The Elephant Man – Synopsis | Plot | Character Traits | Moral Values | Themes

Synopsis

Dr. Frederick Treves is a doctor at the London Hospital. One day, he stops in front of a
shop and sees a picture of a horrible creature. He wants to meet the creature. So he pays
12 pence to see Joseph Merrick, a very ugly man with a huge head. Merrick has an ugly
body and he cannot walk properly. Dr. Treves wants to have an appointment with
Merrick at the hospital to examine his condition. He makes the arrangement with
Silcock. So, on the next day, Dr. Treves brings Merrick to the hospital by cab but there is
nothing Dr. Treves can do to help him with his condition. He gives Merrick a name card
before he sends him back. However, when Dr. Treves goes to find them again on the
next day, they are not there anymore.

Two years later, some policemen bring Merrick to the hospital to see Dr. Treves. Silcock
has taken his £50 and left him in Belgium alone. He finds his way back to London. He is
dirty and tired. Dr. Treves asks for help from the Hospital Chairman, Mr. Gomm.
Mr.Gomm writes a letter to the editor of The Times newspaper. In his letter, he explains
about how Silcock has taken Merrick to Belgium but has later stolen all his money and
has left him in Belgium. When Merrick gets back to London, he is caught by the police.
The police finds the name card and brings him to Dr. Treves. He needs a place to stay
but he is not ill to stay in the hospital. He also cannot go out because he is very ugly and
people are afraid to see him. The hospital can give him a room but they need some
money to do that. Mr. Gomm hopes that the readers will help Merrick. The readers are
kind and they have donated £50,000 to help Merrick to stay in the hospital. Merrick can
now stay in the hospital for the rest of his life.

One day, a new nurse sees Merrick and she is so afraid that she screams and runs out
from the room. Merrick tells Dr. Treves that he knows he cannot stay at the hospital for
long and that he wants to move to a lighthouse or a home for blind people so people will
not be able to see him. Dr. Treves tells Merrick about the donation and Merrick is once
again a happy man.

He goes on to meet interesting people like Dr. Treves’ lady friend and her Majesty,
Queen Alexandra, the Queen of England. He even becomes friends with the queen and
receives Christmas present from her. He also sends her letter. Merrick also goes to
watch a play at the theatre and even travels to the country and stays six weeks there
during summer. He enjoys the nature at the countryside.

However, in April 1890, Merrick dies because his of head when he tries to sleep on his
back. His head is too heavy that he dies on the spot. Mr. Gomm writes to The Times
again to explain Merrick’s death and how happy he has been. He thanks the readers for
the kindness and tells the readers that the remaining money will be donated to the
hospital.
Character Traits/Moral Values/Themes

Examples Evidences

· Dr. Treves is a doctor at the

Character traits
hospital. He pays 12 pence to see
Merrick. After that, he brings Kind/helpfull/caring/loving
Merrick to the hospital to
examine him.
1. Dr. Message/Moral values
Treves · We should be kind.
helps
· Dr. Treves finds a way to help
Merrick · We should be helpful.
Merrick get a home at the
hospital by telling Mr.Gomm · We should be loving and
about it. caring

· During Merrick’s stay at the Themes

hospital, Dr. Treves visits him
 everyday and talks to him so he Kindnesss/love and care
will not feel lonely.

Character traits

Kind/caring/ loving

Mr Gomm writes to The Times

newspaper and asks for the
2. Mr. Gomm public to help Merrick to stay in
helps Merrick the hospital. He gets £50,000 in a
week and Merrick can now have a
home at the hospital.
Message/Moral values
· We should be kind
· We should be caring
· We should be loving

Themes
Kindness/love and care

Character traits
· Dr. Treves introduces a
beautiful young lady to Merrick Kind/grateful/caring/loving
and she gives him some books on
their second meeting.
Message/Moral values
3. Merrick starts
making friends · We should be kind.
and becomes · Merrick also becomes friends · We should be grateful.
friends with the with her Majesty, Queen
Alexandra. They talk about books. · We should be loving and
Queen. caring.
Her Majesty even sends him
Christmas card and present. After
that Merrick writes a letter to
Queen Alexandra to thank her. Themes
Kindness/gratefulness/love and
care

Mrs. Kendal and three nurses Character traits

help Merrick to watch his first Kind/grateful/loving/caring
4. Merrick goes play at the theatre without
to watch the anybody seeing him. Merrick
play enjoys the show very much as he Message/Moral values
laughs and tries to sing like the · We should be kind.
children.
· We should be grateful.
 · We should be loving and
caring

Themes
Kindness/love and care

Character traits
· Silcock treats Merrick poorly
and uses him to make money in Selfish/disrespectful
London.

Message/Moral values
5. Silcock takes
· Silcock takes Merrick to · We should not be selfish.
advantage of
Belgium where many people
Merrick want to see him. He takes away · We should respect everyone.
the £50 that Merrick has saved · We should be kind to
and abandons him alone in everyone.
Belgium. Merrick finds his way
back to London and is later found Theme
by the police.
Selfishness

Character trait

Some people laugh at Merrick Disrespectful

because he is ugly. One day, a
6. A nurse is new nurse goes to his room and
Message/Moral values
scared of sees him there. The nurse
Merrick because screams and runs out of the · We should respect everyone.
he is ugly. room. This makes Merrick sad
and it is not the first time such
Theme
thing has happened to Merrick.
Prejudice

Merrick takes a train to spend 6 Character traits

weeks at the countryside. During -grateful
7. Merrick his stay there, he enjoys the
enjoys the nature. He listens to the bird sing,
nature in the watches the fish swims, makes Message/Moral values
country. friends with a dog and picks -We should be grateful for the
some pretty flowers to put in his beautiful nature around us.
room.
Theme
Love for the nature.