Imagine spending months alone on a planet with no other human beings or physical contact. The issues around this concept and its corresponding themes, including isolation, survival and the role of science can be explored in connection to a change in setting. Written in 2011 The Martian is a science fiction novel written by Andy Weir. It follows the survival story of Mark Watney, an astronaut left behind on Mars, after his mission was aborted. In comparison Moon, a film released in 2000 by director Duncan Jones explores chosen isolation through the astronaut Sam Bell completing a three year job overseeing the mining of helium on the Moon. Similar themes are explored within both of these texts but through two completely different characters and
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Several of these are similar and are accompanied with living on a surface other than Earth. For example Mark is faced with the issue of growing food on an uninhabitable planet – So I have two problems; not enough dirt, and nothing edible to plant in it’ (pg. 12). Sam does not have this issue but is confronted with the imminent decline of his health. The setting in which these issues occur in greatly impact how they are solved. Survival is a significant theme within both texts as it provides the audience with something to be their hope into. In a storyline where there are limited characters there are no human antagonists that provide a threat to the main characters; this position is filled by any natural threat against the characters survival. The Martian approaches survival as a straightforward process, if enough problems are solved survival will occur. Mark is confronted by a number of threats to his survival which he solves consecutively; this creates an easy to follow plot with a focus on surviving those issues. On the other hand Sam is dealt numerous problems at once, some of which cannot be solved, for example his health as he is unaware of what is causing its decline. The audience are also unsure of where the plot will lead and the nature of these threats; causing an unstable and unpredictable …show more content…
Without science the survival of the characters and their isolation would not provide the audience with enough concepts to make a connection to. When exploring settings in which the audience can only see as speculative it is important to provide some aspect of reality, this is the role of science within Moon and The Martian. Successful use of science and scientific justification provides the audience with the belief that these situations and problems could become reality. Within The Martian each problem and solution are justified with scientific background, for example the creation of water through the burning of hydrazine for hydrogen and the collection of oxygen gas through the separation of carbon dioxide. The science behind Moon is more theoretical and includes a few questionable scientific concepts but due to the fact that humanity has already landed on the Moon the connection to reality does not need to be as strong. Science makes the storylines more believable and enjoyable and adds to the audience’s experience of the
Several of these are similar and are accompanied with living on a surface other than Earth. For example Mark is faced with the issue of growing food on an uninhabitable planet – So I have two problems; not enough dirt, and nothing edible to plant in it’ (pg. 12). Sam does not have this issue but is confronted with the imminent decline of his health. The setting in which these issues occur in greatly impact how they are solved. Survival is a significant theme within both texts as it provides the audience with something to be their hope into. In a storyline where there are limited characters there are no human antagonists that provide a threat to the main characters; this position is filled by any natural threat against the characters survival. The Martian approaches survival as a straightforward process, if enough problems are solved survival will occur. Mark is confronted by a number of threats to his survival which he solves consecutively; this creates an easy to follow plot with a focus on surviving those issues. On the other hand Sam is dealt numerous problems at once, some of which cannot be solved, for example his health as he is unaware of what is causing its decline. The audience are also unsure of where the plot will lead and the nature of these threats; causing an unstable and unpredictable …show more content…
Without science the survival of the characters and their isolation would not provide the audience with enough concepts to make a connection to. When exploring settings in which the audience can only see as speculative it is important to provide some aspect of reality, this is the role of science within Moon and The Martian. Successful use of science and scientific justification provides the audience with the belief that these situations and problems could become reality. Within The Martian each problem and solution are justified with scientific background, for example the creation of water through the burning of hydrazine for hydrogen and the collection of oxygen gas through the separation of carbon dioxide. The science behind Moon is more theoretical and includes a few questionable scientific concepts but due to the fact that humanity has already landed on the Moon the connection to reality does not need to be as strong. Science makes the storylines more believable and enjoyable and adds to the audience’s experience of the