MOTH by Declan Greene Moth Education Pack FINAL | Page 11

ELEMENTS OF THE PLAY: THEMES TO DISCUSS
MENTAL ILLNESS (cont.)
SEBASTIAN: “Claryssa. Your mother and I have had a very long discussion. And we’ve decided
fifteen is far too young to be living in a cave. Now, I think it would be best if you came out of
there.”
CLARYSSA: “Sorry, Mr. Moon, but no way. I’m staying right here until I’m twenty-one.”
SEBASTIAN: “But that would be a terrible waste, my dear. Don’t you know these are the best
years of your life?” 

CLARYSSA: “That’s bullshit.” 

SEBASTIAN: “They speed by so fast and then they’re gone.”
CLARYSSA: “That’s total bullshit. These years aren’t fast, they’re slow. They’re so fucking slow.
Last night, Mr. Moon, I had this dream... I was deep-sea diver. In one of those old-fashioned
metal diving suits. I could hardly move, it was so heavy. But I fell, somehow. I fell on my back
and the suit pinned me down. Down onto the sea floor. And I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t get
up. So I just... lay there. Two thousand tonnes of black water above me, the surface so far I
couldn’t even see the light. And when I woke up, it’s funny but... The feeling was exactly the
same. And that’s the thing. I don’t know when it’ll end. I don’t know when I’ll get up again.”
TO CONSIDER:
How does Claryssa cope with the breakdown of
her friendship with Sebastian?
What is her ‘cave’?
What would you advise Claryssa to do?
Is being a teenager the best years of your life?
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