CHAPTER

ON THE FACE OF IT
-Susan Hill- 6
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
1. What happened to Derry's face? How it impacted him?
Ans. Derry got acid all down one side of his face and the acid burnt it all away. As a
result Derry's face became ugly and scary which nobody liked to look at. The
greater impact of this incident had come upon Derry's self confidence. He had
sunk into deep inferiority complex which did not let him enjoy his life fully.
2. Why Derry did not like to mix up with people or to be friend people?
Ans. Derry had half a burnt face and she had become victim of inferiority complex due
to this. Wherever he would go, people would get scared of him at to about him
sympathetically. He did not like to mix up with people or to befriend people
because they constantly remind him of his ugliness. The sympathetic and strange
behaviour of people did not let him forget about his face and concentrate any other
thing. He did not feel loved or cared for like other children.
3. "It ate my face up. It ate me up". Explain.
Ans. It ate my face up. It ate me up". The above statement was quoted by Derry, when he
was talking of the spilling of acid that burnt his face. Derry said that the acid had
not only burnt his face but burnt him inside out. It had to ken away all his self
confidence and all the beauty in his life. The acid made him nothing but an object
of sympathy for the people around.
4. What kind of person was Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Mr. Lamb was a generalist kind of person with an optimistic approach towards
each and every dimension of life. He had not let his thin lea come in the way of him
enjoying his life. He appreciated nature and to interest in every little detail of this
magical world. He was full of positive attitude and thoughtful words, he finally
succeeded in bringing Derek out of his self-doubt as inferiority complexion.
5. What example did Mr. Lamb invoice from nature describe equality?
Ans. Mr. Lamb took up an example of weed and flower explain equality to Derek. He
asked him why one green growing plant was called a weed and the other a flower,
by the world Mr. Lamb wanted Derry to know that the difference between two
things is more about what we perceive rather than their physical reality. Similarly
the outlook of our lives depends upon how we look at it.
6. Beauty and the Beast. Its all relative". Explain.
Ans. Beauty and the Beast. Its all relative. It was said by Mr. Lamb to explain Derry that
his own perception about life mattered more than his physicality. Different people
have different opinions for the same thing. A green growing plant can be a weed
but it can be a flower too. It all depends on one's outlook and attitude. The point is
that we are not what we look life but hat we are inside.
7. What were the two women talking at the bus stop and how it impacted Derry?
Ans. Derry heard two women talking about his face near the bus stop. They exclaimed
that is face was one of the most terrible and ugly things and nobody else but only a
mother could love that. Derry felt it was a cruel thing on the part of those women to
have said that. He got very sad about it. But Mr. Lamb dismissed as it as a casual
conversation and told Derek not to believe everything he heard.
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8. What example did Mr. Lamb give Derry to bring out his negativity?
Ans. To bring out Derry's negativity. Mr. Lamb took up an example of a man who was
afraid of dying. He was afraid of anything and everything. So he cock himself in a
room where a pictures fell on his head and he died. Mr. Lamb wanted to explain
that life is not sure and secure anywhere. So one must take risks and enjoy life
fully.
9. What were Mr. Lam's views about hatred?
Ans. Mr. Lamb was a person with optimistic approach towards life. He took interest in
everything that God made and so didn't hate anything or anyone. He opined that
hatred would do more harm that any bottle of acid to Derry. Acid had only burnt
his face but hatred cold burn a person inside out. It could destroy their mental
peace and happiness. It could create a void that would not be filled ever again.
10. What were the views of a lady from home? When Derry come back form hospital?
Ans. When Derry came back from hospital, a lads from neighbourhood said that he
should have stayed as the hospital itself. It would have been better for him to stay
with others like himself. Mr. Lamb opposed this opinion strongly. He said that
such a world would be worse for handicap people. Such people need love,
compassion and cooperation not aliend.
11. What does the end of story signify?
Ans. At the end of the story Mr. Lamb died by falling off a ladder but Derek come out of
his circle of self-doubt and inferiority complexion. It signifies the beginning of Mr.
Lamb's woads. Derek had started out on the same path of hope and optimise that
Mr. Lamb lived his life on. He had truly became the successor of Mr. Lamb's
attitude and philosophy of life.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTION:
1. How Mr. Lamb finally took out the negativity from Derek?
Ans. Derry had a half-burnt face due to which he undergone swere inferiority complex
the had been habitual of looking at the grey shade of people. Things & life Mr. lamb
shifted the focus of his vision towards the brighter and better things of the world
the gave example of Beauty and the Beast, weed & flower, humming of bees to
illustrate his viewpoint. Mr. Lamb painted out to Derry that one should never hate
anybody as hot red could do more hour than a bottle of acid. The old man also used
negative motivation to encourage Derry to come back to his garden and he did Mr.
Lamb died the same day bul before death, he had passed on his legacy of positivity,
which was do stay with Derek for the rest of his life.
SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS:
1. What is the attitude of Mr. Lamb to small boy who comes to the garden?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is protective, accommodating, gentle & am----- in his approach. Like a
fatherly figure, he offers and worldly wisdom to the young, fearful boy.
2. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is cooling climbs up a ladder and
pulls down the ripe gab applause which he calls 'Magic fruit' with a stick, the
makes jelly && offer it to children, the takes pleasure in the, which keeps him busy
and copes with his loneliness.
3. "I am not afraid, people are afraid of me" says Derry what is the reason?
Ans. On looking at his scarred face, people are pughtened & repulsed. They give him
sympathetic looks. It is the ugliest, sight they have seen & many of them are
scared avoid him because of his horrible face.
4. Why do arguments fail to comuce Derry?

