Anita Proteus Character Analysis in Player Piano

Anita Proteus is Paul’s wife. Unlike Paul, Anita never went to college, and Paul believes this is why she vehemently detests the people on the other side of the river (people who, like her, didn’t go to college). In Paul’s mind, Anita resents these people because she fears that she herself would be living amongst them if she hadn’t married Paul. They first met during the war, when Anita worked as Paul’s secretary at the Ilium Works. They slept together after an office party celebrating the end of the war, leading Anita to believe she was pregnant with Paul’s child. Because of this, she and Paul got married, though they later discovered she wasn’t actually pregnant—in fact, Anita and Paul have never been able to have children together. All the same, Paul is more or less happy in his marriage, even if Anita seems overly concerned with his reputation and social status. She constantly urges Paul to do whatever he can to advance his career, even trying to compensate for his apathy by speaking to people like Kroner (his boss) on his behalf. In this spirit, she has frequent conversations with Lawson Shepherd, Paul’s second-in-command, apparently paying no attention to the fact that Shepherd clearly wants to undermine Paul. To that end, as soon as Paul loses his job at Ilium Works, it emerges that Anita and Shepherd are having an affair, and Anita announces her intention to marry Shepherd, perfectly exemplifying how she prioritizes power, status, and success over all else.

Anita Proteus Quotes in Player Piano

The Player Piano quotes below are all either spoken by Anita Proteus or refer to Anita Proteus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Of all the people on the north side of the river, Anita was the only one whose contempt for those in Homestead was laced with active hatred. She was also the only wife on the north side who had never been to college at all. The usual attitude of the Country Club set toward Homesteaders was contempt, all right, but it had an affectionate and amused undertone, the same sort of sentiment felt by most for creatures of the woods and fields. Anita hated Homesteaders.

Related Characters: Anita Proteus, Doctor Paul Proteus

Page Number and Citation: 174

Explanation and Analysis:

Anita Proteus Character Timeline in Player Piano

The timeline below shows where the character Anita Proteus appears in Player Piano. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Class Division and Competition Theme Icon

Corporate Life vs. Human Connection Theme Icon

Paul’s wife, Anita, calls and reminds him that Kroner and Baer will be at the Country Club dinner... (full context)

Anita—who can’t stand Finnerty—subtly tries to draw Paul’s focus back to impressing Kroner and Baer, and... (full context)

Anita tells Paul to come home early for a drink to relax his nerves before the... (full context)

Happiness, Self-Worth, and Passion Theme Icon

Anita greets Paul with a cocktail when he gets home. She’s dressed lavishly for the dinner... (full context)

Paul tells Anita about the uncomfortable experience he had at the bar on the other side of the... (full context)

Paul’s annoyance with Anita quickly lifts when he goes to change for dinner and finds Finnerty stretched out on... (full context)

Anita enters and is surprised to find Finnerty in her bedroom. It’s clear she’s annoyed that... (full context)

At the Country Club, eager young engineers enthusiastically greet Paul and Anita. Kroner greets Paul in a way that makes him feel like a child, but Paul... (full context)

...and Kroner heard Paul was having trouble with his “nerves.” Paul denies this, and when Anita asks who made this claim, Bear blurts out that it was Doctor Shepherd, though Kroner... (full context)

...him, hoping to lure him back to the party. Following him onto the golf course, Anita begs Paul to turn around, since she thinks he should let Shepherd suffer. After all,... (full context)

...Shepherd to head back to the party, though Shepherd refuses to shake Paul’s hand. When Anita angrily tells him not to gossip about Paul’s health, Shepherd says that everyone knows perfectly... (full context)

...Everyone makes light of this, and Kroner jokes that those people never worked anyway. When Anita says they’re “reproducing like rabbits,” Finnerty drunkenly bursts into the room and says, “Somebody telling... (full context)

...even a small connection between technological advancement and human misery, it ought to be explored. Anita finally puts an end to the conversation, suggesting that they turn their attention to the... (full context)

...tries to call the game off, insisting that he’ll never win against a machine, but Anita and the others convince him to go through with it just to be a good... (full context)

On his way out the door, Finnerty congratulates Paul on his win, but Anita begs him to give Berringer and Shepherd their money back. She complains that it isn’t... (full context)

