On the Face of It
Textual Questions
Q1. Who is Mr Lamb? How does Derry get into his
garden?
Ans.
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. Mr Lamb is sitting in his
garden when Derry climbs over the garden wall to get into his garden.
Q2. Do you think all this will change Derry’s attitude
towards Mr Lamb?
Ans. Derry
had a negative attitude to life and people due to his burnt face. He suffered
from an inferiority complex and avoided meeting people. But after his long
conversation with Mr. Lamb, he was able to overcome his inferiority complex and
changed his attitude.
READING WITH INSIGHT
Q1. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr Lamb in
spite of himself?
Ans.
Both Derry and Mr Lamb suffer from physical impairment. Derry has one side of
his face burnt by acid. The old man has a tin leg because his real leg got
blown off during the war. Apart from these physical disabilities, Derry finds
signs of loneliness and disappointment in Mr Lamb’s life. The old man tries to
overcome these feelings but the sense of alienation felt by him is more painful
than the pain caused by physical disability.
Derry tries to avoid meeting people because they
consider his face frightful and ugly. They avoid him as they are afraid of him.
His parents seem worried about him and talk about him and his future.
Mr Lamb provides him a new approach to things. He
tells him to see, hear, feel and think about things around him. He should not
hate others. Hatred is worse than acid because it bums the inside.. He should
not be afraid of people and they will not be afraid of him. All these factors
draw Derry towards Mr Lamb.
Q2. 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?
Ans.
It is in the middle section of the first scene of the play that Mr Lamb
displays signs of loneliness and disappointment. He says that when it is a bit
cooler, he will get the ladder and a stick, and pull down those crab apples. He
makes jelly. Derry could help him. Then he says he is interested in anybody or
anything that God made. It may be a person, flower, fruit, grass, weeds or
rubbish. There are plenty of things to look at. Some of them are his crab
apples or the weeds or a spider climbing up a silken ladder or his tall sun-flowers.
He also likes to talk and have a company. He has a hive of bees. He hears them
singing. He sits in the sun and reads books. He likes the light and the
darkness. He hears the wind coming through open windows. There aren’t any
curtains at the windows as they either shut things out or shut things in. These
are the ways in which Mr Lamb tries to overcome his loneliness.
Q3. 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?
Ans.
The playwright, Susan Hill, presents the two leading characters—an old man and
a small boy—having different sorts of physical disabilities.
The old man has a tin leg. It did hurt him when it
came off. Then he got used to it. He finds it inconvenient to run, to climb a
tree or a ladder. He lives all alone in a big house with a garden. The boy has
one side of his face badly burnt by acid. He felt the physical pain then. People
regard his face as horrible and ugly, show signs of being scared and avoid his
presence. In short, he is disliked, if not hated. He is not accepted as an
ordinary member of society.
It is clear that the sense of alienation that these
disabled persons feel causes them constant pain. Such persons expect kind and
considerate behaviour from others. They do not want tears, sympathy or pity.
They dislike being pointed at, nicknamed, mocked at or made a fun of. They only
demand a reasonable bahaviour from others, full of appreciation of their
difficulties.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS
Q1. “Mind the apples!”, says Mr Lamb. Why do you
think, does he issue this instruction, to whom and how many times?
Ans.
Mr Lamb issues this instruction to Derry, a boy of fourteen, who climbs over
the garden wall and enters the garden. He asks Derry twice to mind the apples.
Derry could put his foot on some apple, fall down and hint himself.
Q2. What is the attitude of Mr Lamb to the small boy
who comes to his garden?
Ans.
Mr Lamb’s attitude to the small boy is quite gentle, protective and
accommodating. Like an elder in the family offering advice and instructions to
the younger members, Mr Lamb advises the young boy to mind the apples. He also
advises the boy not to feel afraid.
Q3. 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. Mr Lamb assures him that it is
all right. He asks the boy what he is afraid of. He tells the boy that the
house is empty as he is in the garden. Such a beautiful day should not be
wasted indoors.
