteristics of science fiction, including an emphasis on futuristic settings, scientific discoveries and technology, and extraterrestrial lifeforms. Students might brainstorm responses to the prompt in pairs or small groups, then try to categorize listed titles by sub-genre or topic: space opera, hard or soft sci-fi, military sci-fi, biotech, cyberpunk, steampunk, sci fi/fantasy, and others.

• This article from BBC Teach discusses important examples of science fiction produced between the 18th and 21st centuries.
• This article from MasterClass introduces the characteristics of science fiction.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

What role does mechanization play in today’s world? How has technology improved our standard of living? How has it reduced our standard of living?

Teaching Suggestion: Students may consider not only the increasing role of mechanization in the workplace but also the rise of “smart” technology (e.g., smartphones and smart TVs), artificial intelligence (AI), and social media.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners, students who may benefit from a more structured or visual approach, and students with executive function differences, consider having students organize their ideas into a 2-column chart with “Pros of Mechanization” and “Cons of Mechanization” as the headers. Students might collaborate in small groups to brainstorm ideas, jigsaw brief research tasks, or address the prompt together from start to finish.