Limitations of Life on the Moon/Motif

As the novel opens, a 12-year-old boy named Dash Gibson is describing his life on the moon. From that point, Dash talks at length about the limitations of life on the moon, including several issues that he says no one else is willing to talk about. These range from a simple lack of comfort to things that are genuinely disgusting. An interesting aspect of this is that NASA billed this experience in very different terms, promising a wonderful experience. The limitations of living on the moon are a motif that supports the theme of making the best of a difficult situation.

The toilets are the first issue Dash addresses. Dash says that it is difficult in low or zero-gravity situations, and that the toilets are a challenge. The urine is basically sucked through a hose to be recycled. Feces are...