On the Face of It by Susan Hill

 

 On the Face of It

Derek, a young lad of fourteen was sinking in the abyss of despair and frustration. He disliked every one. Once he enters a garden thinking it an empty place but Finds an old man Mr. Lamb minding the apples. Derek feels embarrassed and wants to go back. Mr. Lamb assures him that he does not mind strangers and the gates of garden are open for everyone. Derek has low self esteem and thinks people are afraid of him for his burnt face because of acid and thinks even his mother kisses him only on the good side of his face. He has bitterness for the world.

Mr. Lamb has a friendly and positive attitude. He tells Derek that he too is handicapped and loves all creatures made by God because nothing in this world is worthless, even weeds have their own value. He advises Derek to think of the beautiful objects of the world and never believe on your eyes but to believe your ears. Avoid people's comments and love all mankind because hatred corrodes us and hurts more than acids. He considers Derek to be his friend. Mr. Lamb tells a story to give Derek a lesson. Once there was a timid man who refused to come out in fear of fatal accident. In his own room a picture fell of the wall on his head and he died. This changes Derek’s attitude and he takes interest in Mr. Lamb's talking and likes to listen more to Mr. Lamb and wants to help Mr. Lamb in his work.

Derek wants to go home and inform his mother that he would be late. He promises to come back. His mother stops him but he is adamant saying if he does not go now it would be never. When he comes back he sees lamb lying on the ground. It is ironical that when he searches a new foothold to live happily, he finds Mr. Lamb dead.

NCERT Book Solution  

Read and Find Out  (Page No: 56)

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

Answer:  Mr. Lamb is an old man with a tin leg. His real leg was blown off years ago during the war. He lives all alone in his house. Derry climbs over the garden wall and gets inside Mr. Lamb’s garden because he likes the place but thinks that nobody resides there.

Page No: 62

1. Do you think all this will change Derry’s attitude towards Mr. Lamb?

Answer:  Although people sympathized with Derry due to his burnt face, it was never a heartfelt one. This made him pessimistic towards life. He thought that everyone disliked and despised him. On the contrary, Mr. Lamb did not show any pity towards him. He considered Derry to be his equal and welcomed him in his garden. He helped the boy to love and live life happily without any contempt for his own self. Derry had initially considered the old man to be like others, but he gradually started respecting and liking him for what he said.

Page No: 69

Reading with Insight

1. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself?

Answer:  Derry enters Mr. Lamb’s garden stealthily. He is startled when Mr. Lamb tells him to be cautious of the crab apples. He is embarrassed and wants to go back from there because he feels that like the others Mr. Lamb would ridicule his burnt face like others do.

Derry is surprised to see that Mr. Lamb welcomes him. Mr. Lamb instills confidence in him when he tells Derry that he not so frightening. Derry is impressed by the old man’s talk about beauty and beast, pretty girls and the plain talk of about how the world will change its attitude towards Derry. Mr. Lamb’s concept of the world, friendship, not believing everything one hears, the story about the timid man who locked himself and the like sound peculiar to Derry but interest him. He understands the underlying message that Mr. Lamb is giving him. He is encouraged by Mr. Lamb’s words, “You’ll get on the way you want, like all the rest.” Gradually, Derry is able to shed his inhibitions, insecurities, fears and complexes. The talk with Mr. Lamb is the beginning of his transformation. . He tells Derry never to think of his burned face. He has two arms, two legs, eyes ears, tongue and a brain. And if he has a firm mind, he can do better than others. It is by such words of encouragement that Mr. Lamb draws Derry to himself. That’s the reason why Derry says, “....you don’t know what I could do.” Mr. Lamb makes him understand the true meaning of life.

2. In which section of the play does Mr. Lamb display signs of loneliness and disappointment? What are the ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?

Answer:  Although the loneliness of Derry dominates the play, there are evident signs of Mr. Lamb’s loneliness throughout the first scene of the play. At the end of scene one, we hear Mr. Lamb telling himself, “We all know. I’ll come back. They never do, though. Not them.

Never do they come back”. This is the time when Derek wants to rush home as he thinks his mother will be worried. That’s when Mr. Lamb says the above lines. Although Derek promises to come back Mr. Lamb does not believe him. He simply walks away to look after his bees.

