Introduction
The Martian is among the greatest science fiction novels Andy Weir published on his website in 2011. The book attracted a significant audience appreciation, making it among the New York Times Best Sellers. Andy Weir’s lifelong interest in science fiction inspired him to write The Martian. The novel’s review also portrays that Weir conducted extensive research when writing the book to understand the attributes of orbital mechanics. In his narration, he analyzes the operations of NASA and the history and activities of space travel. Extensive research allowed Weir to understand the critical rules and policies that governed the spaceship. Weir’s narration of the planet Mars will enable readers to perceive the features of the planet. Literature critics have praised The Martian for its realistic premise and execution. The novel’s plot follows the survival adventures of Mark Watney, who struggles to survive alone on Mars after being abandoned by his crew in Hermes. The essay critically reviews the attributes that Weir incorporates in writing The Martian, including the third-person tone, symbolism through potatoes, and the themes of abandonment and patience.
Discussion
The Martian’s success is attributed to the critical themes, tones, and figurative language that Weir incorporates in the novel. Weir narrates the story in the first and third person. Most of the account is in the first person because fictional journal entries that Mark recorded during his experience on Mars inspired the book. Mark recounted the day’s experiences and documented them in the past tense to portray the tone of rest after a long day’s work. Weir composed the remaining novel sections in the third-person omniscient perspective. He employs a third-person technique to describe the activities on Earth and the Hermes spaceship. Despite being in a terrible situation, the author incorporated a lighthearted tone through a sense of humor and a sarcastic tone to portray Mark’s attitude. In Log entry SOL 61, Mark wonders, “How come Aquaman can control whales? They’re mammals! Makes no sense” (Weir 264). The author depicts that while everyone on Earth, including NASA, was worried about his rescue and survival plans, he kept his brain preoccupied to avoid thinking about his predicament. Humor allows the main character to focus on other things, such as watching the 70s television shows and music. Although The Martian is science fiction, the combination of first and third tonal variations makes the book realistic and exciting.
Andy Weir incorporated symbolic techniques in The Martian to make the narrative more interesting. Symbolism is the most prevalent style that the author employs in the science fiction novel. The author utilizes potatoes to symbolize Mark’s perseverance during his encounter on Mars. Mark exploits the potato as his primary source of food throughout his stay on Mars. He allows the potatoes to grow through a system of engineering and botany, portraying the themes of survival and perseverance. The hope of being rescued guides Mark’s persistence and allows him to endure the experiences of each day on a foreign planet. Mark shows his hope by saying, “If a hiker gets lost in the mountains, people will coordinate a search. If a train crashes, people will line up to give blood. If an earthquake levels a city, people worldwide will send emergency supplies” (Weir 304). Therefore, symbolism through potatoes plays a critical role in depicting the theme of hope, which influences our daily lives. Hope allows readers to relate to Mark’s experiences and emotions during his expedition and influences the belief that everything will be okay in the long run.
Weir incorporated the theme of abandonment in The Martian to show Mark’s predicament on Mars. Mark is left behind when Ares 3 aborts its mission. Abandonment is an emotional feeling that people develop when they are undesired. Mark thinks he is alone and everyone has given up on him. One of the NASA members asked his colleagues, “What kind of effect does that have on a man’s psychology? I wonder what he’s thinking right now” (Weir 267). Watney recognizes that the crew leaving Mark behind is necessary for the mission. Despite being abandoned on a foreign planet, Mark embraced his current dilemma and adjusted to the environment to survive. He remembers how his protective sheath is weak and how he is far from Earth. Mark uses a cloth, the Hab, and two rovers to protect himself from Martian elements. When Watney can communicate with NASA through the Pathfinder’s radio and Morse code, he feels connected to human life and becomes optimistic about his possible return home. However, the drill shorts the electrical systems, which damages the link between him and NASA, so Mark must do all he can without NASA’s advice and input. He feels isolated throughout the novel until Beck pulls him back into the Hermes, where he rejoins his crew members for their return voyage. The theme of abandonment allows Weir to create tension in his narration through Mark’s survival uncertainty. However, his rescue enables the novel to reinforce the theme of hope symbolized by the potatoes.
The theme of patience is also a primary idea that Weir illustrates in The Martian to show Mak’s character. Mark’s time on Mars needs a lot of foresight, patience, and planning before the Ares 3 trip happens. He is stranded on Martian soil because NASA takes years working out the technical information on deep space travel, from the biggest to minor issues. Mark does not ditch NASA’s stage-wise and careful planning when on Mars without his crew members. Mark states, “Either it’ll kill me, or it won’t. A lot of work went into making sure it didn’t break. If I can’t trust NASA, who can I trust? (For now, I’ll forget that NASA told us to bury it far away)” (Weir 296). The quote indicates Mark’s trust in NASA’s strategic plans to rescue him and allows him to focus on surviving while on Mars. Nonetheless, he relies on this process by approaching huge problems systematically and double-checking checks to avoid mistakes. Mark’s most vital qualities enable him to wake up every morning and keep chipping away at the massive challenge of making his way back to Earth from Mars. Therefore, Mark is patient because he spends nights and days waiting for NASA to rescue him.
Conclusion
The Martian attracted a positive reception and significant success because of the vital themes, tones, and figurative language the author incorporates in the novel. Abandonment is a central theme present in this book. Mark is left alone on Mars by his crew and has to survive the Martian elements. He survives on Mars for over 500 days as he waits to be rescued by NASA. His loneliness causes him to think about how far he is from the earth and how he has weak tools to protect him. The main character portrays the theme of patience through his ability to persevere until NASA rescues him. Mark is also intelligent because he uses all the planning taught by NASA to survive and manages to grow potatoes on Mars through bioengineering. To make the story realistic, Weir narrates Mark’s experiences in first and third-person tonal variations. He employs a third-person tone to describe the activities of Hermes and Earth. Also, the author incorporates figurative styles of symbolism through potato farming to show the hope that people have in life. Therefore, The Martian is a powerful science fiction novel that inspires readers to integrate attributes of patience and perseverance when facing life challenges.
Work Cited
Weir, Andy. The Martian. Random House, 2014.