ESCAPISM IN ERNEST CLINE’S NOVEL READY PLAYER ONE A THESIS BY MAUZA PERDANA LUBIS REG. NO. 140705104 DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2021 Universitas Sumatera Utara ESCAPISM IN ERNEST CLINE’S NOVEL READY PLAYER ONE A THESIS BY MAUZA PERDANA LUBIS REG. NO. 140705104 SUPERVISOR CO-SUPERVISOR Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum Riko A. R. Pohan, S.S, M.Hum NIP. 196302161989031003 NIP. 198406092015041001 Submitted to Faculty of Cultural Sciences University of Sumatera Utara Medan in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from Department of English DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH FACULTY OF CULTURAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA MEDAN 2021 Universitas Sumatera Utara Approved by the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Sciences University of Sumatera Utara (USU) Medan as thesis for The Sarjana Sastra Examination. Head, Secretary, Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, M.A., Ph.D. Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D. NIP. 19540916 198003 2 003 NIP. 19750209 200812 1 002 Universitas Sumatera Utara Accepted by the Board of Examiners in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Sarjana Sastra from the Department of English, Faculty of Cultural Sciences University of Sumatera Utara, Medan. The examination is held in Department of English Faculty of Cultural Sciences University of Sumatera Utara on March 31th, 2021 Dean of Faculty of Cultural Sciences University of Sumatera Utara Dr. Budi Agustono, M.S. NIP. 19600805 198703 1 001 Board of Examiners Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D. NIP. 19750209 200812 1 002 Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum. NIP. 196302161989031003 Dr. Siti Norma Nasution, M.Hum. NIP. 195707201983032001 Universitas Sumatera Utara AUTHOR’S DECLARATION I, MAUZA PERDANA LUBIS DECLARE THAT I AM THE SOLE AUTHOR OF THIS THESIS EXCEPT WHERE REFERENCE IS MADE IN THE TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS CONTAINS NO MATERIAL PUBLISHED ELSEWHERE OR EXTRACTED IN WHOLE OR IN PART FROM A THESIS BY WHICH I HAVE QUALIFIED FOR OR AWARDED ANOTHER DEGREE. NO OTHER PERSON’S WORK HAS BEEN USED WITHOUT DUE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IN THE MAIN TEXT OF THIS THESIS. THIS THESIS HAS NOT BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THE AWARD OF ANOTHER DEGREE IN ANY TERTIARY EDUCATION. Signed : Date : April 20th, 2021 i Universitas Sumatera Utara COPYRIGHT DECLARATION NAME : MAUZA PERDANA LUBIS TITLE OF THESIS : ESCAPISM IN ERNEST CLINE’S NOVEL READY PLAYER ONE QUALIFICATION : S1/SARJANA SASTRA DEPARTMENT : ENGLISH I AM WILLING THAT MY THESIS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR REPRODUCTION AT THE DISCRETION OF THE LIBRARIAN OF DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH, FACULTY OF CULTURAL STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SUMATERA UTARA ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT USERS ARE MADE AWARE OF THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE LAW OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA. Signed : Date : April 20th, 2021 ii Universitas Sumatera Utara LIST OF TERMS Avatar : a picture on a computer screen that represents a particular computer user, especially one of several users who are having a conversation with each other on the internet Buzzard : any of several birds of prey of the genus Buteo and, in North America, various New World vultures (family Cathartidae), especially the turkey vulture (Cathartes aura). Similarly, in Australia a large hawk of the genus Hamirostra is called a black-breasted buzzard. In North America, Buteo species are called buteos, buzzard hawks, or simply hawks. MTFBWYA : May The Force Be With You All OASIS : Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation) is a MMOSG (massively multiplayer online simulation game) created by James Halliday and Ogden Morrow of Gregarious Simulation Systems OPS :OASIS Public School Virtual Reality : a computer-generated simulation in which a person can interact within an artificial three-dimensional environment using electronic devices, such as special goggles with a screen or gloves fitted with sensors. iii Universitas Sumatera Utara ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Bismillahirrahmanirrahim, first and foremost, I thank Allah SWT for giving me endless blessings through everything in my life. I also thank to Prophet Muhammad SAW who has already brought this world far away from the darkness into the better world—one of them, through education, that helping me to finish my bachelor degree in English Department, Faculty of Cultural Sciences, in University of Sumatera Utara. I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Budi Agustono, M.S. as the Dean of Faculty of Cultural Studies in University of Sumatera Utara, Prof. T. Silvana Sinar, M.A., Ph.D as the head of English Department, Rahmadsyah Rangkuti, M.A., Ph.D as the secretary of English