The Lynchs are a fractured and damaged family, yet their interactions illustrate the complications of family dynamics. Moment raises the question of whether or not familial bonds can survive traumatic situations and cruel actions, and whether or not family members are obligated to forgive one another. Additionally, Moment lets us consider what makes someone family. Fin is not related to the Lynchs through biology or marriage, yet he is not spared from all of the chaos and commotion that comes along with being a member of family. Nial, on the other hand, is biologically related to Niamh, yet he is treated like an outsider by her.
The character of Teresa suffers from mental illness, likely depression or anxiety, and is addicted to her medications. The play depicts the complexities of mental illness and its effect on all members of the family. As Teresa attempts to escape further and further from reality to deny the horrible situation faced by her family, the rest of the family members suffer more and more. Moment allows us to see the painful reality of mental illness and addiction and how it weighs differently on everyone in Teresa's life.
In the wake of Nial's departure from the family, the Lynchs all experience some form of grief and loneliness. Teresa turns to overmedicating herself and trying to escape the painful reality, while Ciara buries herself in her work and domestic obligations, and Niamh rebels against her family's pretenses at normality. They are all affected as individuals by the loss of Nial as a family member and the loneliness and devastation it has caused.
The characters in Moment frequently fail to truly connect with each other or express their complex emotions. Conversations are disjointed and cyclical. Characters interject with meaningless catchphrases or small talk topics, making connection and understanding even more difficult. Teresa, especially, fails to understand the severity of her situation and attempts to distract from it with cheerful but empty words and conversational topics.
Moment raises the question of when an action becomes too horrible to ever be forgiven or forgotten. Nial and Ruth desperately seek to "move on" from the past, while Niamh argues that the cruelty and senselessness of the act can never be forgotten or glossed over. The play allows us to question whether or not criminals can ever truly redeem themselves and deserve another chance at life. It also allows us to consider if a criminal is forever defined by their actions.
The play also raises the question of responsibility. Nial claims he was only a child when the disastrous moment occurred, yet Niamh points out that she and Hilary were also children themselves. At what age are children expected to show a clear sense of morality and justice? Can someone be responsible for one short "moment of madness" for the rest of their life? Can an adolescent acting on an impulsive urge be held as responsible as an adult who committed a premeditated act?
Symbols
Tea
Teresa's cheque
Nial's paintings
Ciara's children
Silence and pauses
Teresa's vomit
Quiche
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Tea, a staple of Irish culture and civility, appears frequently throughout the play. Oftentimes when characters are faced with a stressful or uncomfortable situation, they resort to offering or drinking tea as an attempt to reestablish the appearance of normalcy or order. The politeness and tradition associated with tea stands in clear contrast to the emotional and painful events being dealt with throughout the play. Tea becomes a symbol of the image of normality and peace that the Lynchs desperately strive for but cannot attain.
The cheque for her husband's savings that Teresa attempts to give Nial represents his redemption and acceptance by the family. Nial does not outwardly want or seek out forgiveness from his family, but the matter cannot be settled or ended until he decides to either take it or reject it.
Nial's paintings symbolize his own perspective on his crime and time in juvenile detention. He has made "abstract art" out of the situation, representing how to him, the situation is abstract and morally ambiguous. Ruth especially admires how Nial has made something beautiful out of his experience, believing him to be a new man. Niamh, however, believes that Nial's "history" can never be obscured or forgiven, and deserves to be remembered as a cruel and meaningless thing rather than an abstract element of Nial's past.
Ciara and Dave's children represent the future of the Lynch family. Ciara and Dave have the young children stay away with their paternal grandparents while Nial visits, indicating how they wish to hide them from the family difficulties in hope of a positive future for the Lynchs. Teresa is unaware of their intentions, just as she does not fully understand or acknowledge the pain that Nial's presence causes the family. The children do not experience firsthand the dramas and complications of Nial's visit, leaving the future of the Lynchs ambiguous.
The frequent, uncomfortable pauses appearing in the dialogue give us an indication of how sometimes voids cannot be filled even with small talk or meaningless conversation. Characters attempt to fill the silences with expressions like "lovely" and "that's grand," but eventually, the rising tensions and conflicts take over. The pauses and silences represent the issues and conflicts in the Lynchs' household that often go unsaid but still impact each of the characters and relationships.
At the end of act one, the audience sees Teresa vomit all over herself, first vomiting on Fin's pants. The fact that she vomits on Fin, the "outsider," rather than any of her family members, allows us to see on a symbolic level how the pain of Teresa's addiction and mental illness will come to affect anyone who involves themselves with the family. Although Fin is not related to Teresa, he chooses to take part in the Lynchs' reunion, and so even he suffers from the devastating effects of Teresa's illness.
Similarly to the tea, quiche appears as a symbol for Teresa's attempts to make things go smoothly and cheerfully. Specifically, she boasts about the quiche to Nimah, Ruth, and Nial as if it indicates that she is prepared for the tea (and Nial's arrival). At the end of the play, Ciara reveals that Teresa used to send her to Mrs. Kelly's house with quiche in attempt to make amends with the Kellys, and it becomes clear that Teresa believes a quiche can fix just about anything.