Who Is Mark Watneys Character

Lit Circle 2

In the novel The Martian by Andy Weir, Mark Watney shows us how a simple and static character can prove to be an interesting protagonist. His excellent problem solving ability, witty humour and persistent attitude make him a very likeable and relatable character to many. Mark’s unique traits combined with his can do outlook make his survival chances on Mars exponentially higher. In class we discussed the idea of character development in The Martian; however, our group focussed more on the lack of character development in The Martian. Although, as the novel progresses Watney does begin to realize how isolated he truly is from the people on Earth. Mark begins to show how the isolation is truly getting to him when he says “I’d
Although Mark Watneys character in The Martian is not plausible due to unrealistic circumstances his traits and the decisions he makes are highly plausible. Mark has a background in mechanical engineering and in botany. This tells us that his ability to fix problems in the HAB (Marks home on Mars) that may cause others death is extremely probable, as well as his ability to maintain a sustainable potato farm to increase chance of survival. Even though some of the coincidences seem to be a little bit unlikely Watneys character is mostly plausible. Another reason Mark is extremely likeable is due to his relatable character traits. Marks sense of humour, intuitiveness, and fear of isolation are all very common traits among people. I cannot relate to his situation but, I can relate to Marks fear of isolation and I believe many people can. Marks plausibility, relatability and fascinating traits make him a great protagonist.
Overall Mark Watneys traits, development and plausibility make The Martian a very enjoyable read. Watneys likeable personality and quick thinking make him an extremely character to read about and allow the reader to enjoy his unexpected surprises on