Joseph Merrick Essays

  • Joseph Merrick Biography

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    Joseph Carey Merrick, who died 120 years ago, was an individual with extreme disfigurements that could cause any person to run in fear, or even become ill, at the sight of him. Joseph Merrick was an inspiration to many, whether it was to people who saw him in sideshows, in the hospital, or to doctors who were baffled by his condition. Many questions were asked about Merrick; many refused to believe that he was even a human. Some thought he was alien, some thought animal, or, in the case of Frederick

  • Social Rejection in the Film The Elephant Man

    832 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Elephant Man is a moving film, based on the true story of Joseph Merrick, a man born with a prevalent deformity and dying from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this film, John Merrick is initially portrayed as an imbecile and is consequently placed in a circus freak show, where he is ridiculed as a result of his deformity and is abused by his manager. However, his life takes a turn for the better when he becomes acquainted with Dr. Treves and is introduced to a new lifestyle, dissimilar

  • Neurofibromatosis Research Paper

    563 Words  | 2 Pages

    the most common neurological disorder caused by a single gene. B. Two types: NF1 and NF2 1. NF1- affects 1 out of 4,000 people 2. NF2- affects 1 out of 50,000 people C. Inherited and autosomal D. Can be potentially fatal E. The Elephant Man, Joseph Merrick, was thought to have NF, but he really had Proteus syndrome F. Neurofibromatosis is a unique disorder because it is incurable, can be severely disfiguring, and can be either benign or terminal. II. A. NF is caused by a mutation in the NF1 gene

  • The Elephant Man

    608 Words  | 2 Pages

    For everyone life is already hard enough. All anyone wants is to be accepted and to feel cared about but when you are unfortunately born with deformities life is a hundred times harder. According to his play The Elephant man Bernard Pomerance believes that society will shun those with deformities until they take the time to actually get to know them. John was a man shunned by society because he simply didn’t look like everyone else. He was born with a serious case of Elephantitis and was said to

  • Central Characters as Outsiders in Society in E.T. The Extra Terrestrial and the Elephant Man

    2138 Words  | 5 Pages

    plots. Spielberg in ET developed a plot creating and using a modern day fairy tale whilst David Lynch creates his plot in Elephant Man with a more credible scenario by using a historic figure, John Merrick. In Victorian times disfigured people were at the bottom of society whereas if John Merrick had been placed in the 1970's he would have received greater sympathy which would not have been the affect that David Lynch sought to convey. During the opening of ET there is an apparently insignificant

  • The Elephant Man

    1393 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Elephant Man John Merrick, a man so pathetic and helpless because of the curse of his extremely disfigured body he carries around with him. Lots of people are born with some deformity or another, but none such as the case of John Merrick, in other words, ‘The Elephant Man’ who was given this name because he was so deformed he resembled an extremely ugly elephant. The movie shows how John Merrick is marginalized not only by the general public, but also the poorest of people to such an extent

  • A Comparison of Dorian Gray and The Elephant Man

    1033 Words  | 3 Pages

    influences of his different artists. The most influential and main artist of Dorian is Lord Henry. Lord Henry corrupts Dorian into a vain, selfish, arrogant, hedonistic, and cruel man. A similar artist to art relation exists between Mr. Bytes and John Merrick in the Elephant Man. Mr. Bytes runs a carnival freak show and displays John as the Elephant Man. His major deformities attract business. Mr. Bytes changes John by making him feel as though he was a less than human monster and by causing the world

  • Bernard Pomerance and the Elephant Man

    2217 Words  | 5 Pages

    drama Critics Award -Obi Made into movie in 1980 staring John Hurt, Anthony Hopkins, Wendy Hiller, and Anne Bancraft. Preformed by David Bowie the rock singer in 1979 True story of John Merrick who lived from 1863 to 1890. He was deformed and had a head that was 36' in circumference. John Merrick and Dr. Treves are used metophoricly. John represents people and his deformities their uniqueness. Dr. Treves represents rules and conformity. Themes -the arbitrariness of existence, posed

  • Monster in A Real Life

    978 Words  | 2 Pages

    to threaten and destroy humanity. Perfectly, the film The Elephant Man emphasizes about John Merrick who has a disfigured appearance, and also is called a monster. Fortunately, Dr. Frederick Treves finds out about Merrick when he is wandering around the freak shows, and tries to examine and help Merrick come back to the real society. On the other hand, people have opportunities to observe and judge Merrick as a new phenomenon. In the connection to the same focus, Jeffery Cohen’s Monster Theory gives

  • How Does Treves Influence Merrick's Life

    747 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is often said that people change people, and that quote rings true throughout Bernard Pomerance’s play The Elephant Man. Following the life of John Merrick, The Elephant Man is about a man who suffers from severe physical deformities who is greatly influenced and greatly influences society. A significant figure in Merrick’s life, the one character who is influenced most and goes through the most profound and personal change is Dr. Frederick Treves, an altruistic doctor who opens his hospital

