Book Talk: Ready Player One

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Ready Player One by Ernest Cline


Summary:
Ready Player One is a science fiction novel set in dystopian America in the year 2044. Humans are facing an ugly reality and the only way they’re coping with it is through the OASIS (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation), a completely immersive virtual reality utopia created by James Halliday. The story follows Wade Watts, known as Parzival in the OASIS, as he works to solve the puzzles hidden within the OASIS’s programming and hunt for the ultimate prize, Halliday’s Easter Egg. Whoever finds the three clues and the Easter Egg first will be given control of the OASIS and Halliday’s fortune.
Once Wade stumbles upon the first clue, the race to find the Easter Egg is on. Wade finds himself fighting for his life and for the fate of the OASIS against millions of other OASIS users, as well as the evil tech corporation Innovative Online Industries (IOI). In order to survive and save the OASIS, Wade will have to beat the quest and confront reality.

Biography:
Ernest Cline is an American novelist, screenwriter, spoken-word artist, and full-time geek. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, fellow writer Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz, and daughter. Ready Player One, his first novel, was an international bestseller and has appeared on multiple “best of the year” lists. Cline has written one other book called Armada, which debuted at #4 on the New York Times Bestseller list, and is supposedly working on a sequel to Ready Player One. Both Ready Player One and Armada are being adapted for film by Warner Bros. and Universal Studios, respectively.

Rationale:
This book is honestly one of the best books I’ve read in awhile. The story really drew me in and I couldn’t put it down when I first read it. This book has everything in it: adventure, action, pop culture references, a love story, you name it. Although the book is heavy in gaming and pop culture references, the story is incredibly entertaining and I believe that Ernest Cline has written it in a way that allows anyone to relate to and enjoy it. The book also deals with issues surrounding identity, immortality, the future of education, the future of our planet, and even the future of gaming and social media.

Grade Level:
11th-12th

Teaching Ideas:
  1. Students could discuss the implications of living in a virtual world like the OASIS, and discuss the relevance of those implications to how we use and view technology today.
  2. There is a dystopia/utopia element to the book. You could pair the book with similar books or movies, especially texts focusing on dystopia/utopia in a virtual reality like The Matrix.
  3. Students could pick a social issue found in the book and create a project around that issue, drawing from Ready Player One and conducting independent research on the issue.

Obstacles:
I think the biggest obstacle for this book may be that students won’t be able to connect to it or be interested in it. Although I believe that it is a story anyone can engage with and enjoy, that won’t always be the case. It may also be difficult for students to identify with the pop culture references in the book, seeing as most are from the 80s. Some students or parents may not be open to talking about some of the social issues addressed in the book, like global climate change and a global energy crisis. There is some profanity in the book, but nothing too heinous.

References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ready_Player_One
http://www.ernestcline.com/blog/about/
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209887/ready-player-one-by-ernest-cline/

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