The Martian: Mark Watney A Brief Psych Evaluation - Pre Mars

Pre Mars Evaluation:

Watney is a man fit for the job. Not only does he posess a strong mind and body, but he also possess a sharp wit. Watney is what we would refer to as the class clown. His inner city upbringing and parental influence have left with a knack for humor and comedic timing. Rather than respond with anger or lash out with an insult, he’s quick to quip about the size of ones mother. While offensive to some, the type of person that has the moxi to survive a trip to mars will typically find this sort of insult funny. As such, Mark is a sure fit for the the mission crew. This type of personality will be good for deflecting a hostile situation.

His mouth may get him in trouble too though. The jokes persist in the happy times as well, and such quips are not always welcome during a serious crisis or moment where focus is required. While Watney himself would be well suited to dealing with another like him, the rest of the hermes crew may find him annoying. The mission commander should be sure to keep him in check.

The humor has other benefits as well. He generally has a higher moral in pressure situations, and allows him an avenue to blow off steam even when it doesn’t seem reasonable to be able to do so. In fact, I might go so far as to say that he has a child like attitude when it comes to dealing crisis and stress situations. He tends to give the negative aspects in his life personality traits. Much like what we do with a child when we ask them if the pavement hurt them after they fell down.

His sarcasm behaves in much the same way. It is a defense mechanism that allows him to essentually blow of extreme adversity/negativity. Few can boast such a strong ability to make a snarky remark and then continue working on the piece of equipment that just hurt them. Mark can though, and that ability will serve him well on the harsh martian environment.

All in all, Mark Watney’s personality is strong and stable. Not many are more better suited to a deep space mission in close quarters. He will be a valuable asset to the team, not only for his botanical and mechanical skillset, but also for his uplifting yet somewhat abrasive personality.