Format: Novel
Released: 2011
Written By: Ernest Cline
Run Time: 39 Chapters
Character: Wade “Parzival” Watts
Plot summary of the 2011 novel Ready Player One continues below…
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Ready Player One: Story Structure Analysis
DRAMATIC PHASE ONE: THE SETUP
All of the main characters are introduced. The story world and its mechanics are established. Foundations are laid for the main throughline, subplots and central conflict.
ACT ONE: DEALING WITH AN IMPERFECT SITUATION
A character in an Imperfect Situation faces Oppressive Opposition as he pursues an Initial Goal. But when there is a Disturbance to his routine, he faces a Dilemma regarding his situation, and must assume a New Role.
Wade Watts is a poor orphan (the imperfect situation) who lives with his mean aunt (oppressive opposition) while trying to find the first key in the OASIS (initial goal). But when Wade figures out where the key is located (the disturbance) he overcomes the tests to get the key (the dilemma) and becomes the first user to clear the first gate (the new role).
The Imperfect Situation: Wade Watts is a poor orphan. He lives with his mean aunt and 2 other families in a double wide trailer in The Stack, a housing project made of stacked up trailers.
Initial Goal: Find the Copper Key in the Tomb of Horrors.
Oppressive Opposition: Wade’s Aunt Alice hates him and steals anything he has of value to pawn. Civilization is in collapse. He’s virtually bullied at virtual school for being actual poor.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Disturbance: Chapter 7 – Pondering the line “much to learn” in his Latin class leads him to an epiphany. He realizes the Tomb of Horrors is hidden on his school planet Ludus, which is latin for school. Wade pulls up the map of the planet next to the Tomb of Horrors module and finds a spot on Ludus that matches the game. He gets a ticket to a football game at a school nearby to cover the teleportation and goes to the tomb.
Turning Point One – The Dilemma: Start Time: Chapters 8 through 11 – Wade makes it through the Tomb of Horrors and defeats the demi-lich at Joust. Afterward he meets Art3mis, his cyber crush who tells him whoever finds the key first will become famous, before realizing he already obtained the key. He considers waiting to go to the gate until the next day, but decides against it. He finds the first gate and plays through WarGames, obtaining the next clue for the Jade Key.
The New Role: Wade goes from being a nobody to the most famous Gunter in the world.
Act Run Time: Chapters 1 through 11 (11 of 39 Chapters – 28.2%)
ACT TWO: LEARNING THE RULES OF AN UNFAMILIAR SITUATION
The character Learns the Rules of an Unfamiliar Situation and faces Incidental Opposition in pursuit of a Transitional Goal. But when he receives a Reality Check, he makes a Commitment to his New Role.
Act Start Time: After 11 of 39 Chapters (28.2%)
Wade’s avatar is now famous (the unfamiliar situation) and is targeted by the Sixers (incidental opposition) as he tries to figure out the second riddle to find the next gate (transitional goal). But when the Sixers reveal they know his true identity and try to kill him (the reality check) Wade buys a fake identity and relocates to Columbus (the commitment).
The Unfamiliar Situation: Parzival is now famous.
Transitional Goal: Figure out the second riddle and clear the second gate.
Incidental Opposition: I-r0k attempts to blackmail Wade and Aech into telling where the key is. When they refuse he reveals personal information about them, prompting two more Gunters Daito and Shoto to open the gate. Sorrento tries to have Wade killed.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Reality Check: Wade meets Sorrento via chatlink. Sorrento first offers him a lucrative position at IOI, then 5 million dollars just for instructions on clearing the first gate. When Wade refuses both, Sorrento reveals he knows Wade’s true identity and where he lives, and has wired his stack with explosives. Wade calls his bluff and logs out, but minutes later the stacks explode killing untold numbers.
Turning Point Two – The Commitment: Start Time: Chapter 16 (%) – Hours after the Sixers arrive at Ludus, the remaining spots on the scoreboard fill up with their numbers. Ludus is evacuated while the Gunters and Sixers duke it out, both sides farming copies of the Key. Wade buys a one way ticket to Columbus and leaves his hideout for good. En route he creates a new identity and rents an apartment. When he arrives, he vows to not go outside again until he completes his quest, abandoning the real world until he finds the egg.
Act Run Time: Chapters 12 through 16 (5 of 39 Chapters – 12.8%)
DRAMATIC PHASE TWO: CONFRONTATION
The character is thrown in the middle of the Central Conflict and is placed at direct odds with the forces of antagonism. He undergoes a series of successes and failures as he works toward resolving the main throughline.
ACT THREE: STUMBLING INTO THE CENTRAL CONFLICT
The character stumbles into the Central Conflict and faces Intentional Opposition in pursuit of a False Goal. But when there is a grave Turn of events, he has a Moment of Truth.
Act Start Time: After 16 of 39 Chapters (41%)
Wade and the Gunters face off with the Sixers (the central conflict) who try to have them killed (intentional opposition) before they can find and clear the second gate (false goal). But when the Sixers crash Morrow’s birthday party immediately after Art3mis breaks up with Wade (the turn) he goes into a depression while she ultimately finds the next key (the moment of truth).
The Central Conflict: Wade and the Gunters vs. Sorrento and the Sixers
False Goal: Find and clear the second gate. Have a relationship with Art3mis.
