Player Piano - Mr. Haycox

Vonnegut creates an array of characters in his Player Piano. There are the intelligent (Proteus), the annoying (Anita), and then there are those who are brave enough to stand up against this intellectually dominant society. Among those in the last category is Mr. Haycox. While his opening scene to the story is quite comical, Mr. Haycox as a character is important because of what he symbolizes; a relic of the past.
Mr. Haycox represents the rustic, tough, and common man who is not willing to surrender to doctors of real-estate and mechanics. He is not blind to the transformation of America from the land of the free to the land of the high IQ scorers, yet he does not allow himself to fall victim like those in the Homestead. Instead, he pursuits the American dream through means of this time and of the past, by earning it. In order to continue his life as a simple farmer who loves his job, Mr. Haycox essentially outcasts himself from this new, unequal America. By doing as he desires without letting anyone else tell him what to do, Mr. Haycox can be seen as a strong character, a hidden hero even to the people who do not believe they stand a chance of overcoming this machine run society.
Mr. Haycox is not the typical valiant, good looking, committed to the people sort of hero, but actually almost the exact opposite. His traits resemble those of an elderly man from this time who is not willing to be ordered around by young people so that they can come and take from him all that he has ever known. Mr. Haycox understands what it means to be a farmer, and he knows all the hard work it takes to finish a day’s chores. He is a hero for what he exemplifies. By showing the world that he is boss of his own life by telling off “the most important, brilliant person in Ilium,” (35), he gives people like the Homesteaders hope that they do not have to be dictated by those in positions of power, that they stand a chance. Mr. Haycox is also a hero for the message he says to Proteus, which is to treat him with respect for his expertise in his field of work even though he does not have his PhD; he even tells Proteus that he is not a real doctor. This message is significant because it defies what this society is based upon, which is talent based on paper rather than actual skill.