Mark Watney Character Analysis

Audiences have always been attracted to survival stories. We have hundreds of years of literature on this topic. What is it that draws us to these stories of life and death? Desert island or distant planet, people are captivated by those who have survived against all odds. Perhaps it gives perspective to one’s own life. The character’s ability to engage the audience and garner support from them is crucial. To resonate with the audience, the character should be relatable and must survive. Mark Watney does both, therefore, his story is popular in the media in both the novel and in real life. What makes the survival story so popular? Is it the situation or the character that fascinates the audience? In the case of The Martian, the situation that Mark Watney is in is extreme. The situation is what initially draws the reader in. Being deserted on a distant planet is the ultimate survival story. Watney’s ability to relate to the …show more content…
Throughout the book, the main component of his actions is his ability to problem solve. When he realized that he did not have enough food for the approximate four years he planned to be there, he solved that problem by planting potatoes. When he had the Hab’s airlock exploded, he figured out a solution. All his achievements and successes were reliant on his problem-solving capabilities. To stay alive, he had to be able to solve problems when faced with specific challenges. This suggests that the audience has more in common with Watney than they might have originally perceived. Many readers, upon examining Watney’s triumphs, conclude that if they were stranded on Mars, they could never survive. However, Mark Watney is not the only one who faces challenges. Problem-solving is a factor of everyday life, for everyone. The survival motif in literature goes to the extreme, putting characters in situations that are highly uncommon, and when they survive, it is considered