In bed that night, Anita presses Paul for details about what Kroner said before they left the Country Club. He... (full context)

Anita says that Finnerty ruined the entire evening, but Paul is thrilled by what Finnerty did.... (full context)

As Paul thinks about Finnerty’s bravery, Anita reminds him about his father’s expectation that he become the manager of Pittsburgh. This annoys... (full context)

...the day and asks if he wants to go for a drink. When Paul calls Anita to tell her they’ll be late for dinner, she asks if he’s thought about what... (full context)

...he makes his living. After watching this, Paul drunkenly stumbles to the phone to call Anita, having forgotten that they were supposed to be home for dinner. But Anita tells him... (full context)

Kroner calls back and invites Paul and Anita to dinner, claiming he just wants to catch up. After the call, Paul ushers Shepherd... (full context)

Returning to the subject of the young women he saw the night before, Paul assures Anita that he didn’t touch either of them. Anita says that what she was really wondering... (full context)

Dinner at Kroner’s goes the way it always does. Kroner ushers Paul and Anita inside while his wife, whom everyone calls “Mom,” encourages them to tell her everything about... (full context)

Paul tries to remember what Anita told him to say if Kroner brought up Pittsburgh. It doesn’t really matter what he... (full context)

...doesn’t actually quit. Startled, Kroner suggests that they all retire to the living room, where Anita is pleased to learn that Paul landed the promotion. (full context)

...like he can justifiably get angry and quit. Feeling satisfied, he decides not to tell Anita about his plan to leave his job; she’s too excited. Plus, he wants time to... (full context)

...to do anything, thinking it better to let things develop while he works on getting Anita to value something other than financial success. As he waits, he takes up reading, enjoying... (full context)

Paul keeps his excitement about the farm to himself, and Anita assumes he’s in a good mood because he’s looking forward to the Meadows. Over dinner... (full context)

Distracted by all these questions, Paul finally thinks to ask how, exactly, Anita knows all this about Shepherd, and she says that he came over to get her... (full context)

...back to the engagement anniversary, saying that he has a surprise planned for Wednesday night. Anita, however, is uninterested because Wednesday is the day before they’re supposed to leave for the... (full context)

On Wednesday, Paul has Mr. Haycox prepare the farm for a romantic evening with Anita. However, Anita is extremely uninterested in the surprise Paul has in store for her, constantly... (full context)

Paul knows that Anita has a particular dislike of the people in Homestead because she herself never went to... (full context)

Anita still doesn’t understand why Paul has brought her to Homestead, but she begins to see... (full context)

Paul feels like Anita doesn’t have any empathy for the people on this side of the river. Just to... (full context)

...thoroughly and outfitted it to look quaint and charming. In fact, it’s so charming that Anita is beside herself—she loves it. After walking around and admiring all the antiques, she expresses... (full context)

Frustrated, Paul says that he doesn’t care what Anita thinks. He’s going to quit his job and live on the farm no matter what... (full context)

The next day, Paul and Anita go to the Meadows. When their plane lands, they part ways, since the men stay... (full context)

...meantime, Paul has to leave the Meadows that very night, and he can’t even tell Anita what’s going on. All of this will help him “clear up [his] record,” Gelhorne points... (full context)

Paul reaches the mainland dock, where he’s supposed to meet Anita so they can go home. As he waits, he sees a young couple run out... (full context)

The lovers soon part ways, and then Anita sees Paul. But she doesn’t show much remorse. In fact, she thinks Paul owes her... (full context)

...next week alone in his house while everyone else is still at the Meadows—including, presumably, Anita. He pays just one visit to his new farm, hoping to find some comfort in... (full context)

A guard calls Paul out of the cell, where he meets two visitors: Anita and Kroner. Kroner asks how he’s doing, and Anita congratulates him for his work. She... (full context)

Anita excitedly tells Paul that the letter bearing his name has done something magnificent: he’s now... (full context)

In the three weeks since Paul’s arrest, Anita hasn’t visited him in jail. Instead, she has made it abundantly clear to the press... (full context)

Anita Proteus Character Analysis

Anita Proteus Quotes in Player Piano

Chapter 18 Quotes

Anita Proteus Character Timeline in Player Piano