ON THE FACE OF IT

BY SUSAN HILL

Theme: The dominant theme in the play is the alienation and pain experienced by
the differently abled on account of the callousness of the society.

Title: ‘On the face of it’ is a phrase used for saying that something appears to
be true etc. but might not be true when you have examined it in more
detail. Appearances are deceptive and most often, we go on dealing with
impressions and prejudices about others without bothering to know them.
Derry and Mr. Lamb were differently abled but both had the potential to
prove themselves. Mr. Lamb, who has a tin-leg and regarded as a crazy man,
is actually very kind, friendly, open hearted and has a positive perspective
towards life. Derry, who has a scarred face and is treated as a boy with a
horrible and ugly face, is sensitive and wants to be loved.

1. Both Derry and Lamb are victims of physical impairment, but much more
painful for them is the feeling of loneliness. Comment.

Ans. Both Mr Lamb and Derry have different sorts of physical disabilities. Mr.
Lamb had a tin legand Derry had acid burnt face. Both suffered alienation from
society. They were not accepted by the society. This loneliness caused constant
pain for Derry but Mr. Lamb reconciled. Derry disliked being pointed at,
nicknamed, mocked at or made fun. He was sensitive about his mother kissing only
on his other cheek and a relative advising that he would be better off with others
like him. All this made him withdrawn and defiant. People stared at Mr. Lamb’s tin
leg, talked of him as strange even crazy, children made fun of him calling him
lamey-Lamb but Mr. Lamb reconciled.
This behaviour of the people was extremely hurtful for both of them. They did not
want any sympathy . They just expected a kind and considerate behaviour from
others . They wanted the society to accept them as they were and not alienate them.
They wanted everyone to understand that they were differently abled and not
disabled.

2. Derry sneaked into Mr.Lamb’s garden and it became a turning point in his
life. Comment.
OR
How did Mr. Lamb transform Derry’s life?
OR
‘‘Things that matter. Things nobody else has ever said. Things I want to think
about.’’ What are the ‘things’ that Derry is referring to? How did Derry’s
chance meeting with Mr. Lamb prove meaningful for him?

Ans. Derry is bitter, hates the world and isolates himself. When he enters Mr.
Lamb’s garden, Mr. Lamb does not show fear or pity on seeing his burnt face. He
understands Derry’s pain and treats him as a normal person. He doesn’t get angry
nor is put off by Derry’s rudeness. He doesn’t force him to stay and listen. Derry
finds Mr. Lamb’s views different from those held by others. Mr. Lamb makes him
understand that the world is out there for him to explore and make his place. He
opens the world to Derry by telling him to wait, watch, and listen.
He teaches him that beauty is relative and things depend on one’s perspective by
giving examples as bees singing, weed garden. He advises him to shut his ears to
negativity and not to hate people as hatred is more harmful than acid. He very
casually removes the inferiority complex of Derry and makes him see the beauty in
nature. He raises his confidence saying that Derry is blessed with a sound body and
mind and can do better than the rest with his hard work. He makes him realize that
physical handicap has nothing to do with mental strength and positive attitude
towards life.
Mr. Lamb’s positive approach instills confidence in Derry. He gets inspiration
from Mr. Lamb to live life as it comes. He is ready to face the world and overcome
obstacles. He tells his mother how he looks is not important and returns to Mr.
Lamb against his mother’s advice. He finds courage and strength to get what he
wants.

3. Both Derry and Lamb are victims of physical impairment, yet each has a
different attitude from the other. Comment.
Ans. Derry has a burnt face and he dislikes being pointed at, nicknamed, mocked
at or made fun. He is very sensitive about people’s comments, his mother kissing
him only on his other cheek and a relative advising that he would be better off with
others like him. He is upset at his parents’ over protectiveness .All this has made
him withdrawn, defiant and negative about everything. He hates sympathy and
indulges in self-pity. He avoids people and is scared of facing rejection. He has a
deep inner desire to be accepted.
Mr. Lamb has a tin leg yet he has a positive approach. He sees beauty in
everything including weeds as he very well knows that life depends on one’s
perspective. He doesn’t let physical handicap prevent him from living life to the
fullest. He is very friendly and welcoming. He keeps the door of his garden open
for everyone. He reads, watches, listens and thinks. He is practical. He knows that
one’s life is in one’s hand and people are important. He is strong and does not let
people’s comments hurt him. He understands Derry’s problems and advises him to
face people rather than avoiding them.

4. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden ?

Ans. Mr. Lamb open heartedly welcomes Derry to his garden. He is happy to get
someone to talk to in his loneliness. Mr. Lamb does not show fear or pity on seeing
his burnt face. He treats him as a normal person and as a friend.

