The Martian Friendship

If there's one thing you should learn from The Martian (besides the endless utility of duct tape), it's that friendship is one of the most powerful forces in the known universe. To put it simply, the Ares 3 mission goes all sorts of wrong, with classy botanist Mark Watney being left behind on Mars, thought to be dead. He's not dead.

Naturally, his crewmates become guilt-ridden over leaving their friend behind and have difficulty coping with the loss. Then opportunity strikes. Now, these five friends and shipmates have the chance to rescue their buddy from near-certain death. Do they succeed? You're just going to have to keep reading to find out.

Questions About Friendship

1. Why does Mark fit in so well with the Ares 3 crew?
2. What do Mark's emails to the crew say about his relationship with them as individuals?
3. Why does the Ares 3 crew return to Mars? Explain.
4. What makes Mark and Martinez' relationship unique?

Chew on This

When it's all boiled down, the Ares 3 crew returned to Mars for one reason alone—because Mark is their friend.

Although Mark has a good relationship with everyone on the Ares 3 crew, his relationship with Martinez is particularly deep.