How would the story be with a love back at home?

                The Martian : Question 11

                Q:     There's no mention of Mark having a romantic relationship on Earth. Do you think that makes it easier or harder to endure his isolation? How would the story be different if he was in love with someone back home?

   Love will make you do things you would never thought you would do. This deep affection also could cloud your thinking before you act upon anything. When you love someone or something no matter how little or big, it is important. In the novel the Martian, if the author would have gave the character(Mark) a significant lover it would not be like a regular long distance relationship because Mark would be one-hundred and forty million miles away from home. Not only was he away from home, Mark is on another planet and had no way to contact his partner. If Mark were to have a partner back on Earth his isolation would most definitely be harder. This would only make him more anxious to get back home.    

This also would have a negative effect on him. Five hundred and sixty-four days is a long time to be away from someone you love and cherish. That's a year and ninety nine days of thoughts and wonders of if your significant other has moved on or thought you were dead. Some of us would have been so ready to get back home, that we would act irrationally and potentially put our life in danger. On the other hand if the author would have gave Mark someone he looks forward to seeing,this would have might  been a game changer.

The novel would may have been about him not giving up and getting back home to his love. The readers would be questioning what is his lover doing, and what is she thinking. Andy Weir could put a plot twist on mark’s biggest fear, “time". The fear and time pertaining his lover what if his partner think he is dead and have a new family. You did not see that coming. Could we say having a partner would have not be a good attention grabber in the novel ?