3. The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind of behaviour that the person expects from others?

Answer:  Mr. Lamb and Derek both are victims of physical impairment. Mr. Lamb has an artificial leg made of tin and Derek has burnt face. Undoubtedly, both have suffered humiliations in life on account of their handicaps.

A person with any physical impairment can live life with respect and honour, if he is not ridiculed and punished with heartless pity. He expects empathy rather than sympathy. If everyone looks down at him with a pessimistic approach, he may never be able to come out of his sorrow, and consequently, recline to his own secluded world. He is already in tremendous mental and emotional pressure. So, he expects others to be understanding rather than remind him of his disability.

In the play, Mr. Lamb seems to cope with such problems, but Derry, being a child, is not able to untangle this web alone. He develops a strong liking for this old man because he spoke the words a person, with such problem, would want to hear.

4. Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr. Lamb’s brief association effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in the future?

Answer:  The brief association of Derry with Mr. Lamb boosted his self-confidence and helped him to respect his own self. The manner in which the old man made Derry realize the importance of his being self-dependent, of respecting himself and of holding on to hope helped Derry undergo a remarkable change. The new found self-esteem makes him tell his mother that his looks are not important.

It is not likely that the death of Mr. Lamb would take him back to his secluded life.

Q. Answer the following questions in 30-40 words each: 

Q. Why does Derry’s mother not want him to go back to visit Mr. Lamb? 

Answer: Derry’s mother claimed to have heard many things about Mr. Lamb. She had been told and warned by the neighbours. She believed that being a handicapped Mr. Lamb was not a good person. She warned Derry not to go back there. Derry told her not to believe all she heard. 

Q. In what sense is the friendship between Mr. Lamb and Derry fruitful? 

Answer: After his meeting Mr. Lamb, Derry is gradually shedding some of his complexes and trying to comprehend the true of life. When his mother denies him to go out he dares to disobey and runs to Mr. Lamb’s garden. It shows that a brief meeting between two has made Derry courageous to face the world.

Q. Why did Mr. Lamb help Derry?    

Answer: Mr. Lamb was a man with a positive attitude towards life and people. He was not an escapist like Derry. He was also a physically disabled person. But the matter ends here only. He had zest for life. Mr. Lamb persuaded Derry not to give attention to other’s comments, try to be internally pure and strong and eliminate the negativity in life.

1. Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open? 

Answer: Mr. Lamb always keeps his gate open as he welcomes anyone who wants to come to his garden. He tells Derry that children come and enjoy in his garden.

2. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?     

Answer: When it is bit cool, Mr. Lamb brings a ladder and a stick to pull the crab apples down for making Jelly. He likes sitting in his garden, hearing the humming sound of bees and enjoys reading books. He makes toffees also with honey.

3. What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man, Lamb? 

Answer: Derry notices that Mr. Lamb is different from others. He says peculiar things which he cannot understand. He motivates him to overcome his physical disability. His house is also different with no curtains on the windows.

4. If you were to give a different ending to the story ‘On the face of it’ how would you end it? 

Answer: If I were given a chance to end the story, surely it would be a happy ending. Mr. Lamb would not have died and Derry would have started a new life. They would have been living happily in each other’s company.

5. Why did Derry insist that he would go back to Mr. Lamb? 

Answer: He no longer cared for his face and looks. He was more concerned with what he thought and felt and what he wanted to see and hear. This change was made possible by his meeting with Mr. Lamb so he wanted to go back to him.

6. How did Derry’s handicap damage his life? 

OR

Why does Derry stay away from people?

Answer: One side of Derry’s face was burnt by acid so he looked very ugly and frightful. It made him withdrawn and defiant. He did not want to come in contact with people.

7. What does Mr. Lamb try to tell Derry through the example of a weed and a flower? 

Answer: Through the example of a weed and a flower Mr. Lamb speaks against discrimination and the futility of outer appearance. He tells Derry that people should have a broader perception and attitude towards life. He finds no essential difference between a ‘weed’ and a ‘flower’ as both represent life.

