SENSE OF ALIENATION IN SUSAN HILL’S

“ON THE FACE OF IT”

A Mini-Project Paper submitted to the CENTRAL BOARD OF SECONDARY

EDUCATION (CBSE), In the partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award

of INTERNAL ASSESSMENT

CLASS XII

ENGLISH CORE (301)

By

N. DEEKSHITHA

(Reg.No.: )

Under the Guidance

Of

Mrs. SUBASHNI M.A.,B.Ed., (ENGLISH)

SRI DHARANI INTERNATIONAL SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL,

(AFFILIATED TO CBSE. Affiliation No. 1930548)

GINGEE -604 202.

DECEMBER-2022

1
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the paper entitled “Sense of Alienation in Susan Hill’s On the

Face of it” submitted to the CBSE in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for award of

CLASS XII – ENGLISH CORE (301) is a record of original research work done by XXX

(Register No. ) during the period 2022-2023 of his study in Sri Dharani International Senior

Secondary School (CBSE) Gingee, Villupuram District– 604202- Affiliation No:1930548 under

my supervision and guidance.

Date:

Place: Villupuram

Signature of Subject Teacher Signature of the Principal

2
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the paper entitled “Sense of Alienation in Susan Hill’s On the

Face of it”submitted to CBSE in the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of the

INTERNAL ASSESSMENT for the Subject ENGLISH CORE (301 is a bonafied record of

original research work done by me during the Academic Year 2022-2023 under the supervision

and guidance of Mrs.Subashni, M.A.,B.Ed., English, Sri Dharani International Senior

Secondary School, CBSE, Gingee, Villupuram District – 604 202, Affiliation No:1930548.

Countersigned by Signature of Candidate

Mrs.Subashni N.Deekshitha

(Supervisor )

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost I would like to thank the Lord Almighty for His gracious blessings

showered upon me towards the successful completion of this Project work.

I sincerely thanks to Dr. Santhosha Thamizh Kumaran, M.Tech., M.Ed., Principal, Sri

Dharani International Senior Secondary School CBSE, Gingee - 604 202 for giving me an

opportunity to pursue my education in this institution.

I would like to express my special gratitude my Mrs.Subashni, M.A.,B.Ed., (English),

Sri Dharani International Senior Secondary School CBSE, Gingee - 604 202 for her guidance

and encouragement to complete this paper successfully.

I gratefully express my heartfelt thanks to all the Staff members of my school for their

guidance and inspiration.

I would also like to thank my parents, siblings and friends who helped me a lot in

finalizing this project paper within the limited time frame.

Place: Gingee Signature of the student

Date : N.Deekshitha

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 CONTENT

Chapter Page.No

I Introduction 6

II Character sketch 9

II Synopsis of Susan Hill’s “On the Face of it” 10

III Theme (in Susan Hill’s “On the Face of it”) 17

IV Summing Up 18

V Moral/message in Susan Hill’s “On the face of it” 20

VI Conclusion 21

Bibliography 21

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

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 CHAPTER-II

CHARACTER SKETCH IN SUSAN HILL’S

“ON THE FACE OF IT”

Derry:
Derry is a fourteen-year-old boy who is disfigured and ugly because half of his face was
burnt due to Spilling of acid on one side of his face. He is conscious of the fact that his
ugliness is revolting to others and so, everybody wants to ignore him or pity him. He
suffers from inferiority complex. He becomes too arrogant and usually avoids any social
interaction. He heard people using nasty comments about him and so bears a grudge
towards the entire society.

He suspects everyone and lacks trust. Derry started listening to Mr Lamb because Mr
Lamb was also handicapped. It is only when Mr Lamb bestowed on his love, trust and
generosity that his mindset started changing. Due to the wise words of Mr Lamb, Deny
transformed completely.

Mr Lamb:
Mr Lamb is an old man who lives alone in a big house with a big lawn. He is
handicapped, having lost his leg in a bomb explosion during the war. He is very optimistic.
His openness is reflected through the open doors and windows of his house. He makes
toffees, jam and jelly to attract people. He grows crab apples. He is never perturbed at
being called 'Lamey Lamb'.

Mr Lamb accepted his handicap in a very matured manner. He is a great motivator and
Encourages Deny to look at everything in a positive way. He is a patient listener and
holds a positive attitude towards life. He fills Derry with confidence. He has a great love
for life and believes that we should not fritter away our lives aimlessly. Mr Lamb is
instrumental in changing the attitude of Deny towards his handicap and, finally,
accepting it as part of life.

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 CHAPTER-III

SYNOPSIS OF SENSE OF ALIENATION IN SUSAN HILL’S

“ON THE FACE OF IT”

The narrator describes the setting of scene 1. The location is Mr. Lamb’s garden. One can
occasionally hear the birds singing and the low sound of the tree leaves. Derry, a young
boy enters the garden hesitantly. When he comes out of the bushes, he is surprised to hear
Mr. Lamb talking to him.

