Merrick struggles throughout the play to find a normal
life, given the enormous growths on his head that lead to him being part of a freak show
for much of his early life. He is taken advantage of frequently and struggles to have
real friendships and a sense of purpose.
But he has very
deep religious beliefs, and part of the way he expresses them is in the way he studies
and eventually constructs a model of St. Phillip's church. The model building coincides
with his progression and the fact that he has finally found some human companionship and
has found people who are willing to listen to him and consider him
human.
As he continues the construction of the church, his
understanding of and relationships with the people around him deepen and he appears to
be moving towards a somewhat complete life including a sexual awakening through his
relationship and conversations with Mrs. Kendal.
He
finishes the model just before he dies, and in some ways the model might then be
interpreted as a model of his life. As it reaches a completed state, his purpose and
the conflict are resolved and he is released from the difficulties of his mortal body
and its disfigurements.
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