Q. Answer the following in 100- 125 words: 

Q. Compare and contrast the characters of Lamb and Derry in the play ‘On the Face of It’.

Answer: Derry's main problem is his burnt face. One side of his face was eaten up by acid. He suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious that his face is "bad", "terrible" and "the ugliest thing". People are "afraid" of him. He tries to escape peo¬ple. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. On the other hand, Mr. Lamb doesn't allow his physical disability to come in his way. He accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards life, things and people. He doesn't find solace in escapism. Children tease him by calling "Lamey-Lamb" but he doesn't mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the war. But he is full of life and enjoys it at his best. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and growing weeds and flowers.

Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He doesn't trust people. He thinks that no one will ever love and kiss him except his own mother. He can't stand people staring at him or passing uncharitable remarks. He is touchy and hyper-sensitive. Mr Lamb is open-minded and open-hearted. All are welcome. He loves everybody and everything. He teaches Derry how to handle people and things.

Q. What is the bond that unites the two-the old Mr. Lamb and Derry, the small boy? How does the old man inspire the small boy? 

Answer: Derry and Mr. Lamb had the same sense of loneliness and they both lived, a secluded life due to their physical inability. Derry experienced Mr. Lamb to be a peculiar person saying strange things which he was not able to understand; still he felt some kind of attraction towards him. He was differently-abled but was calm and maintained peace with people around him. He was not irritated by the children who called him Lamey-Lamb. Before coming in contact with Mr. Lamb, Derry felt lonely due to the behaviour of people but Mr. Lamb inspired him and filled him with self-confidence and determination.

Mr. Lamb’s inexplicable words of wisdom inspired Derry that’s why the young boy rushed to the garden of Mr. Lamb even his mother tried to stop him to go there. Derry’s long conversation with Mr. Lamb helped him overcome his inferiority complex and poor self-esteem.

Q. How is Derry’s and Mr. Lamb’s behaviour and attitude different towards people because of their physical impairment? 

Answer: Both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from physical impairment. Mr. Lamb has an artificial leg and Derry has a severely burnt face. Both the experiences have been terribly painful for the respective sufferers.

Mr. Lamb does not bother about his physical handicap or that children making fun of him.

He takes life as it comes without grumbling. He keeps the gates of his house and open. Mr. Lamb loves all the creatures the God has made. He plants both weeds and flowers to demonstrate life and growth. If one isolates oneself, he might suffer like the man, who died when a picture fell off the wall and killed him.

Derry on the other hand is a young boy of fourteen who is conscious of his ugly face and is full of bitterness. Derry is withdrawn and complex. He hates meeting people. He suffers on account of the pain caused by his notions of how much people hate him and are repulsed by him.

Derry is inspired by Mr. Lamb to see that actions are more important than looks and even weeds have their value. Mr. Lamb’s positive attitude changes Derry and inspires him to rush back and face the world.

Q. The lesson, ‘On the Face of It’, is an apt depiction of the loneliness and sense of alienation experienced by people on account of a disability. Explain. 

Answer: Mr. Lamb and Derry both represent the sections of society which craves for nothing but an epithetical and not apathetic stance from others. Both were disabled in a twisted sense. The former was lame as he had lost one leg in a war and the latter, a young boy of 14, had got one side of his face burnt in acid.

Mr. Lamb was not bothered when children called him ‘lamey-Lamb’. But Derry had lost all his self-respect, thanks to the loathsome looks thrown upon him by his companions. Left with no friends who could understand his predicament, it was only natural the little boy of fourteen would lose his self-esteem and distrust even the true affections of Mr. Lamb.

The tender age of Derry needs more love and understanding, not repugnance. But people, to be precise, are insensitive and selfish. They alienate him. Their comments on his physical disabilities are psychological torture. Same happens with Mr. Lamb. Thanks to his mature and wider world-view, he finds his moorings in his philosophy of life, and poetry of love. Both of them find friends in none but each other.

1. How did Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry become a turning point in Derry’s life? 

 OR

Derry sneaked into Mr. Lamb’s garden and it became a turning point in his life. Comment.

Answer:  Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He does not like being with people. Once he got acid all down on one side of his face. The acid burnt it all away. This creates a complex in his mind. He considers his face as the most terrible thing in the world. When he looks in the mirror and sees it, he is afraid of him­self. He thinks that people are afraid of him. He doesn't like being near them. No one will ever kiss him. Only his mother kisses him and that too on the other side of his face. People look at his face and pass uncharitable remarks. Mr. Lamb is a physically challenged man. He has got a tin leg. The real one got blown off, years back. Children tease him calling "Lamey — Lamb". But Mr. Lamb never minds such things. He has a positive attitude towards life. He likes to talk and have company. He is open and never shuts himself in.

