Genre
science fiction
Setting and Context
fictional futuristic world where simulated reality became the norm
Narrator and Point of View
Narrator: Wade/Parzival
Point of view: first person
Tone and Mood
Tone: contemplative
Mood: adventurous
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonist: Wade Watts; Antagonist: Halliday's avatar turned AI Anorak
Major Conflict
Wade discovers a new type of simulated technology that allows the users to experience the simulation with their senses. This gives access to Anorak, Halliday's avatar turned villain AI, to be able to control the OASIS and force Wade and his friends to find the seven shards of siren's soul, which are parts of Kira's AI version.
Climax
Og, Kira's husband, suddenly appears in a crucial moment to battle Anorak and defeats him before succumbing to his injuries.
Foreshadowing
"I let out a long sigh of frustration. Then I teleported to the reception area on the top floor of Gregarious Tower, wondering what else could possibly go wrong today. The answer, it turned out, was pretty much everything..."
-Wade's thoughts before Anorak's appearance and his threat to the entire humanity.
Understatement
"Several different countries-including my own-were working to create full-blown self-aware, as-smart-if-not-smarter-than-the-average-human-being artificial intelligence. Maybe some of them already had, and now it was just a waiting game to see who would unleash it first, probably in an army of sentient aerial drones and battle telebots that said "Roger, Roger" to one another while machine-gunning civilian populations. That was, if we didn't nuke ourselves into oblivion first."
-An understated, with the use of humor, description of the possible threat that the artificial intelligence might pose to humanity.
Allusions
Various allusions to pop culture are present: John Hughes movie references, and an entire section dedicated to the persona and music of Prince.
Imagery
Imagery of a simulated reality as an experience available to all the senses is present, and it blurs the line of reality and fictional reality through technology.
Paradox
"Exist inside their skin."
-The absurdity of existing in someone else's skin and relieving their experiences reveals a deeper issue of human discontent and desire.
Parallelism
"Or as a celebrity, dining with other celebrities, who were all waited on by a bunch of ex-celebrities."
Metonymy and Synecdoche
Tolkien-author's name used to refer to the entirety of his work, the world created in his books and the influence on future works.
Personification
N/A
