Man Versus the Natural World Quotes in The Martian

That's a tall order. Learning how to farm was an important step in the development of civilization, and now Mark is trying to make the leap all by himself. If he can do it, he'll be one step closer to taming this barren Martian wasteland.

At this point, Mark just wants to survive. Maybe the work he's doing now will set the stage for future human colonization of Mars, creating the guidebook that later explorers will follow. That would actually be pretty awesome. Still, Mark has no desire to stay on Mars any longer than he has to.

Mark never gets used to life on Mars. The Hab helps him stay sane, providing him a small connection with his life back on Earth, but even that is fleeting. Sooner or later, Mark is going to need to explore more of the Martian surface—that is, if he's up to the challenge.

Well, that didn't take long—it's only a matter of time until he starts making decrees. Still, he better not get too cocky. He might be winning the battle, but the war is still a'raging.

This must be simultaneously thrilling and terrifying. On one hand, it probably feels pretty cool, like he's breaking a Guinness World Record every day. On the other, Mark literally has no idea what could be waiting for him on the other side of that hill. Spoiler: it's probably Martians.

Nobody had any illusions about the Ares 3 mission. Mars is a dangerous place, and each crewmember needed to make peace with the possibility of not making it home alive.

He actually did it! Mark is feeling pretty good about life right now: creating the first Martian farm feels like slam dunking the ball in Mars' face. Now that's what you call a Space Jam.

And just like that, Mark is down a dozen points in the fourth quarter. Every time it looks like he's about to pull away with the victory, Mars pulls out a crazy trick play and takes the lead.

You're getting a little ahead of yourself on this one, Mark. Although you've done an admirable job surviving thus far, you've got to admit that you're fighting a losing battle—Mars is the god of war, after all. Your only hope is to run away before it's too late.

Mark must feel really weird to be leaving Mars. Although he hasn't had a great time during his stay, Mark has become used to his lifestyle there, no matter how bizarre it might be. That being said, we're still willing to bet he won't be back anytime soon.