ON THE FACE OF IT

By Susan Hill

A. Answer the following in 30-40 words each.

1. Who is Mr Lamb? How does Derry get into his garden?

Ans: Mr Lamb is an elderly gentleman with a rusted leg. Years ago, during the war, his real leg was blasted off. He is the sole occupant of his home which has a garden. It's filled with luscious crab apples that are orange and golden in colour. Derry instead of using the open gate, jumps over the wall to get into the garden.

2. What explanation does the small boy offer for coming into the garden? How does Mr Lamb react to it?

Ans: The boy thought that this was an empty place. He did not know there was anybody there. Mr Lamb assures him that it is all right. He does not mind his coming into the garden. He welcomes him and tries to make him feel comfortable with the place and with himself.

3. Who is Derry? What opinion does he hold about himself?

Ans: Derek, also called Derry was a young boy of 14. He was a quiet, shy and defiant boy. His face was half burnt in acid because of which he had lost his self-confidence and self-esteem. He became a pessimist and did not like to interact with others. He liked to stay alone due to which he had gone to the garden, which he thought was a secluded place.

4. How do people react when they look at Derry?

Ans: On looking at Derry’s face they find it bad and frightful. They think that it is the ugliest thing they have ever seen. They call him a poor boy as one side of his face has been burnt by acid. Some of them are afraid of his ugly and horrible face.

5. Mr. Lamb means to say that different people have different viewpoint to look at the same thing.

Ans: Some find one thing beautiful, others find it ugly. It all depends on outlook and attitude. It is, therefore, important to adopt a positive attitude towards everything just like the Princess Beauty who loved the monstrous Beast in the fairy tale. The point is that what you look like, but what you are inside.

6. What does Derry know about the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’? Why is he not convinced by its moral?

Ans: Derry had heard the tale in which Beauty liked the monstrous Beast. When she kissed him, he turned into a handsome prince. That moral was that it does not matter how you look from outside but how feel from inside. Derry was not convinced as even if someone kissed he would never change and his mother always kissed him only on the other cheek.

7. What do you know about Derry’s mother? Why did she stop him, going to Mr. Lamb?

Ans: Derry’s mother has very short role in the play, but she seems to an overprotective and insensitive to her son. She contributes to his isolation by keeping him home because of his facial injury, and treats him with a sense of pity that robs him of dignity and confidence.

She is quite skeptical of Mr Lamb and considers him to be eccentric. She claims that she has heard many things about Mr Lamb and some have also warned her against him. That is why she doesn't want Derry to meet Mr Lamb. But Derry insists and runs to Mr. Lamb’s house.

8. Explain Mr Lamb’s observation ‘Everything’s the same, but everything is different’.

Ans: What Mr Lamb wants to suggest that underneath the scars and handicaps all people have the same feelings, desires, aspirations and longings. Under the superficial differences of the body there lies the universal sameness, oneness of all human beings.

9. Why do kids call Mr Lamb ‘Lamey-Lamb’? How does he feel about it?

Ans: Mr. Lamb has an artificial leg of tin. His real leg blew off in a bomb explosion. Therefore, he walks with a limp. Children try to tease him by calling him Lamey-Lamb. But there evil desire to hurt his feelings never succeeds. Lamb feels the name suits him as he is that only. This way he has got over the pain caused by the comments of the people and has learnt to live with it.

10. Comment on the moral value of the play.

Ans: The play very strongly conveys that point that the physically disable people should never feel them inferior. Instead of focusing on what they don’t have they should pay attention on the positive side of their existence. The society instead of showing pity on them should accept them as they are. Society should treat them as normal people and must help them not feel lonely, depressed and disappointed.

B. Answer the following in 150 words each.

1. Derry and Mr. Lamb both are victims of physical impairment, but their attitudes towards life are completely different. Explain.

OR

Derry and Lamb are the two sides of the same coin. Explain.

OR

What attracts Derry to Mr. Lamb?

OR

How does the meeting with Lamb bring about a change in Derry?

Ans: Derry and Mr. Lamb are the two characters in the play. Derry is a boy of fourteen years whose half face got burnt by acid because of which he looks very ugly. Mr. Lamb is an old man whose one leg blew off in a bomb blast. Their destiny brings them to meet each other one day which inspires Derry to develop a completely changed attitude to him and life.

Derry is a quiet, shy and defiant boy. He has lost his self-confidence and self-esteem because of his disfigured face. He became a pessimist and did not like to interact with others. He thinks that people consider him ugly like the devil and they are afraid of him. He gets infuriated when people sympathize with him.

On the contrary, Mr. Lamb has a completely different view about life and disability. He is an optimist and never allows his disability and people to make him feel miserable. Mr. Lamb’s conversation that everyone and everything is essentially the same, the notion of beauty is relative and his concept of the world and friendship baffle but appeal to Derry and he gets fascinated by the old man.

His hope and positivity inspire Derry to come out of the shell of inhibition, inferiority and insecurity. Derry learns to love his life in spite of his disability and becomes determined to live and face the world boldly.