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Ans. Derry is full of pessimism & negativity & no consolations of assurance or even
gentle words impress him. He is hurt & tormented & emotionally traumatized by
the unfeeling looks & lensh comments of people. He remembers viudly all hat hee
has heard from other about his disfigured face.
5. "We are all not the same", says Derry. How does Lamb convince him that there is
essentially no difference between?
Ans. Light heartedly, he commneed that both odf there belong to the same species
although, they represent different stages of life. Derry is young, Lamb is old. Bot
suffer from physical impainemnt. Derry has a scarred face while Lamb has a tin
log. However, their disability should not be our whelming or over powering
because. God has gifted tem the beautiful life.
6. What peculiar things does Derry notice abl the old man?
Ans. Derry thinks that the old man is pecielia because he asks provoking questions
which make him face reality & force him to look withing, at his inner strengths &
understand his feelings better. His garden gate is never lacked & there are no
curtains at his windows. He likes both light & darkness, enjoys listening to the
wind & rustling leaves.
7. In what ways does Lamb inspire Derry to disability?
Ans. Lamb convinces Derry that he should consider himself blessed because he has
two legs, two arms, ears & eyes. He has a tongue & a brain like all other normal
children. He can get what he wants, even better if he so desires.
8. How should people be judged?
Ans. People should never be judged by face value or by what they look externally
because asperances are deceptive. they should be judged by their actions &
thoughts & feeling for others & what they are from within.
9. Comment on the ending of story?
Ans. Although the end is abrupt & tragic, it is dramatic Lamb's unfortunate death
coincides with the re-awakening or re-birth of Derry's emotional state. Lamb trips
from the ladder, loses his balance & dies. But the death gives a new lease of life to
Derry who now faces his future with positivity & optimism.
10. What makes Derry resolve to go the old man?
Ans. The strange encounter with the Lamb ignites a new awakening is Derry the is no
longer concerned about his face & looks & neither is he bothered about people's
comments. He has garnered enough courage to decide what he wants & what he
doesn't. He want to embrace the beauty of the would & its people and to feel life in
all its glory.
LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS:
1. What is the theme of the story?
Ans. The theme of this play about two people is the eourquence of physical impairment
on the affected persor's body, mind & soul. The actual physical pain &
inconvenience caused by the disability is much less than the sense of desolation &
disillusionment. A disabled person is considered to be an outcaste people
sympathize with him. He is not accepted in the mainstream of life & hence become
a wetim of pity, ridicule and alienation. Derry with his scoured faces goes through
emotional trauma. He does not like other people to be over protective towards him.
Indirectly the writer suggests that people's attitude needs transformation. They
should be sensitive, considerate thoughtful. They should avoid being critical &
baise versa and help them to overcome their challenges. Thus the verbal
interaction between the two characters - young Derry and elderly Lamb resolves
owned the core issue of censilizing people towards others shortcomings.
