I would say, at the heart of Ready Player One, there is a tension between the post-appocalyptic dystopia of reality and the escapism in the digital universe. This is intertwined with warnings about corporate capitalism running amuck and the dangers this represents to the public good.
From the very beginning of the book, Wade lives his life in the virtual world (as do most people, given just how dystopic and miserable reality has become). The book proceeds to detail the unfolding race against time to determine who will gain control of the OASIS—a competition against corporate interests looking to seize control and monetize the technology.
However, it's notable that, throughout the book, Wade seeks to start a relationship with Art3mis, one of his allies/competitors within the context of that digital race. In the process, that relationship and that human connection itself becomes more significant and more real than the digital world, and through it, Wade (by the end of his journey) has rejected the misanthropy that characterized him at the beginning.
Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline, tells the story of a futuristic world in which there is ecological chaos, a lack of resources, and a culture that is obsessed with the technological opportunity to live inside of the OASIS, a virtual reality space to essentially live a second life. Indeed, that is exactly what most people in the novel do, including the main character, Wade Watts.
Ready Player One reads much like a classic monomyth, with a hero character setting off to conquer an obstacle. Wade Watts, our hero, is determined to win a prize by completing the series of tasks set up by the creator of the OASIS, James Halliday. Wade has to face multiple challenges in the path to his ultimate goal, and along the way he strengthens friendships he already had, forms new friendships, and also makes several enemies.
Multiple messages can be gleaned from this novel, but the primary theme seems to relate to the importance of building relationships that are set in reality. Since the OASIS is so integrated into the worldwide community, the novel reflects that some people carry on relationships, even get married, in the OASIS but never actually meet in person. Still others change their virtual appearances drastically to assume different persona than how they present in reality. Wade Watts illustrates both of these principles.
However, once Wade meets Art3mis through the OASIS, he begins to discover that the OASIS does not provide the depth in relationship that he is looking for. He sees that they must meet if they want to build a true and solid relationship. Another example of the importance of physical reality in terms of relationships can be seen at the end of the novel, when the final battle takes place. Ogden Morrow, the best friend of the late James Halliday, brings Wade and his friends together at his home to allow them physical closeness as they fight. This actual proximity symbolizes the unity that Wade and his friends have developed, which culminates in a physical reunion. A last example is the words of James Halliday himself when he tells Wade, "I created the OASIS because I never felt at home in the real world. I didn't know how to connect with the people there. I was afraid, for all of my life, right up until I knew it was ending. That was when I realized, as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it's also the only place where you can find true happiness. Because reality is real."
So, while Ready Player One is an interesting adventure story, it also contains a warning to readers about the potential dangers found in complete dedication to technology. Cline encourages readers to build relationships in actual, rather than virtual, reality. Indeed, at the very end of the book, when Wade is able to hold and kiss Art3mis, he explicitly thinks that he has no desire to log back into the OASIS, for the first time.
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