Q4. “T ‘m not afraid. People are afraid of me,” says
Derry. What do people think on seeing his face? How do they react then?
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.
Q5. How does Mr Lamb change the subject from ugly face
to ripe apples?
OR
How does Mr Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit
cooler ?
Ans.
There is a momentary pause in the conversation. Then Mr Lamb changes the
subject. He says that when it is a bit cooler, he will get the ladder and a
stick. Then he will pull down those ripe crab apples. He makes jelly. September
is a good time to make jelly. He tells the boy that he could help him.
Q6. Why, according to Derry, has the old man changed the
subject?
Ans.
Derry says that people always change the subject. They don’t ask him about his
physical impairment. They simply pretend. They don’t want the boy to mind and
get upset. He thinks that the old man has changed the subject because he is
afraid to ask him about his burnt face.
Q7. How, according to Derry, does the tin leg not
trouble Mr Lamb? What explanation does the old man offer?
Ans.
Derry thinks that the old man can put on trousers and cover up his tin leg. So,
people don’t have to notice and stare at. Mr Lamb replies that some people do
notice and stare at his disability. Some don’t. In the end, they get tired of
it. Moreover, there are plenty of things to stare at.
Q8.“There’s plenty of other things to stare at.” Which
‘things’ are worth staring at and why?
Ans.
According to the old man there are plenty of things to stare at. These include
crab apples or the weeds or a spider climbing up a silken ladder, or his tall
sun-flowers. All of them are beautiful and ‘growing’. Mr Lamb tries to convince
him that it is all relative. Then he mentions ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
Q9. What peculiar things does Derry notice about the
old man?
Ans.
Derry thinks that the old man is peculiar. He says peculiar things. He asks
questions which Derry does not understand. There are no curtains at the windows
in his house. He likes the light and darkness and hears the wind with the
windows open.
Q10. In what ways does Mr Lamb inspire Derry to
overcome his physical disability?
Ans.
Mr Lamb tells Derry that he ‘has got two arms, two legs and eyes and ears. He
has got a tongue and a brain. He will get on the way he wants, like all the
rest. And if he chooses and sets his mind to it, he could get on even better
than all the rest.
Q11. How should people be judged?
Ans.
People should not be judged by what they look like. They must be judged by
their actions. Appearances may be deceptive. On the other hand, people with
physical impairments overcome their disabilities and perform wonderful feats in
different spheres.
Q12. How, according to Mr Lamb, can one overcome of
sense of hurt or humiliation caused by remarks at one’s physical disability?
Ans.
Mr Lamb does not provide a straight forward solution. He says that in the
street kids shout “Lamey-Lamb” at him. Still, they come to his garden. They are
not afraid of him because he is not afraid of them. He simply ignores their
comments. He concentrates on other things which are encouraging and positive.
Q13. What makes Derry think that the old man is always
alone and miserable? What does he tell the old man?
Ans.
Derry asks Mr Lamb whether the persons who come there talk to him and ask him
things. As usual, Mr Lamb says that some do, some don’t. This makes Derry think
that nobody ever comes there.
He tells the old man that he is there all alone by
himself and miserable. He says no one would know if he were alive or dead and
nobody cares.
Q14. Why does Derry’s mother oppose his going back to
the old man’s garden?
Ans.
Derry’s mother tells him that she has heard things about the old man. In fact,
she has been warned. Though they have lived there for three months, she knows
what is worth knowing and Derry is not to go back there.
Q15. Comment on the ending of the play ‘On The Face Of
If.
Ans. The
play has a pathetic but dramatic ending. Mr Lamb who works actively in spite of
his physical disability loses balance and falls down along with the ladder.
Derry enters and tries to converse with Mr Lamb, who does not respond. Mr
Lamb’s “exit” is exactly the same as envisaged by Derry earlier in the play.
Q16.What other ending would you suggest to the above
story?
Ans. I
would like the play to end on a happy note. Derry’s efforts will revive the old
man. After regaining his consciousness, Mr Lamb will grant permission to Derry
to live with him and see, hear and learn things.
