ON THE FACE OF IT
By Susan Hill
• Continuous Dialogue: The play consists of continuous dialogue between two characters. The uninterrupted dialogue enhances realism.
• Scanty Stage Directions: The stage directions are limited and are “NOT to influence the interpretation.”
• Simple and Direct Language: The language is simple, direct and accessible.
• Conversational Language: The dialogue contains incomplete sentences, interruptions, colloquial expressions, contractions and fragmented sentences. Examples include: “Tin doesn’t hurt, boy!” and “When it came off, did it?”
• Difference in Speech: Mr. Lamb uses more philosophical and reflective language, as in “It doesn’t signify.” Derry generally uses simpler vocabulary.
• Key Themes: Identity, Perception, & Acceptance.
• Dramatic Devices: Symbolism, & Irony.
• Ellipses (…): Ellipses indicate pauses, trailing thoughts and unspoken emotions. In Derry’s speech, they suggest hesitation, inner conflict and emotional pain.
|
Element |
Significance in the Play |
|
Dramatic
Irony |
Derry’s
transformation → Mr Lamb’s death; Derry finally overcomes
isolation and returns to Mr Lamb, but the person who inspired his change is
already dead. Creates tragedy, irony and emotional impact. |
|
Radio-Play
Technique |
Dialogue
+ sound effects + stage directions; garden sounds, footsteps,
birds and other sounds help create the setting and atmosphere through
listening. The technique makes the audience imagine the action rather than
merely see it. |
|
Role
of Derry’s Mother |
Protective
but restrictive; her concern is genuine, but her fear
discourages Derry from meeting Mr Lamb. She represents fear,
over-protection and social conditioning, in contrast to Mr
Lamb’s encouragement of independence. |
|
Garden |
Symbol
of life, openness and acceptance; it contains flowers, weeds,
fruit, bees and other forms of life. It reflects Mr Lamb’s belief that everything has
value and deserves attention. |
|
Open
Gate |
Symbol
of welcome and openness; Mr Lamb deliberately keeps his gate
open because he does not want to shut himself away from people. It contrasts
with Derry’s tendency to close himself off from society. |
|
Bees
Singing |
Symbol
of activity, life and positive perception; Mr Lamb enjoys the
bees’ buzzing as “singing”, while others may dislike the same sound. It
illustrates that attitude determines how we perceive things. |
|
Weeds |
Symbol
of acceptance of differences; Mr Lamb sees no essential
difference between a flower and a weed because both are living and growing.
This reflects his belief that people too should not be judged by appearance or conventional
standards. |
|
Ladder |
Symbol
of engagement with life + vulnerability; Mr Lamb uses the
ladder to collect apples, showing his active involvement with life despite
his tin leg. Ironically, the ladder becomes the cause of his death, making it
a symbol
of both activity and mortality. |
|
“Handsome
is that handsome does” |
Inner
character > physical appearance; true “handsomeness” is
determined by one's actions and character, not physical beauty. The idea
directly challenges Derry’s obsession with his burnt face. |
|
Story
of the Man Who Locked Himself in a Room |
Warning
against excessive fear and isolation; the man tries to
protect himself from every possible danger but dies when a picture falls on
him. Mr Lamb uses the story to show that avoiding life cannot guarantee
safety. |
|
Ending
of the Play |
Derry
returns → Mr Lamb is dead; the ending is tragic and ironic.
Derry has learned to reject isolation just when he loses the person who
taught him this lesson. His return nevertheless proves his psychological
transformation and courage to face life. |
DERRY: I won’t ever look different. When I’m as old as you, I’ll look the same. I’ll still only have half a face.
MR LAMB: So you will. But the world won’t. The world’s got a whole face, and the world’s there to be looked at.
DERRY: Do you think this is the world? This old garden?
MR LAMB: When I’m here. Not the only one. But the world, as much as anywhere.
DERRY: Does your leg hurt you?
MR LAMB: Tin doesn’t hurt, boy!
DERRY: When it came off, did it?
MR LAMB: Certainly.