Department, also all academics and administrative staffs for their helps during my study. Not to be forgotten as well for all lecturers that have taught me in this department. My sincere and special gratitude I would really like to deliver to my supervisor, Drs. Parlindungan Purba, M.Hum., and also my co-supervisor Riko Andika Rahmat Pohan, S.S., M.Hum.Both my supervisor and co-supervisor have helped me by giving great advice, suggestions, kindness, and everything they have taught me in finishing this thesis. I have been so thankful to Allah SWT to have great supervisors who really help and support me in finishing this thesis. My greatest love and gratitude I would really like to express to my parents; Darwizal Parlaungan Lubis, S.H. and Dr. Nadra Ideyani Vita , M.Si. for their unconditional love toward me. Thank you for the support and understanding iv Universitas Sumatera Utara regarding my thesis, always asking about my thesis development, really understand when I have to be in the zone while working on my thesis and cannot be asked to do your favor for the sake of my thesis. I really thank you for all your advice, love, suggestions, and supports to your one and only son. For my one and only younger sister; Agiza Putri Lubis—thank you for understanding how to handle your brother at the time where he need you the most and lending him your spot in the house for finishing his thesis, thank you for sending me all your good prayers. Thank you for being my greatest support system so I can stand as Oja now, much better from before. To all my beloved colleagues in Sasing B 2014, especially Ananda R Jutawan, Hammad Zikri Nasution, Ibnu Annafi, Rizka Maulina, Prianto Zola S., Syarbain Mirza S., Yohanna Augustina Anne You guys have been the closest one to witness the process of me finishing this thesis, you guys have kept me sane at the time where things have been rough and I am close to giving up. , and every single student in the class, thank you for our precious time and moments that we have shared together, See you on top, pals. I do hope we could still get in touch .I would also like to express my gratitude to my faraway friend, Claudia Farisa Adni for her support. Thank you for being a friend that I always can rely on. Your helps really means a lot for me. Hope our friendship can be everlasting despite the distance that separate us. To my closest circle to share all my thoughts, ideas and joyness, Pencari Jati Diri – Jacky, Ryan,and Sani, I would really thank you for all your supports, advice, laugh that we have shared together. You guys have helped keeping me v Universitas Sumatera Utara staying on the track of finishing my thesis no matter what I complain about having difficulties in finishing my study. You guys being there where I have finished my thesis defence at the time where I thought nobody would celebrate the event especially in this pandemic time – you guys are so amazing I cannot thank more, I am glad to be part of this train of life with you guys. To my senior, Bang Daniel Morris—thank you for keeping your promise to help me from the very first step of doing draft proposal, an. All your helps mean a lot for me. To all my XLFL Batch 4 Medan Class, especially Deedee, Engel, Putra, Robert, Dinda, and others—thank you for all your supports and motivation, may we meet someday when we’ve become what we wanted and share all our journey as a fun and intimate talk. All moments and time we have shared together really impacted me positively in making this thesis, especially SMARTER Goal. And other friends that I cannot put all your names here—thank you for all your supports. It really means a lot in this time for working on this thesis. In completing this thesis, I realize this thesis is far from perfection as such a saying ‘There’s nothing is perfect’. Therefore, suggestions and critics are needed. Hopefully this thesis may be beneficial for the targetted readers or researchers in the future ahead. May God always bless us. Aaamiin ya rabbal alaamiin. Alhamdulillahirabbilalaamiin. Medan, 20th April 2021 Mauza Perdana Lubis Reg. No. 140705104 vi Universitas Sumatera Utara ABSTRACT This thesis entitled Escapism in Ernest Cline’s Novel Ready Player One. This thesis contains an analysis of escapism in literary work which is a novel. The novel setting in Columbus, Ohio. United State of America on 2045 where the earth is a bleak place: people are overcrowded and unemployed, and all places everywhere seems to suffering from an energy shortage.. The aim of this thesis are (i) to explain the characteristics that influenced escapism in Ready Player One and (ii) to analyze the impact of escapism in Ready Player One. The writer uses psychology of literature as the main theory, and some references that related to escapism in analyzing the problems. In completing the analysis, the writer used qualitative descriptive method. The writer collects the data from some sources included Ready Player One novel, journals, articles, websites, and books which related to escapism.