17. What are the qualities of Mr. Lamb that attract
Derry towards him?
Ans: Mr.
Lamb's positive attitude towards life, his way of living, his optimistic
character, friendly behaviour attracted Derry towards him. He doesn't let his
physical disability destroy the happiness. Mr. Lamb’s tremendous patience as he
listened to him attracted him the most.
2014
1. Who should be friends,
according to both Derry and Mr. Lamb?
Ans: Derry
feels that friends are only those whom he has known for a long time, whom he
can trust and those who have clearly stated that they are friends with him. On
the other hand, Mr Lamb feels that anybody he has spoken to or met
automatically becomes his friend.
2. How do people comment
so painfully about Derry's face? And why?
Ans: Derry's
face was scary because of an acid attack. People often tease him. They got
scared and say that it is so scary that only his mother can love his burnt
face. His parents were so worried about him. Many people always stare at derry
and passes various negative comments.
2015
1. How and why do people
comment so painfully about Derry's face?
Ans: Already
answered.
2. Why and how did Derry
enter Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans: When
Mr. Lamb was sitting in the garden, Derry sneaked by climbing over the garden wall to get into his garden.
He thought that the garden was empty and there was no one in it.
2016
1. Why and how did Derry
enter Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans: Already
answered.
2. Why aren't there any
curtains at the windows of Mr. Lamb's house?
Ans: Lamb
did not have any curtain at the windows as he was not fond of curtains. He did
not like shutting things in and out. He liked the light and darkness. He was
also fond of hearing the wind from open windows.
2017
1. Why does Derry go back
to Mr. Lamb in the end?
Ans: Mr.
Lamb had changed Derry's percept about society and inspired him to overcome his
disability. Derry wants to live a free life so he makes friend to Mr. Lamb. Mr.
Lamb teaching and advice impacted Derry to tread the path showed by him, and
thus he returned to Mr. Lamb in the end.
2. Why and how did Derry
enter Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans: Already
answered.
2018
1. What is it that draws
Derry towards Mr Lamb in spite of himself?
Ans: Already
answered. (question 1 in Reading with insight)
2. Why aren't there any
curtains at the windows of Mr Lamb's house?
Ans: Already
answered.
2019
1. How did Derry get his
face burnt?
Ans: Derry
is a fourteen years old boy. Derry gets his face burnt with an acid. The acid
has badly burnt one side of the boy's face. The acid ate up his face.
2020
1. How did Mr. Lamb fry
to give courage and confidence to Derry?
Ans: Mr.
Lamb inspires Derry by telling him not to focus on the shortcomings of life and
instead he should try to enjoy the blessings of life. He tells him to be
thankful to God for two arms, two legs, two eyes and ears, a tongue and a brain
and advises him to be friendly with everyone around him.
2022
1. Why and how did Derry
enter Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans: Already
answered.
2. Why did Derry go back
to Mr. Lamb in the end?
Ans: Already
answered.
Broad
Notes
1. What impression do you
form of Mr Lamb? How does he look at life? 2015
Ans:
Basically, Mr. Lamb is an old person who has a tin leg. One of his legs is
blown off in the war and he has become physically disabled. But, unlike other
physically disabled persons, he neither withdraws from the mainstream of life
nor he alienates himself from people.
He does not allow his physical disability
to spoil his life. He also accepts life as it comes. Moreover, he tries to find
and give a definite meaning of it. He always keeps his heart open for others,
in spite of all the teasing that people do to him. Besides, he always remains
and looks at everything positively.
Mr. Lamb is totally a positive person. He
is also full of life. Moreover, he enjoys sitting in the sun and reading books.
He also grows plants, flowers and fruit trees, etc. in his garden. In addition,
he collects honey and makes jelly from apples. Then he shares all these stuffs
with the children who tease him as Lamey-Lamb. Finally, he has become
successful for giving a new direction and meaning to Derry’s life.