DERRY: And now? I mean, where the tin stops, at the top?
MR LAMB: Now and then. In wet weather. It doesn’t signify.
| Derry | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialogue | Character Traits | Tone | Mental Condition |
|
"I won't ever look different. When I'm as old as you, I'll look the same. I'll still only have half a face." |
Pessimistic, self-conscious, resigned |
Defeated, bitter | Derry is struggling with self-acceptance and is fixated on his appearance. He feels hopeless about his future. |
|
"Do you think this is the world? This old garden?" |
Curious, skeptical |
Questioning, doubtful |
Derry is challenging Mr. Lamb's perspective, trying to understand his optimistic outlook. |
| "Does your leg hurt you?" |
Compassionate, inquisitive |
Concerned, sympathetic |
Derry shows empathy and is trying to connect with Mr. Lamb by understanding his pain. |
| "When it came off, did it?" |
Curious, empathetic |
Inquisitive, sympathetic |
Derry wants to know more about Mr. Lamb's experience, indicating a desire to relate and understand. |
|
"And now? I mean, where the tin stops, at the top?" |
Empathetic, curious |
Concerned, sympathetic |
Derry continues to show concern, indicating his growing interest in Mr. Lamb's experiences and feelings. |
| Mr. Lamb | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dialogue | Character Traits | Tone | Mental Condition |
|
"So you will. But the world won't. The world's got a whole face, and the world's there to be looked at." |
Optimistic, philosophical |
Encouraging, hopeful |
Mr. Lamb tries to broaden Derry's perspective, encouraging him to look beyond his physical appearance. |
|
"When I'm here. Not the only one. But the world, as much as anywhere." |
Content, philosophical |
Reflective, accepting |
Mr. Lamb finds beauty and significance in his surroundings, showing contentment and acceptance. |
| "Tin doesn't hurt, boy!" |
Humorous, practical |
Light-hearted, matter-of-fact |
Mr. Lamb uses humor to address Derry's concern, indicating his practical approach to life. |
| "Certainly." |
Honest, straightforward |
Matter-of-fact | Mr. Lamb is direct and honest about his experiences, not shying away from the truth. |
|
"So you will. But the world won't. The world's got a whole face, and the world's there to be looked at." |
Optimistic, philosophical |
Encouraging, hopeful |
Mr. Lamb tries to broaden Derry's perspective, encouraging him to look beyond his physical appearance. |
Derry enters Mr. Lamb’s garden as a lonely and bitter boy. His face has been badly burnt by acid, and he believes that people look at him with fear or pity. He avoids people and has developed a strong feeling of self-pity. Mr. Lamb, however, does not treat him as a helpless or unfortunate person. He speaks to him naturally and makes him think about the world beyond his face. He tells Derry that a person is much more than his physical appearance.
Mr. Lamb also shares his own experience of living with a tin leg. Instead of allowing his disability to isolate him, he keeps his gate open, meets people and enjoys nature. His examples about bees, weeds and the man who stayed indoors teach Derry that fear should not become a barrier to living. He even invites Derry to help him pick crab apples, making him feel useful and capable. As a result, Derry gains confidence and decides to return to the garden despite his mother’s objections. His decision marks the beginning of his movement from isolation towards an active and meaningful life.
At the beginning of the play, Derry is emotionally isolated. The acid burn on his face has deeply affected his confidence. He believes that everyone is frightened by his appearance and that people only pretend not to notice his scar. He even fears his own reflection. As a result, he avoids people and prefers to remain alone. His physical injury has therefore created a much larger mental barrier.
His meeting with Mr. Lamb begins to break this barrier. Mr. Lamb does not pity him or focus only on his face. Instead, he talks about life, nature, people and his own disability. He encourages Derry to look at the world and think about what he wants to do. Gradually, Derry begins to understand that his face does not define his whole identity. His final decision to return to the garden is especially important. He knows that if he allows fear to stop him, he may continue avoiding life forever. Thus, Derry’s journey is a movement from fear and self-pity towards courage, self-acceptance and the willingness to face the world.
