EXPLOITATIONS TOWARDS ASTRONAUTS IN ANDY WEIR’S THE MARTIAN

Abstract

After Soviet Union separated, NASA became the biggest space organization in
the world. Exploitation towards astronaut has been considered as a negative side effect of
NASA’s capitalism. This phenomenon is also portrayed in Andy Weir’s The Martian novel.
Purpose: This study to analyze exploitation towards astronauts in The Martian and the way
Watney negotiates his position as low-class society. Method: This study uses Karl Marx’s
Marxist Criticism about capitalist’ ideology to examine the exploitation towards astronauts.
Moreover, Marxist criticism approach and qualitative method are applied in this study.
Result: The writer finds that Mark Watney represents an astronaut who stranded on Mars
and exploited by boards of NASA. Bourgeoisie class is represented by boards of NASA,
and Proletariat class is represented by Mark Watney. Watney negotiates his position as lowclass society trough his class struggle and ambition towards boards of NASA. In the end, he
was alive and won the negotiation, but boards of NASA did not lose and still got financial
benefit from Watney.Concusion: The exploitation could happen to anyone, even to educated
astronaut.