The characters’ avatars in Ready Player One demonstrate people’s desires and insecurities that they cannot control in the real world. In offline reality, an individual’s personality is influenced by a variety of factors, such as socioeconomic status and lifestyle (Cline, 2020). In the online domain, the Oasis, money still plays a role, yet one can change their appearance completely and be more confident (Cline, 2020).
For instance, the story’s protagonist, Wade, is overweight and has acne, but his avatar, Parzival, is tall, thin, muscular, and has no skin problems (Cline, 2020). In addition to allowing people to look how they want, the Oasis also facilitates their inner qualities. For example, Wade is socially awkward, shy, and has low self-esteem, but Parzival easily talks to others and experiences no difficulties making friends (Cline, 2020). Notably, Wade is not the only one who transforms when arriving at the Oasis. For instance, many female avatars look like absurdly thin supermodels, which appears unrealistic even in the virtual world (Cline, 2020). Consequently, the avatars illustrate how people desire to appear and what insecurities in their personalities they wish to overcome.
Ernest Cline has created a solution to classroom overcrowding, school bullying, and reality through the Oasis in Ready Player One. First, in the book, the real public school system has been underfunded and has lacked enough space for students for many years (Cline, 2020). Nevertheless, educational institutions in the Oasis have no physical boundaries and can provide numerous pupils with substantial learning opportunities (Cline, 2020).
Second, Wade’s experiences show that in the real world, bullying is a significant problem, as the protagonist has experienced oppression from his peers (Cline, 2020). However, school simulation in the Oasis allows muting other people to avoid unwanted remarks and prohibits any fighting on the facility’s grounds (Cline, 2020). Third, the planet presented in the book is overpopulated, has ongoing wars, diseases, and climate changes, and life, in general, is declining (Cline, 2020). Nonetheless, the Oasis offers a new reality where people can game, but they can also have any appearance, find jobs, obtain an education, and go to church (Cline, 2020). Therefore, the Oasis suggested by Ernest Cline in his book demonstrates a solution to many concerns of humanity.
Reference
Cline, E. (2020). Ready player one [eBook edition]. Byerschool. Web.