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 an 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. 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 travel 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 head falls on the ground 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 Merricks 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.
Plot
Character Traits/Moral Values/Themes
Examples Evidences

Dr. Treves is a doctor at the hospital. He Character traits

pays 12 pence to see Merrick. After that, he Kind/helpfull/caring/loving
brings Merrick to the hospital to examine him.

Dr. Treves finds a way to help Merrick Message/Moral values

1. Dr. Treves helps get a home at the hospital by telling We should be kind.
Merrick Mr.Gomm about it.
We should be helpful.
We should be loving and caring
During Merricks stay at the hospital,
Dr. Treves visits him everyday and talks to
him so he will not feel lonely. Themes
Kindnesss/love and care

Character traits
Mr Gomm writes to The Times newspaper and
2. Mr. Gomm helps asks for the public to help Merrick to stay in Kind/caring/ loving
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
Kind/grateful/caring/loving
lady to Merrick and she gives him some books
on their second meeting.
Message/Moral values
3. Merrick starts
making friends and Merrick also becomes friends with her We should be kind.
becomes friends with Majesty, Queen Alexandra. They talk
We should be grateful.
the Queen. about books. Her Majesty even sends him
Christmas card and present. After that We should be loving and caring.
Merrick writes a letter to Queen Alexandra
to thank her.
Themes
Kindness/gratefulness/love and care

Mrs. Kendal and three nurses help Merrick to

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

Themes
Kindness/love and care

Character traits

Silcock treats Merrick poorly and uses Selfish/disrespectful

him to make money in London.

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

Some people laugh at Merrick because he is Character trait

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

Theme
Prejudice

Character traits

grateful

Merrick takes a train to spend 6 weeks at the

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

Theme
Love for the nature.