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How Does Andy Weir Create Tension In The Martian

Decent Essays

“Six days into what should be the greatest two months of my life, and it’s turned into a nightmare” (Weir 1). The first scene of Andy Weir’s The Martian is fraught with tension, which is aptly summarized by its fourth sentence above (the three that precede it are sadly less than school-appropriate). Built up by the in media res opening, the ample indirect characterization, and the diary (or in this case log) format, Weir’s entry for Sol 6 provides information on the plot, subject, and therefore theme of the novel. Based on Watney’s practical resilience, his clear, humorous view of his situation, and the suspense of the day, much of the novel’s content can be predicted. Through these 3 things, Weir brings up the theme that persistence and a sense of humor can make a difference between life and death in times of crisis. …show more content…

He writes in his log: “Right at that moment I knew I was screwed. But I didn’t want to just die out on the surface. I limped back to the Hab and fumbled my way into an airlock … I knew it was hopeless, but I tried firing up the communications array,” (Weir 6). These actions, as well as the swift moves he takes to treat the injury that cost him a safe ascent with his crew, are the first indicators of his strong spirit. Even now, it is clear that this trait will be integral to his quest for survival. After all, without his tenacity and grit, he probably would “just die out [there]” like he feared (Weir 6). Since this trait will be so important to the plot of the novel, it follows that it will probably also feed into one of its major

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