Ready Player One Chapter 16 Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
(Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote 1
I made a silent vow not to go outside again until I had completed my quest. I would abandon the real world altogether until I found the egg. (16.28)
Not that Wade was exactly an upstanding member of society to begin with, and his never going outside again doesn't really mean anything because he never went outside in the first place. What this shows is his extreme devotion to the quest.
Quote 2
The view was perpetually bleak, and each decaying, overcrowded city we rolled through looked just like the last. (16.23)
This statement shows us that it's not just Wade's hometown of Oklahoma City that's a dump. Every place is experiencing the same crippling problems. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what we call a dystopia.
Quote 3
I wouldn't have to be paranoid about [IOI] monitoring my connection or trying to trace my location. I would be safe. (16.21)
Home is a fast internet connection. No, this isn't just advertising propaganda for your local ISP. When Wade's home is online, it's important to have a fast, safe connection so that his avatar doesn't get any glitches.
Quote 4
All I had to do was to get to my new apartment, set up my rig, and log back into the OASIS. [...] I would be back in familiar surroundings. I would be safe. (16.26)
Once again, Wade uses the "safe" word. Even though his apartment is basically an impenetrable fortress with an airlock, he still only feels safe inside the OASIS. He's at home there.