The Martian by Andy Weir is science fiction. The story takes place in the not-so-distant future. Humans can use artificial rockets to send astronauts to Mars to have a more comprehensive understanding of Mars. It will also be a great help to NASA's Mars immigration plan in the future. In this book, we not only read the vivid and exciting plot but also be inspired by astronaut Mark Watney's persistence and the spirit of not giving up. 

       The Martian is about astronaut Mark Watney living on Mars for years. Mark Watney and the other five crew members were on a NASA Mars mission. While they were sampling Martian soil, they encountered a Martian storm. Visibility after this storm was zero. The crew believed astronaut Mark Watney died when he was struck by debris. As a result, the NASA crew returned to Earth without Mark. He established shelter on Mars, doing all he could to survive. One could only imagine the hardships Mark faced abandoned on Mars without planning. Mark relied on his training as a botanist to successfully grow potatoes on Mars. After a while, NASA finally found out that Mark Watney was still alive and successfully contacted him. NASA teamed up with CNSA to launch an international Mars rescue. For that long time, Mark Watney had been under a lot of pressure. He was devastated when he knew that all his hard-grown potatoes had frozen to death because of a pressure imbalance. But in the meantime, he remained as optimistic as he could while waiting for an international rescue. 

       On a “desolate red planet” that lies 54.6 million kilometers away from the Earth, Mark never gave up nor succumbed to the harsh conditions. Mark relied on music and dancing to ease his tension. “Everyone got to bring whatever digital entertainment they wanted, and I was tired of listening to Johanssen’s Beatles albums for now. Time to see what Lewis had. Crappy TV shows.” (Weir, P22) Mark’s positive attitude is a crucial lesson for us as we face our challenges and problems. His attitude gave NASA much confidence. Because of this, NASA could prepare the rescue plan well. Therefore, Mark’s great attitude gave him an excellent opportunity to return home. 

       It is not only because of Mark's positive attitude allowing him to return home. His determination and confidence in believing he would make it home helped him survive. Despite the immense effort, Mark wants to return home safely. This firm belief is an essential factor in Mark's survival. “Anyway, my ribs hurt like hell, my vision is still blurry from acceleration sickness,” (Weir, P369). Nevertheless, Mark’s strength, desire to live, and confidence enabled him to survive. 

       Another factor allowing Mark to return to the Earth safely is his flexibility and adaptability. The Mars environment, unsuitable for human life, tested Mark’s resourcefulness and critical thinking. We rely on the presence of oxygen, various foods, and health and medical advice on the Earth. Therefore, the fear which could have crippled Mark is real. However, despite the condition, Mark prevailed due to his flexibility and ability to adapt. Mark used his prior knowledge and survival training to solve problems. For example, Mark treated his medical ailments and grew potatoes in the absence of water. Mark used chemical knowledge to make water. “In the Hab, I have the oxygenator, a large piece of equipment that breaks apart CO2 to give the oxygen back.” (Weir, P5) The survival skills and ability to remain calm under extreme conditions saved Mark’s life. Although NASA sent a rescue mission, Mark, in all definitions, saved himself. 

       This book not only describes an astronaut’s struggle to survive yet also about the heroic effort NASA made to rescue Mark Watney. NASA executed an impressive rescue mission to bring Mark home. “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 all over the world will send emergency supplies. This is so fundamentally human that it’s found in every culture without exception. Yes, there are a**holes who just don’t care, but they’re massively outnumbered by the people who do. And because of that, I had billions of people on my side.” (Weir, P369) This sentence sums up the basic human reaction to lend a hand and assist others in need. Providing care is the foundation of human nature. Even in hardship, human nature can be a silver lining.