den ▁himself ▁as ▁a ▁te en . ▁Though ▁unlike ▁Chris , ▁Mars den ▁never ▁used ▁dru gs . ▁ ▁When ▁asked ▁why ▁young ▁people ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁characters ▁in ▁his ▁books , ▁Ell ie ▁in ▁particular , ▁Mars den ▁spec ulated ▁that , ▁like ▁himself , ▁they ▁found ▁their ▁strength ▁and ▁self - re liance ▁inspir ational . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Australian ▁Broadcast ing ▁Corporation ' s ▁Rol ler co aster ▁website ▁he ▁explained ▁what ▁inspired ▁him ▁to ▁highlight ▁these ▁virt ues ▁in ▁his ▁work : ▁ ▁" I ' ve ▁always ▁been ▁attract ed ▁to ▁strong ▁people ▁in ▁real ▁life ▁and ▁in ▁fiction . ▁As ▁a ▁kid ▁I ▁read ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁books ▁like ▁The ▁N aked ▁Island ▁about ▁Russell ▁Br add on ▁and ▁his ▁experiences ▁on ▁the ▁Bur ma - Th ai ▁Railway ▁and ▁The ▁C attle ▁King , ▁which ▁is ▁the ▁bi ography ▁of ▁Sid ney ▁Kid man , ▁and ▁they ▁had ▁a ▁prof ound ▁impact ▁on ▁me ▁and ▁I ▁read ▁those ▁books ▁many ▁times . ▁So ▁I ▁think ▁the ▁idea ▁of ▁people ▁over coming ▁advers ity ▁by ▁using ▁their ▁own ▁resources ▁was ▁strongly ▁im print ed ▁in ▁me ▁by ▁those ▁books , ▁because ▁those ▁guys ▁had ▁nothing ▁except ▁their ▁own ▁strength ▁and ▁their ▁own ▁mind ▁power . ▁There ' s ▁something ▁noble ▁about ▁that ." ▁ ▁Similar ities ▁to ▁other ▁John ▁Mars den ▁nov els ▁ ▁In ▁Mars den ' s ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁novel ▁The ▁J our ney ▁the ▁main ▁character ▁finds ▁a ▁h ut