One of the main themes of this film is, as the subtitle says, human dignity. In fact it analyzes the phenomenon of freaks, people who are different from the others because they are giants, dwarfs,siamese twins, and for this reason thay are treated like animals, without respect for their feelings. It focuses in particular on the sad life of the Elephant man who , not by chance, is found in a circus. The film underlines also the sense of solitude and fear of these people, who have no friends and are rejected because society doesn’t consider them as human beings because of their physical aspect.

Another theme is the superficiality of people, who judge only considering the physical aspect, without trying to understand the sufferences and the feelings of the elephant man.This society is also weak and fragile, because it is influenced by the people who have an important role in it. In fact, in the film, the behaviour of the actress influences the people belonging to high society, who decide to go and visit John, even if they are disgusted,because it is fashionable.

Moreover, when the Queen tells the doctors that she would like John to stay in the hospital forever, the doctors accept the proposal, while before they didn’t want incurable people in their hospital.