Description

This original story follows the tragic life of Joseph Carey Merrick (1862-1890), known as ‘the Elephant Man’. Suffering from severe deformities, Merrick was abused and persecuted. Having no alternative, Merrick allowed himself to be exhibited in freak shows. He was subjected to cruel treatment by immoral “owners”, who exploited his deformities. But when freak shows became illegal Merrick had nowhere to go.
Then, a compassionate surgeon, Dr Frederick Treves, became interested in Merrick, and moved him to the London Hospital. Dr Treves slowly discovered the sensitive, intelligent man behind the terrible appearance. But could he cure Merrick’s terrible condition, or grant his deepest wish: just to be a normal person?

Features and Benefits

• Cross-curricular focus section
• Activity pages
• Glossary with phonetic transcription