In a hospital in Russia. Walls are covered with white wallpaper.

Everything is in bright white, but the

lighting is dark. Elen walks slowly along the corridors, checking the numbers above every door. She
stops at room 208 and sits on the creaky chair in front of it.

Elen: (to herself) Why would she do that? Why would someone do that to herself?

Treplev: (whispers to Elen’s ear) Maybe she’s unhappy.

Elen: (gasps) who are you?!

Treplev: I am Treplev, a writer, son of Arkadina, a famous actress who is very much like you, I say.

Elen: And what makes you say that? (to herself) I can’t believe I’m talking to a ghost! (To treplev)
That should be good. So watch your tongue, err… young man.

Treplev: I cannot assure you that, middle-aged lady. Well first, you are thrifty. A bit too thrifty, in my
opinion.

Elen: Yes, yes. Well that is a very necessary trait. Money doesn’t grow on trees, you know? Children
nowadays don’t realize that. Back then, I used to make trees grow money. I mean, I grow guapple,
apple-sized guavas, and exchange them for money. (laughs)

Treplev: (Sarcastically) Ha. ha. And you crack jokes in a time like this. So, let’s go back to our topic.
Second reason why you’re like her: you like criticizing people.

Elen: Now, that is not true! I don’t criticize! I only point out the bad things about people so they
could change them for their own good! Those are two different things.

Treplev: If you look at a dictionary, you’ll see almost the same definitions. And “pointing out” is too
much generalized. In fact, criticizing is how you call what you have just described.

Elen: Well, the word “criticizing” seems to have a negative connotation. Mine is for the betterment
of the person. And don’t you try to say that “Some words are better left unsaid,” because the words
that I say is, I repeat, for their own good. And I can’t just go on shutting my mouth just to protect
their egos. I am a very frank person. That, I think, is the trait that people will thank me for.

Treplev: Okay, enough about you, and your “lovable” traits, please. You remind me so much of my
mother!

Elen: I see you don’t like your mother that much, unlike my children. With all humility, I think I am
one of the nicest moms in the world. Look at those children wandering on the streets: their parents
let their snot just drip down their noses and their clothes! I would never let my children reach that
point!
Treplev: You didn’t consult your children about that yet, did you? One of them already told you
about your youngest, right? Do you still want me to say it to you again? Her self-mutilation didn’t
surprise me.

Elen: It didn’t surprise me either. Girls her age normally go through that stage. Teenage hormones
did that and there’s no way their parents can control them with all the media teaching them things
like that.

Treplev: Don’t blame the media. Media only came into our lives in the modern times. How about
those children who hurt themselves back then? Take me for an example.

Elen: By media, I mean including the radio, or the town crier, if that is what you have in your times.

Treplev: What I am trying to say is that you also contributed to this. Your third daughter, the one
who informed you about your youngest’s self-mutilation, followed her sister’s lead! Maybe she
thought it was a good idea after all and even took it to the extremes. Too bad it didn’t work, as I
have observed.

Elen: (in an angry tone) And can you tell me, please, how should it work?

Treplev: Well, it should have moved you.

Elen: What do you mean? Are you saying that it did not affect me at all? That I’m just ignoring all
this?

Treplev: That is how I see it.

Elen: You don’t have a right to judge my mothering skills! You don’t even know a thing about being a
mother! You didn’t even have a child, for God’s sake! I was brought up by parents who did not look
after me and just let me get loose and do what I want. But I didn’t take the advantage to go to
parties or smoke or drink… Not just because we didn’t have enough money but because I was
responsible and I didn’t listen to my so-called friends and the dirty television. I am a living proof that
a child’s attitude is not the product of bad parenting but of the child’s bad attitude that he acquired
outside the house.

Treplev: There is no use preaching you. At least my mother realized it after my first attempt! You
could at least have some understanding of your daughter in this kind of situation. But even right
after what she did to herself, you still blame her and her peers and her dirty television and internet.
My mother said sorry to me once. I know she’s still conceited. But she showed me, at least for a
while, that not all the love that she has is reserved only for her self.

Elen: My daughter obviously does not love herself.

Treplev: And now you’re not making any sense! You don’t listen. You don’t take criticisms, or believe
in what people “point out”. If you had a daughter exactly like you, even you would annoy yourself!
Elen: You have no right to point these things out to me because you have things that should also be
“pointed out"! Like your suicide, for instance.

Treplev: When we talk about positive things, the conversation diverts to you. When we talk about
negative things, it directs to me. That is what’s happening with you and your daughters. You criticize
them. You compare your goody-goody self to them to make them feel even worse. And you cause
them depression. And you give them the idea of self-mutilation.

(Elen bangs on the chair and opens her mouth)

It is no use. No use, anymore. Enough with all the monologues, please. You are just too fond of
them. I might as well get your daughter and let her do the talking when she comes into this form.
(Looks at his body)

(Not looking at Elen) Maybe in that way, you’ll think about pondering on what she says.

(Treplev walks away)

Please, listen to her when she does.

(Elen, with a scared expression on her face, rushes inside room 208).