Mark Watney is the main character of The Martian, an intelligent and well-trained astronaut who while on a mission to Mars, is left stranded there, with basic supplies and a very vague hope of rescue. The readers follow Mark in his quest for survival, seeing through his eyes and living the experience at the same time as he. Mark reveals himself through his constant, detailed log entries, showing that he is an incredibly resourceful and self-reliant man, with a problem-solving mindset that allows him to surpass any encountered obstacle. His position as the single human being on an entire planet leaves him almost unscarred, and he adopts from the first moments a proactive attitude that will be maintained until the last moments on Mars. His optimism is almost hard to believe, considering all the menaces he has to face and all the incidents that he gets himself caught into. Life is tenacious, as Mark himself notices, and his great sense of humor and strong will compel him to treasure his life and to protect it against all odds. At the beginning of the novel, Mark Watney describes himself as an average nerd, with a training in biology and mechanical engineering that makes him an important addition to the Ares 3 crew, yet not an irreplaceable member. Dr. Irene, nevertheless, points out that Mark was unaware of the benefits his presence brought to the crew. His humor and positivity, his jokes that matched any situation, as difficult as it would become, made him an invaluable