Hello Nina,
No astrological question is ever elementary!
The Moon ALWAYS represents our emotions...how we feel, act and react emotionally. It's responsible for our moods and subconscious (sp?). For example, Moon in Aries can react very passionately to situations while Moon in Cancer can brood, cry and want to be left alone if something is bothering them. The house where the Moon is placed and the aspects it makes to other planets in the chart further modifies the emotional nature of a person.
The rising or ascendant sign is how the world sees us, or what we choose to show the world about us. A Gemini rising can walk into a room and begin socializing and joking, whereas a Scorpio rising will walk into the same room quietly and stare, hoping not to be noticed! Usually when we meet a person for the first time, we're meeting their ascendant.
AG