  • Ambiguities Explored in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    1464 Words  | 3 Pages

    Ambiguities Explored in Heart of Darkness Literature is never interpreted in exactly the same way by two different readers. A prime example of a work of literature that is very ambiguous is Joseph Conrad's, "Heart of Darkness". The Ambiguities that exist in this book are Marlow's relationship to colonialism, Marlow's changing feelings toward Kurtz, and Marlow's lie to the Intended at the end of the story. One interpretation of Marlow's relationship to colonialism is that he does

  • Heart of Darkness as Social Protest

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    Heart of Darkness as Social Protest Heart of Darkness, by Joseph Conrad, is an intriguing and extremely disturbing portrayal of man's surrender to his carnal nature when all external trappings of "civilization" are removed.  This novel excellently portrays the shameful ways in which the Europeans exploited the Africans: physically, socially, economically, and spiritually. Throughout the nineteenth century, Europeans treated their African counterparts savagely.  They were beaten, driven

  • Restraint in Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness

    512 Words  | 2 Pages

    Restraint in Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness Throughout Lord of the Flies and Heart of Darkness  the importance of restraint is greatly stressed.  This being the restraint to remain human and maintain sanity.  In Heart of Darkness, Marlow was able to remain his restriant despite how difficult it was for him. He was always surrounded by cannibals and constant chaos.  On the other hand, Kurtz was unable to keep his restriant, as a result he lost his humanity and sanity, and eventually

  • Comparing Conrad's The Secret Sharer and Heart of Darkness

    1326 Words  | 3 Pages

    Similarities in Conrad's The Secret Sharer and Heart of Darkness Joseph Conrad's books, The Secret Sharer and Heart of Darkness, both deal with each of our "dark selves".  These books also have similarities which are overwhelming. In describing the true inner self of humans, Conrad used many symbols which have become apparent in many of his novels. Conrad uses the same or very similar objects in many of his works. Joseph Conrad wrote Heart of Darkness in 1899 to recount his voyages in

  • Symbols and Symbolism in Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    777 Words  | 2 Pages

    of our earliest civilizations. In more recent years, however, symbolism has taken on a new role, forming the skeleton upon which the storyteller builds the tales of his or hers thoughts and adventures. Knowing the power of this element, Joseph Conrad uses symbols to help the reader explore dark interiors of men. The symbols become a vehicle that carry the audience from stop to stop, the ride becoming an evaluation of the darkness contained inside the hearts of mankind. Through

  • Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness

    1238 Words  | 3 Pages

    Characters, Setting, Themes, and Symbols of Heart of Darkness Deep within the chest of every man, woman, and child beats the heart of darkness. On the surface, mankind has achieved a sophisticated level of civilization. Joseph Conrad forces the reader to peel away the pristine layer of sweetness and see the unaltered truth. Heart of Darkness reveals the true nature that lurks behind every smile, handshake, and conversation. Conrad's portrayal of the characters, setting, symbols, and ironies

  • Colonialism and Imperialism - The White Male and the Other in Heart of Darkness

    1050 Words  | 3 Pages

    The European, White Male vs. the Other in Heart of Darkness The novella Heart of Darkness has, since it's publication in 1899, caused much controversy and invited much criticism. While some have hailed it's author, Joseph Conrad as producing a work ahead of it's time in it's treatment and criticism of colonialist practices in the Congo, others, most notably Chinua Achebe, have criticized it for it's racist and sexist construction of cultural identity. Heart of Darkness can therefore be described

  • A Comparison of Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Arthur Miller's The Crucible

    1882 Words  | 4 Pages

    to sociological rules and regulations that are often hypocritical.  These hypocrisies, both concrete and unspoken, are the subject of criticism by authors the world over, utilizing various methods and styles to ridicule society's many fables. Joseph Heller's Catch-22 and Arthur Miller's The Crucible present two stylistically dissimilar literary works that criticize hypocritical functions and conventions within society through equally contrasting methods. Hypocrisy in Heller's novel revolves

  • Savagery in Heart of Darkness and Apocalypse Now

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    believed they had reached the height of civilization, remnants remained of their own savagery.  Throughout the novel Heart of Darkness there is reference to the idea of civility versus savagery - this is also true of the movie Apocalypse Now. Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness shows the disparity between the European ideal of civilization and the reality of it, displayed by the domination, torture, exploitation and dehumanization of the African people.  Conrad often emphasizes the idea of what

  • lighthod A Dark Heart in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness

    700 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Heart of Darkness The Heart of Darkness has two storytellers: Joseph Conrad, the author, and the other being Marlow the story's narrator. The narration that takes place is conceived mostly from Conrad's opinions. Conrad is using Marlow as the embodiment of all the goodness that he represents. "But Marlow was not typical...His remark did not seem at all surprising. It was just like Marlow. It was accepted in silence" (p. 68). "Marlow sat cross-legged right aft, leaning against the mizzen-mast