The Martian Chapter 21 Quotes

The Martian Chapter 21 Quotes

How we cite the quotes:
(Chapter.Paragraph)

Mark Watney

Quote 1

I never realized how utterly silent Mars is. It's a desert world with practically no atmosphere to convey sound. I could hear my own heartbeat. (21.167)

With the Hab disassembled, Mark feels the full weight of his isolation. Although he knows that he's beginning the final leg of his journey (whether he survives or not), he still can't help but feel unsettled. To be honest, we'd suggest throwing some disco on the stereo and blaring it to high heavens. Rovers have good sound systems, right?

Mark Watney

Quote 2

I never realized how utterly silent Mars is. It's a desert world with practically no atmosphere to convey sound. I could hear my own heartbeat. (21.167)

Mark's fears are amplified by the fact that he's completely and utterly alone. As every horror movie ever has shown us, isolation has a way of stoking the fires of fear. Of course, Mark has a pretty low chance of running into a deranged serial killer on Mars, so maybe it's a net positive.