Escapism In Ready Player One

In times of trouble and extreme pain, one can either face reality or hide in its shadows. Seeking shelter from the harshness of one’s true reality can bring temporary joy and fantasy. However, continuously seeking distraction from unpleasant situations can blur the line between imagination and escapism. In Ready Player One, Wade escapes to the OASIS to hide from his personal appearance, identity, and life at home. In the virtual reality of the OASIS platform, people can create and design their own appearance. One can make an avatar taller, slimmer, and more beautiful than their actual self. Wade took the privacy of being behind a screen to his full advantage. Struggling with his weight, Wade explained, “I was overweight, and had been for as long as I could remember.” Taking the anonymity of being behind a screen to full advantage, Wade was able to create an avatar that mirrored his personal body goals. Wade not
Wade desired safety and place that felt like home. Wade yearned for a place to live where he felt loved and cared for: “I always found myself imagining that I lived in that warm well-lit house, and that those smiling understating people were my family.” Wade wants to have a family, house, and life out of a sitcom. The wish to have the perfect life pushed him to imbue himself into a virtual world. In the OASIS, Wade believes life will be simple. Wade escapes into a different reality when he plays videogames and interacts online: “There, inside the game's two-dimensional universe, life was simple.” Wade believes a life inside the OASIS could be better that reality. Inside of OASIS, Wade finds safety in the virtual reality. Wade explains that in the OASIS, “No one could even touch me…I was safe.” Hiding behind a computer screen instead on facing reality allow Wade to finally feel safe in a world. Wade logs into OASIS; escaping a miserable, undesirable life in “The