The Elephant Man: Preguntas y Respuestas sobre la Vida de John Merrick

Parte 1: Orígenes y Primeros Años de Merrick

1. Describe the physical changes that Merrick experienced

At the age of three, some small bumps grew on the left side of his body. Over the years, more bumps appeared all over him, his head started to grow larger and larger, and his spine became bent.

2. What happened to Merrick at 12 years old?

When he was twelve, his mother died and his father remarried. His new stepmother threw him out of the house. He wanted to work, but nobody would employ him. Then, a man named Norman found him and started displaying him as an attraction at the circus.

3. Why did Merrick have to sleep sitting up?

He had to sleep sitting up because he could not breathe when he lay down due to the weight and shape of his head.

4. Whose photo did Merrick keep in his pocket?

He carried a photograph of his mother. He always felt comforted and much better whenever he looked at it.

Parte 2: Llegada al Hospital y Relación con el Dr. Treves

1. Describe what happened after the sick Merrick arrived at the hospital

When he entered the waiting room at the hospital, the people stopped in their tracks, terrified by his appearance. A nurse nervously asked how she could help him, while some individuals were coughing and began to gather around him in shock.

2. How did Dr. Treves examine him?

Dr. Treves told him to undress and stand on the cold floor. For almost an hour, the doctor walked around Merrick, examining him very carefully, while John stood there feeling extremely nervous.

3. What was Dr. Treves' diagnosis, and why did Dr. Gomm disagree?

Dr. Treves believed this was the worst case of elephantiasis ever recorded. However, Dr. Gomm disagreed with keeping him indefinitely because more than half of his body was severely deformed, and he argued that the hospital should not become a hotel for freaks.

4. Why was Dr. Treves furious with Gomm?

Dr. Treves was furious because he insisted that Merrick is not a creature; he is a human being and a child of God just like everyone else.

5. Why had the Elephant Man wanted to stay in the hospital?

He wanted to remain there because he did not want to live the humiliating life of a circus freak anymore, and he was physically unable to do any regular work. Years earlier, whenever he sought employment, he had been cruelly rejected. In contrast, the rooms at the hospital were clean, peaceful, and the food provided was very good.

Parte 3: El Contexto Social y el Viaje a Bélgica

1. Explain why some people were against freak shows

Many people opposed them because they considered them morally wrong and evil. They believed it was deeply cruel and inhumane to charge money just to display human suffering and physical deformities as mere curiosities.

2. What did the Elephant Man's friends look like?

His companions were poor boys whose faces were covered in soot and dirt from cleaning chimneys, and they walked around with bare feet.

3. Why did Sam think the Elephant Man should go to Belgium?

Sam thought he should leave because the authorities had shut down their freak show. The police had effectively ended their business, meaning there was no future or livelihood left for Merrick in England.

Parte 4: El Maltrato de Ferrari y el Regreso a Londres

1. How did Ferrari treat Merrick?

Ferrari treated him terribly: he shouted at him, beat him without any reason, starved him, and even forced Merrick to sleep locked inside a cage.

2. Why did Merrick leave Ferrari's show?

Merrick left after discovering that Ferrari was stealing all his money. Furthermore, Ferrari abandoned him stranded in the middle of nowhere. Feeling desperate and lonely, Merrick checked his pocket and pulled out Dr. Treves's business card. He then decided he had to find a way back to London so Dr. Treves could help him.

3. What reasons did the ship captain give for not wanting Merrick on board?

The captain argued that Merrick might be suffering from a contagious disease that could infect the other passengers. Furthermore, he claimed that even if he were not sick, his alarming appearance would terrify the people on board.

4. How did Merrick manage to get back to London?

A wagon stopped near Merrick, and a kind old driver offered to take him along to Ostend. Once in Ostend, the driver generously bought Merrick a ticket for a passenger ship bound for Dover, England, and personally spoke to the captain to ensure he was allowed aboard. After arriving in Dover, Merrick boarded a train directly to London, arriving safely at Liverpool Street Station.