Dear members of the committee, I am here to present m defence presentation to my bachelor thesis...

Summary of the novel

-the year 2045

-climate change, wars, Energy crisis and poverty has ruined all of Earth´s societies

-people find escape and relief in VRMMORPG OASIS

-in OASIS, thousands of locations from fictional and real places, filled with games, shopping
malls and a massively successful school system

-the game itself costs only 25 cents with no recurring fees

-the creator, James Halliday, five years ago after his death, left an Easter Egg in the game

- the Egg is hidden behind three sets of keys and gates, and its founder will het ownership of all
OASIS and all his possessions- worth billions of dollars

-the plot is centred around Wade Watts, also called Parzival, and his journey for the Easter Egg

-IOI, Innovative Online Industries, takes on the role of the antagonists with their sole goal of
gaining control over the OASIS and making OASIS a pay-to-win game with monthly fees and
unblockable adds

AIMS
The thesis aims to comprehensively examine the dystopian elements and social issues depicted
in the science fiction novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline

-I searched through the portrayal of a futuristic society and the challenges posed to it.

-Through the analysis, I explored the dystopian landscape presented in the novel and
highlighted its impact on the characters and society as a whole.

-Furthermore, it investigates various social issues depicted by Cline, such as poverty, lack of
access to basic needs, escapism, corporate power, elitism and their consequences

-By the analysis of the dystopian elements and social issues within Ready Player One, this
thesis aims to demonstrate the novel´s significance and its relevance to our modern world

Outline
-the second chapter is concerned with dystopian features identified in the novel, such as IOI
Corporation´s influence and control over the OASIS, surveillance and manipulation tactics
connected to governmental control and it's dominance of one group, how IOI's monopoly on
resources and disparities between them and people in the stacks relate to economic unfairness,
and how character´s reliance on avatars and virtual identities leads to the blurring of lines
between reality and virtual world

-the third chapter focuses on social issues and phenomena of escapism, poverty, and economic
and corporate power that are present in the novel. Escapism is a crucial part of the novel and
creates an illusion that reality is not worth anything as the OASIS offers people an escape from
their harsh lives, allowing them to forget their worries and live in a utopia where they can be
whomever they want

-Poverty and the unchecked economic power of corporations create a dystopian reality where
people are forced to live in the stacks filled with violence, drugs and rampaging diseases

- it is a world where most people are poor and cannot afford basic necessities like food and
water while the wealthy elite lives in luxury. The global energy crisis caused by the exhaustion
of fossil fuels and the resulting blackouts makes life even more difficult for poor people. In this
context, companies like IOI hold substantial economic power and influence, allowing them to
use people experiencing poverty and pursue their interests without regard for the well-being of
others

Findings
concerning dystopian features

-utter lack of governmental control in OASIS

-usually: the government has complete control over the people, and this utter lack of control
could be considered apocalyptic were it not for the thriving society and lack of complete
devastation of the world

-the concept of too much power in the hands of one individual is further highlighted by
individuals or businesses gaining enormous power and influence, like IOI and Nolan Sorrento
(the power of making people go away and tuck it under the carpet)

economic unfairness and poverty

-the Stacks serve as an example: refugee type of accommodation on the outskirts of major
cities, neighbourhoods of trailers and RVs, a high rate of crime (drug making and distribution,
sexual assaults, shootings) and violence as a result of access to resources and opportunities

people there have limited access to high-speed and secure internet connections and competent
technology to participate in the OASIS fully

-the value of money is lowered because of food coupons distributed by the government (the
food is full of sugar and starch and serves only to fill people´s stomachs)
-poverty as a social exclusion: Aech is avoiding exclusion and discrimination by hiding her
identity. We can theorise that her mother faced this form of unfairness in her place of work
because she was the one to advise her to fake her identity

-exclusion from sectors of OASIS (27 sectors, travel in OASIS is expensive and so people with
a lack of funds are able to access only a small number of places that are available to them)

escapism

-escape is for the whole population a coping mechanism, at least for the older generations, as
the younger ones were born into the world after the Energy Crisis, while the younger ones look
at OASIS as another plane of existence for them

-OASIS provides them (younger ones) entertainment and experiences that they would not be
able to experience,

-social interactions: people create their ideal version of themselves and thus escape from the
unsightly qualities that they do not wish to have

-they form connections with people more easily based on their shared interests and identities,
but it can be questioned if these connections are authentic as real-world ones and that can lead
us to ponder on the consequences of technology-mediated interactions

-the analysis revealed to me the potential harm and positive aspects of escapism: it can serve
as a potential relief and source of inspiration and creativity, but on the other hand, it can hinder
the personal growth that Wade himself experienced after his break-up with Art3mis

Conclusion
In conclusion, the analysis of the dystopian features and social issues in Ready Player One
highlights their significance in our society. The novel serves as a mirror, reflecting the potential
consequences of total absence of governmental control, extreme economic disparities, the
potential loss of personal identity, extreme escapism, poverty, and unchecked corporate power.
By critically engaging with these themes, we are prompted to question existing power structures
and to promote individual freedom, equity, and genuine human connection.