Survival n 1: a state of surviving; remaining alive [syn: endurance] 2: a natural process resulting in the evolution of organisms best adapted to the environment [syn: survival of the fittest, natural selection, selection] (survival in WordNet ® 1.6) http://www.dictionary.com/cgi-bin/dict.pl?term=Survival The theme that will be explored in this essay will be survival when times get tough, physically, mentally. The two books that will be involved in the discussion will be Clive Cussler's Sahara and Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe. In both cases the leading characters show signs of breaking down and quitting because of physical, but also their mental stress. Robinson Crusoe, and Sahara relate in many ways, as do the main characters, and will be two good books to compare the survival of both Dirk Pitt and Robinson Crusoe. The three criteria that will be talked about in this essay will be the survival physically. Did both characters have hard times to pull out of ? . The next type of survival is mental survival, it comes a close second to physical survival and both characters show signs also of this type. With mental survival the physical component must first be stable and accomplished, that is when you can then work your mind into better thoughts and ideas. The third criteri! a that will be looked at is, how the characters were changed at the end of the book looking at it through post-traumatic stress disorder. Both characters show signs of physical survival and it is believed that physical is the most important type of survival because you must first be physically healthy and strong before you can even walk or talk or think. Mental survival is strongly needed and is required in tough times Each type of survival is different in it's own way, but first physical stability must be achieved to be able to survive the elements and their challenges to then master the other type of survival such as mental survival. In Robinson Crusoe the rain...