Intentional Opposition: Sorrento tries to have Wade and Art3mis killed at Morrow’s birthday party. Art3mis beats Wade to the second key and gate.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Turn: The Sixers crash Morrow’s birthday party immediately after Art3mis breaks up with Wade.
Turning Point Three – The Moment of Truth: Start Time: Chapter 21 (%) – Art3mis finds the Copper Key and clears the second gate. Wade resolves to find it as well.
Act Run Time: Chapters 17 through 21 (5 of 39 Chapters – 12.8%)
ACT FOUR: IMPLEMENTING A DOOMED PLAN
The character implements a Doomed Plan and faces Self-Inflicted Opposition in pursuit of a Penultimate Goal. But when an unthinkable Lowpoint occurs, he pulls himself together and discovers a Newfound Resolve.
Act Start Time: After 21 of 39 Chapters (53.8%)
The Sixers take the lead in the contest (the doomed plan) due to Wade having been distracted (self-inflicted opposition) and not focused on beating the Sixers to the gate (penultimate goal). But when the Sixers find the final Crystal Key (the lowpoint) Wade figures out a way to take down their force field (the newfound resolve).
The Doomed Plan: The Gunters fail to reach the third gate before the Sixers
Penultimate Goal: Beat the Sixers to the third gate.
Self-Inflicted Opposition: Wade’s distraction with Art3mis causes the Sixers to take the lead.
Turning Point Catalyst – The Lowpoint: The High Five are pushed out of the top ten by the Sixers. Two days later, Sorrento finds the Crystal key. Wade gets a call and visit from Shoto and learns Sorrento had Daito killed in real life.
Turning Point Four – The Newfound Resolve: Start Time: Chapter 26 (%) – Wade figures out the final clue and where the Crystal Key is located. When he learns the Sixers have erected an impenetrable force field around Anorak’s Castle, Wade comes up with an idea to bring the force field down.
Act Run Time: Chapters 22 through 28 (7 of 39 Chapters – 17.9%)
DRAMATIC PHASE THREE: RESOLUTION
The character engages in a final confrontation with the forces of antagonism to resolve the Central Conflict. The main throughline and all additional subplots are resolved. The new status quo is established.
ACT FIVE: TRYING A LONGSHOT
The character tries a Longshot and faces Ultimate Opposition while trying to accomplish the Ultimate Goal. But just when it seems All is Lost, he makes a Final Push against the forces of antagonism and either succeeds or fails.
Act Start Time: After 27 of 39 Chapters (69.2%)
Wade infiltrates IOI headquarters as an indent (the longshot) and risks being captured and killed (ultimate opposition) while trying out the Sixers forcefield and beat them to the egg (ultimate goal). But when the Sixers detonate the Cataclysm killing every avatar in the Sector and Wade is saved by the extra life quarter he won on Archaide (all is lost) He enters the Crystal Gate and plays through Halladay’s final challenges (the final push).
The Longshot: Wade infiltrates IOI headquarters as an indentured employee to hack their system
Ultimate Goal: Take out the Sixers’ forcefield and go through the third gate to win Halladay’s egg.
Ultimate Opposition: Wade has to go into IOI’s headquarters to access their intranet. The battle Chthonia becomes the greatest video game battle in history. Wade must make it through the third gate with Sorrento hot on his heels.
Turning Point Catalyst – All is Lost: The Sixers detonate the Cataclysm killing every avatar in the Sector. Wade is saved by the extra life quarter he won on Archaide.
Turning Point Five – The Final Push: Start Time: Chapter 37 (%) – Wade enters the third gate and plays through Tempest and Monty Python and the Holy Grail before being transported into a recreation of Halladay’s office. He figures out how to start the only working computer with the password Leucosia, then plays through Adventure on the Atari 2600 to reach the secret room. There he finds the egg and retrieves it. A gate opens and he steps through into a reconstructed Castle Anorak. In Anorak’s study he is greeted by Anorak who tells him he has won. Halladay makes him immortal and omnipotent, shows him the off button for the OASIS, and tells him the only place to find true happiness is in the real world before disappearing. Wade kills the remaining Sixers and resurrects his friends. Sorrento is arrested for murder.
Act Run Time: Chapters 28 through 38 (11 of 39 Chapters – 28.2%)
ACT SIX: LIVING IN A NEW SITUATION
Having accomplished (or failed to have accomplished) the Ultimate Goal, the character is shown living in a New Situation.
Act Start Time: After 38 of 39 Chapters (97.4%)
The New Situation: Wade now owns the OASIS and is a billionaire. He and Art3mis reconcile and kiss, and Wade realizes he has no desire to log back into the OASIS.
Act Run Time: 1 of 39 Chapters (2.5%)
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What is his New Role in Act two? How would you describe what an “Act” is? I am a beginner writer and your information has been more useful than the thousands I’ve gone through in the past months. Thanks!
Thanks for reaching out and I’m glad you’ve found the website useful. Wade’s goes from his Old Role of being a nobody to his New Role of the most famous Gunter in the world after clearing the first gate. In the Six Act paradigm, an Act is defined as “the process of a character taking action to achieve a goal”. There are six universal actions inherent to modern storytelling, and thus Six Acts. My book The Story Structure Secret: Actions and Goals goes into much greater detail explaining the Six Acts and their components. If you really want to expand your understanding of story it’s definitely where to start! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MRL10N3