Mr. Lamb's meeting with Derry brings a turning point in Derry's life. He gives confi­dence to Derry. He persuades him that he can get better than rest of the people. He should stop hating people. Hatred burns oneself away inside. Derry should take life as it is. This leaves a deep impression on Derry. He comes back to Mr. Lamb only to find him dead. But Mr. Lamb brings a change in Derry's life. He develops confidence to face the world in a more positive way.

OR

What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr. Lamb? 

OR

Optimism in one‟s attitude helps deal with all the challenges in life. Prove the statement by referring to the character Mr. Lamb from the chapter ‘On the Face of It’. 

Answer: Before meeting Mr. Lamb Derry had a negative attitude towards the word and he lived a secluded life. He was pessimistic and believed that the whole world was scared of him for his deformity and did not want to do anything with him. Mr. Lamb, who himself had a tin-leg, helped Derry see the brighter side of things.

Mr. Lamb talked to Derry like nobody ever had talked to him before. Derry had no friends whereas Mr. Lamb’s gate was open for anybody and he liked to make friends. He made Derry realize that even though he had a burnt face he was no different from other and could achieve success in life.

Mr. Lamb's meeting with Derry brings a turning point in Derry's life. He gives confidence to Derry. He persuades him that he can get better than rest of the people. He should stop hating people. Hatred burns oneself away inside. Derry should take life as it is. This leaves a deep impression on Derry. He comes back to Mr. Lamb only to find him dead. But Mr. Lamb brings a change in Derry's life. He develops confidence to face the world in a more positive way.

2. How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry? 

Mr. Lamb meets Derry in the garden and welcomes him by making him feel comfortable. He has a warm attitude towards the boy besides being friendly. Derry, a victim of deep seated inferiority complex is inspired by Mr. Lamb. Through him he takes to the brighter side of life. Mr. Lamb acts as a mentor to Derry and is an inspiration for him. He gives confi­dence to Derry. He persuades him that he can get better than rest of the people. He should stop hating people. Hatred burns oneself away inside. Derry should take life as it is. Indulging in self pity, he feels that no one would ever love him. His bitterness and distrust crippled all his hopes. He is hyper-sensitive and hence cannot stand the ungenerous remarks of the people. However, his meeting with Mr. Lamb brings a sudden transformation in his personality. He no longer feels embittered and frustrated. Finding new meaning in life, he becomes optimistic.

3. “Derry is a victim of his own complex.” How does there come a change in his thinking? 

Answer: Derry is a young boy of fourteen years. One side of his face is badly burnt due to falling of the acid. He thinks it ‘the ugliest thing’ in the world. When he sees his face in the mirror, he gets afraid of himself. He has heard ladies saying ‘What a terrible face!’ None will like him. He becomes dejected, withdrawn and defiant. He is unable to face the world. He avoids the general public. All these facts turn Derry a victim of his own inferiority complex and negative attitude. By chance he sneaks into the garden of Mr. lamb thinking it to be a secluded place. But Mr. Lamb interrupts him and tells that his door is always open. People can come and he has got so many friends. Consequently a surge of relief starts flowing in the mind of Derry. He is drawn towards him. Mr. Lamb tells that children tease and call him ‘Lamey Lamb’ but he never minds. He plays with them and gives them toffees. His viewpoint brings a great change in Derry. He becomes free from inferiority complex and decides to face the realities of life.

4. Both Deny and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility of society to understand and support people with infirmities so that they do not suffer from a sense of alienation. As a responsible citizen, write in about 100 words what you would do to bring about a change in the lives of such people.                                                

Answer: In the story ‘On the Face of It’, both Derry and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. Such people can only live their lives with respect and honour, if they are not ridiculed and punished with heartless pity. These people expect empathy, rather than sympathy, from others. If everyone looks down at them with a pessimistic approach, they may never be able to come out of their sorrow; consequently, they may recline to their own secluded worlds. As responsible citizens, we should understand the tremendous mental and emotional pressure these people go through. Instead of reminding them of their disabilities, we should give them the chance to live a normal life.