2. "Though both Mr
Larnb and Derry suffer from a physical disability their attitudes to life are
different'. Justify the relevance of this statement with reference to the story
of "On the Face of it"? 2016, 2019
Ans: ‘On the Face of It’ presents the two leading characters—an
old man and a small boy—having different sorts of physical disabilities.
Both
Mr. Lamb and Derry are physically handicapped. But Derry’s physical disability leads
him consequential feeling of loneliness, social humiliation, frustration,
sadness, and depression. Derry’s main problem is his burnt face. He suffers
from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious that his
face is bad, terrible and the ugliest. People are afraid of him. He tries to
escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. He doesn’t
trust people.
On
the other hand, Mr. Lamb an open-minded person who 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 does not comfortable in escapism.
Children tease him by calling Lamy 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
in his garden. He loves everybody and everything.
Hence
the above statements show that though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from a
physical disability, but their attitude to life is very different.
2024
1. "Tin doesn't
hurt, boy," Explain with reference to context and its speaker.
Ans: Mr.
Lamb an open-minded person who 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. When Derry asks if tin legs hurt, he says that tin does not
hurt, which shows that he does not let his disability affect him or his
happiness.
2. Why was there no
curtain in Lamb's house?
Ans: Year
2016, Question No 2 and Page No 4
3. Write a
character-sketch of Derry.
Ans: Derry
is a 14-year-old boy in the story ‘On the Face of it’ who suffers from a sense
of inferiority complex. It was because he was physically disabled due to a
terrible accident in his childhood. As a result, he has a scarred face and is
blind in one eye. This makes him lonely and withdrawn. He avoids the company of
others. He thinks that people get scared when they look at his horrible face.
This has led Derry to
isolate himself and create a tough, reserved exterior. He wants to avoid being
hurt, and so he avoids everyone he can, and when he does interact with other
people he is both wary and angrily defiant. He also has internalized the way others
see him and seems to consider himself monstrous because of his disability. He
assumes that the world is a harsh and alienating place, and acts
accordingly—for example, climbing over Mr. Lamb’s garden wall instead of
checking the gate, which is always left open. At first Derry assumes that Mr.
Lamb will treat him like other people do, but he is soon intrigued by the old
man’s “peculiar” questions and open nature, suggesting that Derry does in fact
long for human connection even as he fears the potential pain of being
rejected. This is confirmed when Derry runs away from his mother—who, it’s
suggested, treats him with a dehumanizing kind of pity—to go back to Mr. Lamb’s
garden, where he just wants to sit and talk with the old man.
But his meeting with Lamb
brings a turning point in his life. It gives him confidence. He is able to
develop a positive attitude towards life.
2025
Who is Derry? How does
Derry get into Lamb's garden?
Ans: Derry
is a 14-year-old boy who suffers from a sense of inferiority complex due to his
burnt face. Derry climbs over
the garden wall to get into Lamb’s garden.
Why does Derry's mother
oppose his going back to the old man's garden?
Ans: Question
No 14 and Page No 3
Describe how Mr. Lamb and
Derry's conversation bring about a change in Derry's views towards life.
Ans: ‘On the Face of It’ presents the two leading characters—an
old man and a small boy—having different sorts of physical disabilities.
Both
Mr. Lamb and Derry are physically handicapped. Derry’s physical disability leads
him consequential feeling of loneliness, social humiliation, frustration,
sadness, and depression. Derry’s main problem is his burnt face. He suffers
from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious that his
face is bad, terrible and the ugliest. People are afraid of him. He tries to
escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. He doesn’t
trust people.
But
the conversation with Mr. Lamb totally changed Derry’s views towards life. Mr. Lamb an open-minded person who doesn’t
allow his physical disability to come in his way. He has a positive attitude
towards life, things, and people. He does not comfortable in escapism. Children
tease him by calling Lamy 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 in his
garden. He loves everybody and everything.
He shares with Derry that he does not allow his physical disability to spoil his life. He also accepts life as it comes. Moreover, he tries to find and give a definite meaning of it. He always keeps his heart open for others, in spite of all the teasing that people do to him. Besides, he always remains and looks at everything positively.
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