Elephant Man Essay -- essays research papers

Ashley Montagu tells John Merrick&8217s unusual explanation in the book that studies human dignity, The Elephant Man. The Elephant Man, an intriguing book that captures the heart of the spirit, is the invoice of a simple, yet unfortunate, man. It causes one to think about life&8217s precious gifts and how often they are taken for granted. As the sad and laughable story of John Merrick, &8220the elephant man, unfolds, all(a) are taught a lesson about force play and courage. When Sir Frederick Treeves first discovered John Merrick in 1884, he could only be described as, &8220a huddled mass of loneliness(14). Merrick had a horrible malady called elephantiasis. This extreme misfortune caused Merrick to be lame and his appearance to be that of a monster. With his skull the size of his waist and large quantities of skin growing randomly all over his body, no one wanted to befriend John Merrick. over he went screams of horror and looks of disgust greeted him. As a young child, his c apture passed away leaving him a homeless orphan. So, because of his hideous looks, being displayed as half-man and half-elephant at a freak-show became normal. His life consisted of torment and torture for the next twenty years of his life, until Sir Frederick Treeves asked him to come and be studied at the London hospital. Soon, Treeves lay with the head of the hospital for Merrick to live in an extra room at the hospital. After twenty years of lon...