Hard Work Saves the Day

Photo Courtesy from 20th Centuary Fox

Everyone encounters struggles and adversities in life. How do we overcome them? How do we carry on in the face of overwhelming odds? In Ridley Scott’s scenic and breathtaking movie, The Martian, Mark Watney, by his unyielding desire to live and his systematic approach to problem solving, shows us that to overcome trouble in our lives we must simply set to work. By the end of this action packed adventure, Watney teaches us a practical lesson that we can all apply to our lives.

The movie starts with Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon, an astronaut, who finds himself stranded on Mars. His comrades believe he is dead, he has no means of communication, and he only has enough food to last him about a year. Watney realizes the bleak truth: he has little to no chance of survival on the desolate surface of Mars. However, he stops and tells himself, “I’m not going to die here." At this pivotal moment, Watney takes control of his destiny and makes a conscious decision not to give up but to do everything he can to survive.

Watney then sets out to methodically solve each problem that stands between him and coming home. Instead of becoming depressed or angry, he channels that energy into creating ingenious solutions to his complex problems. He applies his knowledge of botany to begin growing plants, he devises a plan to restore communication with NASA again and he repairs and equips the land rover for travel. Even though more issues and setbacks arise, Watney is able to overcome them all due to his undying spirit and his pragmatic approach to adversity. Watney’s courage and confidence in the face of defeat is certainly admirable and is a good example for everyone to follow when faced with catastrophe.

I would definitely recommend going to see The Martian. The visuals of the Martian landscape are fantastic; they remind us that this Martian world actually exists as a real place untouched by human hands. Matt Damon’s performance is spectacular and in certain parts very humorous. Overall, The Martian is an entertaining and inspiring movie that teaches us that there is no problem that can’t be solved with some determination and hard work.