by Cooper Hoath (age 14)
Imagine in a world where people stare at you: not in admiration, but in horror, and where they fear you as they would a monster.
This was the reality of life for a man whose name continues to echo across generations. His name was Joseph Merrick although the world often remembers him by another name: The Elephant Man.
Joseph Merrick was born in England in 1862. He was not born deformed, but signs of deformities started when he was around five. His family, and even Joseph himself, believed his disabilities were caused during his mother’s pregnancy when she was knocked over by an elephant. Perhaps this is where the name “Elephant man” came from.
Joseph had two other siblings; both died at a young age. He attended a local school until around age thirteen. He had a very loving relationship with his mother, but sadly she died when Joseph was twelve years old.
After his mother’s death, Joseph’s father re-married; his step mother and father treated him very poorly. His father beat him so badly that Joseph had to leave home for his own safety. Unable to find a job because of his appearance, he had no option but to join a freak show where he was treated like an animal and put on display so other people could look at him. While this was a horrible way to live, it did mean that he was able to make money.
Joseph’s life changed when he met a caring doctor named Frederick Treves, who gave him a safe place to live in a permanent room in the London hospital and, more importantly, treated him with the dignity that all human beings deserve. Joseph quickly showed that beneath his deformed exterior was an intelligent and thoughtful individual.
He lived a quiet and lonely life in the hospital; he enjoyed building model buildings from cardboard that were very delicate and gained him respect from London’s high society.
Joseph Merrick sadly died at the age of 27. While trying to sleep lying down, his neck broke due to the weight of his head.
His story is tragically sad, and I think we can learn from Merrick’s life that we should look beyond a person’s appearance and recognise the worth of every human spirit.
Word Oysters 