David Lynch’s 22 Strangest ‘Otherworld’ Characters
6. John Merricks Mother: The Elephant Man
Nothing will die. The stream flows, the wind blows, the cloud fleets, the heart beats. Nothing will die. Another angelic otherworld figure that graces Lynchs stories, and one of the earliest, is John Merricks (John Hurt) Mother in The Elephant Man. There is no doubt that Merrick adores his deceased Mother (Phoebe Nicholls), whose demise is portrayed stunningly through the films opening montage, and she is treated as a goddess throughout his conversations about her with other characters. It is implied that Merricks Mother watches over her son at all times, and is incredibly proud of how beautiful his humanity is. She sees through his physical ailment and appreciates the good person beneath. In effect, she represents all that is good in the world in contrast with the dark, seedy Victorian figures that mistreat and abuse Merrick throughout his life. Eventually, she provides Merrick with the freedom and happiness that he has long sought but never found. As he commits the ultimate sacrifice, sleeping on his back in the knowledge that doing so will kill him, he does so understanding that his angel, his Mother, is waiting for him in Heaven. It is one of Lynchs most truly heart-breaking emotional moments.