5. What kind of garden does Mr. Lamb have ? Why does he like it ?

Ans. Mr. Lamb’s garden has both weeds and flowering plants, crab apple trees and
beehives. The crab apple trees with golden and orange fruits are ripe & ready. Mr.
Lamb likes it for its beautiful view, nature, warm sunshine, bees humming. He
keeps the gate always open for everyone as he likes to talk to people. The garden
gives solace to him in his loneliness as a place to watch, listen and think.

6. How do people react to Derry’s face ?

Ans. People stare at him. Some pity him, some show repulsion while there are
some who get scared of his half burnt face.

7. How do people console Derry when they look at his face ?

Ans. People console him by quoting the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’ telling
him ‘it is not what one looks like but what one is inside’. They advise him to be
brave and not complain about his condition thinking of the people worse off than
him.

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

Ans. Derry’s mother is new to the place and doesn’t have much personal
information about Mr. Lamb. She has heard adverse remarks made by people about
Mr. Lamb like he is leading a lonely life, has no contact with the outside world and
children tease and chase him. So she thinks that he would not be a healthy
company for her son and as such she doesn’t want Derry to go back to him.

9. ‘‘It ate my face up. It ate me up.’’ Who said these words? Why?
Ans. Derry said these words as half of his face got burned with acid. Derry felt
lonely, pessimistic and hopeless about everything as he found that people’s attitude
towards him was that of repulsion, fear or pity. He felt that he was scarred for life.

10. How is the different from the Derry at the end ?

Ans. The Derry we meet at the beginning is a withdrawn, defiant person filled with
negativity. He has made himself miserable and pitiable. We find a positive change
in Derry at the end. He is free from his old complexes. Lamb has given him a
direction and purpose of life.

11. Why did Derry refuse to believe what his mother said against Mr. Lamb ?
Ans. Derry refused to believe what his mother said against Mr. Lamb as he made
him think differently, positively, accepted him as he was and gave him confidence.
He tried to convince his mother that Mr.Lamb was an inspiring person and that she
ought not to believe in hearsay.

12. Why does Mr. Lamb say to Derry, ‘‘So you are not lost, are you ? Not
altogether ?’’

Ans. Mr. Lamb makes this remark when Derry mentions that he too enjoys the
sound of falling rain. He is happy to find that Derry who is negative about
everything likes something. He tries to fill him with positivity and boost his
confidence with that remark.

13. How has Mr. Lamb kept himself open to everyone?

Ans. Mr. Lamb keeps the gate of his garden always open for everyone. He has no
curtains on windows. He does not want to shut out the world. He likes talking to
people. He is open to making friends. He offers apples, pears and toffees to
visitors.

14. Mr. Lamb died just as soon as Derek was beginning to feel positive about
life. Do you think that this would bring about a setback in his life? Give
reasons for your answer.
Ans. Mr. Lamb was instrumental in changing Derry’s attitude to life. Derry’s
association with him empowered him to face the world confidently and boldly. Mr.
Lamb’s death definitely was a setback to Derry. However, Derry is by then strong
enough to take things in his stride. Derry is ready to face the world and overcome
obstacles.

15. The play ‘On The Face of It’ depicts the unusual behaviour of the people
towards the physically disabled which makes them feel lonely. Comment.

Ans. Derry’s face got burned by acid. Since then he was treated differently, not as
any ordinary person by his family and society. Derry’s parents worried about what
would become of him after they were gone? How would he make his place in the
world with that on his face? His mother was over-protective about him. One of his
relatives was of the opinion that he would be better off with people like him.
People’s reaction was that of repulsion, fear or pity towards him. One of them even
remarked that he had a face only a mother could love. All this developed an
inferiority complex and he started avoiding people which led to loneliness and
bitterness.
Mr. Lamb had a tin leg. People were equally insensitive towards him. People
stared at his tin leg, talked of him as a strange even crazy person and children made
fun of him calling him lamey-Lamb. He was open yet lonely. Derry’s mother tried
to stop him from going back to Mr. Lamb as she had heard adverse comments
about him and didn’t think he would be a good influence on her son. Thus despite
his open heartedness Mr.Lamb too suffered alienation at the hands of society.

16. Why does Mr. Lamb leave the gate of his house always open?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is lonesome and likes to meet and talk to people. He is warm and
welcoming and thinks that everything that belongs to him belongs to everyone. He
is not embarrassed by his disability and has a very positive outlook.

17. When does Mr. Lamb display signs of loneliness? What are the ways in
which Mr Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?
Ans. Mr. Lamb display signs of loneliness when Derry goes home. He doubts his
return. His talking to himself shows he is a lonely man who doesn’t have much of a
company.
To overcome this loneliness he reads, watches, listens and thinks. He collects crab
apples and honey to make jelly and toffees respectively. He likes to hear bees
singing and wind blowing. He loves the warm sunshine. He doesn’t have curtains
as they shut things in and out. He likes to have company and as such keeps the gate
of his garden open.