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2. Compare and contrast the characters of Derry & Lamb?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is protagonist of the play who rices to a heroic statue & dominates from
the beginning to the end. He impresses with his gentleness, sensitivity, concern,
consideration, sympathy. He is a victim of alienation due to the loss of his leg. Yet
he takes pleasure is the simplest & mundane things of life like buzzing bees,
reading, making honey toffee & enjoying the sunlight. He has overcome his
loneliness, neglect & depression by communication, possibility & optimism. He is
pragmatic in his approach to life & people & is not conscious of his handicap. He
believes that life is a blessing to be enjoyed only once this fall from the ladder &
ultimate death gives a new lease of life to the disheartened Derry.
On the other hand, Derry, the fourteen years old boy with a scarred face has me
him a victim of inferiority complex, depression & disillusionment. He is highly
sensitive to the comments of his parents, friends & their repulsion of his unsightly
face makes him undergo mental trauma & agony. He is a bright & intelligent child
although wallows is self pity. He is a sympathy gatherer & acutely conscious lad,
who doubts even his mother's feelings. But he undergoes a drastic character
transformation and decides not to let his burnt face come in the way of his
relationship & happiness. Thus, Lamb's inspiring words prove to be a turning
point in his life.
CHARACTER SKETCH
LAMB :
Rises to heroic statue
?
Enjoys blessing of nature
?
Role model for boys like Derry
?
Overcomes neglect and loveliness
?
Not conscious of his handicap
?
Suffers public humiliation and emotional set backs
?
Takes pleasure in the Simplest things of life
?
Positive pragmatic view of life
?
Unperturbed by ridicule
?
Friendly and social
?
Doesn't believe in barriers that isolate people
?
DERRY:
Undergoes mental trauma
?
Depressed and disillusioned
?
Introvert, sensitive & self-conscious
?
Wallows in self pity
?
Doubts relationships & feelings
?
Undergoes characters transformation
?
Inspired by Lamb who becomes his role model.
?

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 ON THE FACE OF IT

Derry (half burnt face, inferiority complex)

* tin leg
meets Mr. Lamb in a garden
* Lamey Lamb
"People are afraid of my face, even I am"

got acid down my face.

"It ate my face up. It ate me up".
- A green plant
Difference of perception flower weed

"Beauty and the Beast"

mother kisses me because she has to

women in street, whispering..

a face only a mother could love

You can lock yourself in a room and still not be safe

A man who did that - didn't go anywhere -

afraid of dying - locked in a room

died of a picture falling on his head

world is beautiful enjoy sit in sun.

Enjoy the world

You have got everything to get on as others may be better

- "not friends"
People on streets - "neither enemies"
- "people are never nothing"
Burn yourself from inside.
Negativity will do more harm than acid parents won't
Parents won't let me
Coming back
You won't let yourself
"I will be back. You wait." At home
mother stops him
Signifies coming Derry comes back "If I don't go back there,
out of his complex I will never go any where
in the world."
Mr. Lamb has fallen off the ladder and broken his neck

Mr. Lamb died

Paosed on his positivity and enthusiasm to Derry.

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