At times of their life, humans naturally feel isolated and closed off from the world. During such times, isolation can cause humans to transform, experiencing changes in personality or attitude, usually for the worst. This type of isolation, however, is a novelty compared to the what astronaut Mark Watney underwent when he was abandoned on Mars, fifty million kilometers away from the nest human, in the novel The Martian by Andy Weir. After the HAB, the astronauts’ base in which they can maneuver without their spacesuits and Watney’s only sanctuary, explodes, Watney loses his ability to communicate with NASA and thus loses all contact with other living beings. With no hope of survival, Watney is forced to face the reality of never getting back
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Watney became elated when he and NASA had established a connection, formulating a rescue plan once they came into contact. However when the HAB blew up, he felt trivial and unnecessary as the harsh, cruel terrain of Mars devoured his sanctuary. Recovering from the blast, Watney realized: “I never realized how utterly silent Mars is. It’s a desert world with practically no atmosphere to convey sound. I could hear my own heartbeat” (167). In this quote, the author Andy Weir creates a shift in Watney’s speech style, causing a sobering-like effect contrary to his usual upbeat wittiness seen in the length of the novel. Weir’s usage of a structural change in Watney’s tone occurs as his emotional landscape goes awry as he realizes the implications of losing the HAB, and has to grapple with being isolated, knowing that he may never be able to re-establish a connection with NASA. Back on Earth, the director of NASA, Teddy Sanders, contemplates about Watney’s psychological status after the HAB explodes: “If he’s [Watney’s] lost hope, he won’t care about survival” (173). Weir places Sanders’s tone in a state of questioning. Sanders’s knows Watney is in a perilous situation and that he could spiral downwards, losing his chance of rescue if he allows isolation and its fear take hold …show more content…
Through Watney’s time as a member of the Ares 3 Mission, isolation and eventual reunion with his crew, Andy Weir attempted to communicate the power struggle that the effects of isolation and a person's mind face when he or she is put into isolation. Successfully winning the battle and coming relatively unscathed, Mark Watney exemplifies self-regulation, which enables Watney to stay rational, keeping himself emotionally reliable during times of peril. Self regulation is the key for everyone to stay calm during unrest in any moment in their life and stay in
Watney became elated when he and NASA had established a connection, formulating a rescue plan once they came into contact. However when the HAB blew up, he felt trivial and unnecessary as the harsh, cruel terrain of Mars devoured his sanctuary. Recovering from the blast, Watney realized: “I never realized how utterly silent Mars is. It’s a desert world with practically no atmosphere to convey sound. I could hear my own heartbeat” (167). In this quote, the author Andy Weir creates a shift in Watney’s speech style, causing a sobering-like effect contrary to his usual upbeat wittiness seen in the length of the novel. Weir’s usage of a structural change in Watney’s tone occurs as his emotional landscape goes awry as he realizes the implications of losing the HAB, and has to grapple with being isolated, knowing that he may never be able to re-establish a connection with NASA. Back on Earth, the director of NASA, Teddy Sanders, contemplates about Watney’s psychological status after the HAB explodes: “If he’s [Watney’s] lost hope, he won’t care about survival” (173). Weir places Sanders’s tone in a state of questioning. Sanders’s knows Watney is in a perilous situation and that he could spiral downwards, losing his chance of rescue if he allows isolation and its fear take hold …show more content…
Through Watney’s time as a member of the Ares 3 Mission, isolation and eventual reunion with his crew, Andy Weir attempted to communicate the power struggle that the effects of isolation and a person's mind face when he or she is put into isolation. Successfully winning the battle and coming relatively unscathed, Mark Watney exemplifies self-regulation, which enables Watney to stay rational, keeping himself emotionally reliable during times of peril. Self regulation is the key for everyone to stay calm during unrest in any moment in their life and stay in