Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Nurse Nora Ireland is doing her best to avoid Mrs. Mothershead as she completes her tasks of the morning. She knows that Mothershead does not like her, but she is not too sure why. Nora spots Treves coming down the hallway with the elephant man but she does not think much of it. After delivering food trays to patients, she wonders what could be wrong with the man who was with Treves. Treves takes the elephant man to the isolation ward in the attic of the hospital so that no one will disturb him there. He then goes to the cafeteria and gets breakfast for the elephant man because he feels that he should a better meal than potatoes and water. Soon after, he is stopped by the chairman of the hospital Mr. Carr-Gomm, who makes small talk with him. Treves then asks Nora to take breakfast to the elephant and tells her not to be afraid of him. Mr. Carr-Gomm's history is talked about and then Treves tells Carr-Gomm about how he admitted the elephant man into the hospital. Treves and Carr-Gomm talk about the elephant man some more before they are interrupted by a high-pitched scream from Nora and Treves takes off towards the isolation ward. He then asks Nora to get Mothershead and to have her knock before she can come in the room. Treves tries to have another small conversation with the elephant man but he gets no response yet again. Mothershead then comes up and Treves introduces her to the elephant man. Nora brings up another breakfast tray to replace the one she had dropped on the floor when she was scared by the elephant man and Mothershead asks her to bring up supplies so she can give the elephant man a bath. Mothershead then feeds and bathes the elephant man with as little trouble as possible. While bathing him, Treves and Mothershead talk about the elephant man and Treves examines him some more.

I feel as though Nora is scared of the elephant man because she will warm up to him later.
Mothershead will always tell Nora what to do no matter how much closer they become.
Carr-Gomm seems like the type of man who will stand up for what he believes in.