Comparing Society In Cline's Ready Player One And Brave New World

The pressure of society is like the pressure applied to pop a balloon. Society pushes people to the point where they will eventually explode. In Cline’s Ready Player One and Huxley’s Brave New World, Wade and John struggle with conforming into society. The society in the OASIS separates people from the real world, encouraging them to spend their lives in a virtual game; people basically live in a virtual world and forget about their personal needs in the real world. The citizens of the new world abide by the caste system to keep peace because they are brainwashed and do not know any better. In order to ignore society’s pressure, Wade puts aside IOI’s death threat, John stays true to his opinions after visiting the new world, and they both reject

the positions they are forced to take in order to sustain order in their demanding worlds.
The majority of people dislike it when another person uses a parental tone with them, because it demonstrates authoritarian.

During the meeting with Sorrento, Wade decides to decline the compromises of IOI saying to Sorrento, “’I want you and your bosses to know something…You’re going to lose’” (Cline 145). Wade chooses not to help IOI because he knows there is nothing stopping IOI from killing him, and he will not allow them to choose what will happen with his life, in this case, death. Cline infers people should be confident in themselves, take the reins of their lives, and to not allow the opinions of others to influence their own opinions. Wade wants to regroup with the remainder of the original “high five” to gang up on Sorrento, and believes “I [he] was going to reach the Third Gate, or die trying” (266). Wade will not allow IOI to win Halliday’s Easter Egg and ruin the OASIS for the people. Wade is willing to sacrifice himself in the process of reaching the final gate because he truly cares about the original idea and purpose of the OASIS. Cline emphasizes the importance of standing up to higher superiors who work for evil to prevent the dangers of what could happen. Wade demonstrates bravery when he tells IOI that he does not belong to them, which is a likable trait also carried by John the

Savage.
Believing in one’s self is the key to happiness. Bernard writes to the Director informing him, “’The Savage...refuses to take soma and seems much distressed because of the woman Linda, his m---, remains permanently on holiday’” (Huxley 160). John refuses to take soma and go “on holiday” and will not allow his devotion towards Linda to cease even though the people in the new world talk about him behind his back. Huxley wants people to understand the significance of loving the important people in life, even if it is different from their morals. It is important to stay true to one’s self like John, but also to allow others to journey on their own paths. Lenina reveals her feelings to John, but he “...caught her by the wrists, tore her hands from his shoulders, thrust her roughly away at arm’s length” (194) denying her cultural ways. John will not agree with Lenina’s morals and sends her away because he cannot just be with her for simple pleasure. John knows that intimacy is not love. Huxley reminds people they do not need to not adapt a new culture. Following tradition is an ethical way to live, but in the process of learning and discovering new things, it is okay change and be different.
People make decisions every day, which typically are under the influence of the “hot new trends” of society. The OASIS encourages Wade and everyone in his world to hide their true identities and live in seclusion; but at the end of his journey, Wade makes his own decision to live his life and “had [has] absolutely no desire to log back into the OASIS” (Cline 372). Wade refuses to live his virtual life like the rest of society after he meets Samantha revealing his true self for all the world to know. Cline shows people that revealing one’s true self to the world can be good, and people should not feel the need to hide from the world. During his argument with the Director, John concludes with, “’But I don’t want comfort. I want God, I want poverty, I want real danger, I want freedom, I want goodness. I want sin’” (Huxley 240) indicating that he wants nothing to do with the civilized world and had no intention of conforming to their ways. There may be times where society influences in beneficial ways, but Huxley prompts people to make their own decisions and to live with the consequences that come with their decision. By making one’s own decisions, people will not live in an artificial way like in the new world.
Both Huxley and Cline tell readers to stay independent, make their own decisions, and not allow society to control their lives. Like Wade and John, people should believe in themselves and have confidence in their abilities instead of trying to be the perfect person according to societal standards. People should not feel pressured into following the trends of society because they felt the need to; they should strive to be their own person and be released from society’s pressure. Being popular, pretty, and rich are not the most important things in life, because a world full of perfections is artificial. On the other hand, a world full of imperfections displays more beautiful traits because it means the world is real and humans have feelings. If people hide their true forms today online or through drugs like soma, then the world they know now will soon be a horrific, troubled dystopian in the nearing future.