Ernest Cline wrote the fictional novel Ready Player One, a science fiction. In 2045, Wade Watts, main character of the story, sets out to find the ‘Easter eggs’ hidden in virtual reality games. This quest could earn him a fortune, thanks to the game creator. Wade Watts is one of many characters who are addicted the OASIS. It’s hard to imagine them ever leaving it to get on with their lives. The story becomes intense after an introduction to the OASIS, and the egg-hunt. As the race between gunters and IOI corporations intensifies. Wade’s quest leads him to discover the key and the gate. He makes enemies along the way, but they eventually realize that it was all a game. Eventually they reach the gate with the final battle, which is between Wade the IOI Leader. Wade defeats the IOI, a small victory but a lesson in the difference between reality and fantasy and the importance of both for survival. This essay explains Wade’s motives for disconnecting from the real world, such as why he tries so hard to escape. It also explains the benefits he derives from connecting to the OASIS.
First, the reality of 2045 has made the characters obsessed with OASIS. The author explains the current situation, which ranges from a global famine to a global power crisis. The author describes a situation where a majority of people are living in poverty and have no hope. Wade lives with Aunt Alice who is mean, they’re poor, and in a small trailer. Wade stays plugged into OASIS because of his poor living conditions. The game offers opportunities that are not available in real life. In essence, there’s hope. Wade and the majority of people around the globe find solace here.
The author uses Mrs.Gilmore to show how desperate people are to escape reality. She is a religious person who seeks the same thrill and escape that Wade and the other characters get from the OASIS. It allows them to escape the horrors they experience in their everyday lives. Wade is critical of Mrs.Gilmore when he says that religion is a fantasy. It is ironic because he spends so much time in a different kind of fantasy. The characters believe that the reality of their lives is a waste, and they don’t want to spend any time on it unless absolutely necessary.
The OASIS is so real that it’s possible for the characters to disconnect from the world and enter it. Wade attends school in the OASIS. He has friends such as Aech, and he even falls for Art3MIS. OASIS-related events spill out into the real life, and characters must deal with the consequences. Wade barely survives when the IOI takes out Mrs.Gilmore or Aunt Alice, and kills them. The Easter egg hunt takes place in the OASIS but the reward, which is an unimaginable amount of inheritance, occurs in the real world. This is what makes us question which world is the more real. In some ways, the two worlds are influenced by each other. Even in simple things like personality and behavior, they can have a profound impact. Success within the OASIS is a boost to self-esteem. It also gives the character hope. The author constructs the story to make it so that there is no question as to why the characters don’t connect with reality. Instead, the reader is left wondering which world is the more real.
Halliday explains to Wade that he regrets his decision to create the OASIS and hide away from reality. As many of the characters confess, Halliday was never happy or comfortable in the world. He created the OASIS to escape from the stress of everyday life. Wade, however, is advised by him to remain in the illusion world, regardless of how it feels. It was there that he could find happiness. The OASIS Creator clarifies at the end that disconnecting from reality does not provide happiness, nor does it solve any issues. Wade tries his best to return to the real world, and confesses to Art3mis – who is actually Samantha – that he loves him. The novel ends here and we’re left wondering if there is hope and happiness for real or if the illusion offers more satisfaction.
After examining the events and the reasons behind them, it becomes clear that the majority of characters enter the OASIS because the real world offers little. The OASIS is a place of hope, opportunity and chance. The OASIS is also real and makes characters forget the fine line between. One reason not stated, but implied is that technology will be at its peak in 2045. This takes gaming and virtual worlds to another level. Virtual reality has become a popular attraction in many malls today. If it were improved to the level of Ready Player One, it would encourage people to engage because it’s fun. Wade is able to make a fortune in the world of illusion and meet the love his life. This would have never been possible in the real-world. The main theme of the book, according to many critics, is staying true yourself. They believe this suggests that reality has more weight than anything. This essay suggests that what’s real may be where characters are able live their lives with more confidence, self-esteem, and hope. The OASIS isn’t so much about hiding in it as living there.
