On the Face of It

by Susan Hill 
About the Author
Susan Hill (born on 5 February 1942-) is an English author of fiction and non-fiction works.
Her novels include The Woman in Black, The Mist in the Mirror and I’m the King of the
Castle. She received the Somerset Maugham Award in 1971 for her novel I’m the King of
the Castle. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 2012
Birthday Honours for her services to literature. She is known to explore the inner fears and
loneliness. Her works reflect honest suffering and optimism.

Introduction
The play is about the friendship between an old man and a young boy who is withdrawn
and defiant. Both of them had some physical impairment, but the outlook of each of them
towards life in general and people in particular was very different. The old man had a
positive outlook towards life, whereas the young boy with the scarred face had become
withdrawn and pessimistic.

Theme
The play, “On the Face of It” brings out the idea that the people who have any handicap/
physical impairment of some kind, generally suffer from a sense of loneliness and mental
pain. It also talks about how appearances are deceptive and most often, we go on dealing
with impressions and prejudices about others without caring to know about them actually.

CHARACTER SKETCH  
Derry
1. Young boy with a burnt face.
2. Lives secluded from other children
3. Insecure about the way he looks
4. Initially has a negative approach towards his life because of his deformity of the face
caused by the acid until he meets Mr. Lamb.
5. He feels that people either feel sorry for him or feel that he is very ugly.
6. He has suffered many rude remarks from the people like one woman told him that no
one will ever kiss such a face except his mother and that too on the other side of his
face.
7. Transforms himself after spending time with Mr. Lamb.
Mr. Lamb:
1. He was a lonely man
2. Had a tin leg
3. Always had a positive approach towards his life
 4. Keeps himself busy by making jelly out the apples in his garden, sitting in the sun and
reading books.
5. Did not have curtains in the house because he did not like to shut the light or
darkness
6. Keeps the windows open to hear the sound of the wind
7. Called Lamey lamb by people.
8. He revives the almost dead feelings of Derry towards life

PLOT OVERVIEW
The plot revolves around two physically impaired people named, Mr Lamb with a tin leg
and Derry who had a burnt face and the strong bond of friendship they develop.   One day
Derry went to Mr Lamb’s garden as he thought it was just an empty place and he can sit
there. Mr Lamb hears his footsteps and asks him to mind the crab apples while walking and
that he could trip.

Mr Lamb tells him that he does not mind who comes into his garden and the gate’s always
open. Derry explains that he just wanted to come in. Derry explains that he is not afraid of
people in fact people are afraid of him and it doesn’t matter who they are or what they say
or how they look he knows how people pretend. Mr Lamb listens to him carefully. He says
that when it gets a bit cooler he will get the ladder and stick and pull down the crab apples
and make jelly.

Derry feels that Mr Lamb is changing the subject and that he is afraid to ask about his burnt
face. He tells him that his face was burned by the acid and not only that acid burnt his face
but it ate him up as well and that the things will never be any different for him forever. 
Mr Lamb tells Derry that his real leg got blown off years back and that there is no difference
between the two of them they are same just like the trees or herbs and the weeds he
grows; he does not understand why a green growing plant is called weed and another
flower. He explains Derry that all the things are relative even the Beauty and the beast. 

Derry replies that he knows this fairy story because he has been told this earlier that ‘It’s
not what you look like, it’s what you are inside’ and handsome is  as handsome does  and
that’s why even beauty loved the monstrous beast for himself and when she kissed him he
changed to handsome prince  but he won’t change because nobody will ever kiss his face
except his mother and that too she kisses on the other side of his face and he completely
dislikes this because she does this out of responsibility and not because she actually feels
like doing it.  Mr Lamb and Derry have a long conversation where they talk that bees don’t
buzz as people say instead they hum and hum means ‘sing ‘if you listen to them carefully.
Mr Lamb revives the almost dead feelings of Derry towards life. He motivates him to think
positively about life, changes his mind set about people and things how a man locked
himself as he was scared- a picture fell off the wall and got killed.  He explains to him that
the acid had only burnt his face just like the bomb only blew up his leg but more than that
there are worse things that can happen and that he can burn himself from the inside if he
has this attitude towards his life.

Derry shares that someone suggested that he should be left with others like himself for his
betterment but he likes to stay in a place like this garden and a house with no curtains. He
also exclaimed that the gate of the garden is always open. Derry is inspired and promises to
come back. Derry’s mother stops him but he is adamant saying if he does not go now it
would be never. When he comes back he sees Mr Lamb laying on the ground it is ironical
that when he searches a new foothold to live happily, he finds Mr Lamb dead.

In this way, the play depicts the heart-rending life of physically disabled people with their
loneliness, aloofness, and alienation. But at the same time, it is almost a true account of the
people who don’t let a person live happily.