Mr. Lamb warns him about the crab apples that usually fell in the long grass from the tree
above. Derry was shocked on hearing a voice. He asked as to who it was. Mr. Lamb
introduced himself and also said that small sour apples known as crab apples had fallen
on the ground. If Derry would not be careful while walking through the grass, he could
trip over them and get hurt. Derry said that he didn’t know that someone was present in
the garden. He thought it to be empty and even the house seemed empty to him. Mr.
Lamb tried to comfort him by saying that the house was empty as he was out in the
garden. He also asked him not to be afraid. Derry wanted to leave the place.

Mr. Lamb tried and to stop him and said that there was no need to leave the garden just
because of him. He also told him that he kept the gate open for people it was only Derry
who jumped the wall. Derry got angry for being pointed at like that. He also clarified that
he hadn’t come to steal anything from there. Mr. Lamb agreed by saying that at many
times, apples had been stolen by young boys and that Derry was not so young. But still,
Derry wanted to leave. Mr. Lamb told him not to be afraid of him and asked him to stay
there for a while. Derry told him that he was not afraid of anyone; rather people were
afraid of him. Lamb asked him the reason for that. He told him that he knew what people
thought and how they behaved in front of him. Mr. Lamb questioned him about what
others thought of him. Derry said that people got scared on seeing his face. Some
considered it bad or ugly while some even took pity on him by saying that he was a poor
boy. He added that they were fake. Actually, they all were afraid of his face. He even got
scared of his own face when he looked into the mirror. He added that Mr Lamb will also
pity him but in his heart, he will also be scared of Derry.

Mr. Lamb said that he wasn’t afraid of Derry. Derry was shocked to hear that. Then Mr
Lamb told him that he would bring a ladder and stick and pick fine and ripe crab apples
as they made a good jelly. He also told him that in September, they get ripe and become a
magic fruit having orange and golden colour. He also asked him to join him in doing so.
Derry pointed him for changing the topic just like other people did. He added that Mr.

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Lamb didn’t ask him about his face because he was afraid of asking about it. Derry got
annoyed and said that he did not like the company of people. Mr. Lamb guessed that may
be his face got burnt in some fire. Derry told him that it was due to acid that had burned
half of his face. He was so grieved (sad) that he kept on repeating that acid ate his face
and that it would never get cured.

Mr. Lamb did not agree with him. Derry thought that he was not interested in his story.
To this, Mr. Lamb said that he was interested in each and every creation of God. He
pointed out at a wall and asked him what did he see beyond it. Derry replied that there
were weeds or unwanted plants. Mr. Lamb explained that there were a number of plants
in his garden. There were flowers, trees and herbs – some plants were considered good
and some were called ‘unwanted plants’ (weed). It was not because they were different,
all of them were green in colour. It was about how people considered them to be- herbs or
weeds. In reality, they all were same just like Derry and himself. Derry did not agree to
this. Mr. Lamb told him that there was no difference. He was young and Mr. Lamb was
old. He had a burned face and Mr. Lamb had a tin leg. These things were not so
important and so, they didn’t make any difference. Derry asked him the reason behind his
tin leg. He replied that it got damaged in an explosion many years ago. Kids teased him
by calling him ‘Lamey- lamb’. Derry said that he could cover the tin leg with his trousers
so that no one could see it. Mr. Lamb said that it did not bother him much as one day,
people would get tired of teasing him and would start discussing something else. Derry
showed his face in reply to Lamb’s statement. Mr. Lamb suggested that things like crab
apples, weeds, spiders and the tall sunflowers could also be some of the other things that
people would probably look at and discuss.

Derry commented that the other things mentioned by Mr Lamb were things i.e. they were
non – living. Mr. Lamb replied that all the things were related to each other. Just like
beauty is related to the beast i.e. a beautiful creation is related to ugliness. Derry was
confused. Mr. Lamb asked for Derry’s opinion. Derry replied that often he had heard
people saying that beauty is not related to one’s appearance, rather, inner beauty is our
real beauty. Even a handsome man is the one who does something good rather than one
who looks good. He said that once, a beautiful girl loved a beast for who he was and
kissed him which turned the beast into a handsome prince. He wouldn’t have changed, if
she hadn’t kissed him. But then he said that he won’t change. Mr. Lamb said that Derry
was right at that. Derry said that no one would kiss him ever because of his face. Even his
mother kissed him on the good side of his face. He did not like this at all. He said he
didn’t care even if nobody kissed him. Mr. Lamb asked him that did Derry ever want to
kiss someone. Derry asks him what he was talking about. Mr. Lamb said that probably

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Derry wanted to kiss pretty girls who had long hair and large eyes or other people whom
Derry loved. Derry replied that no one would ever allow him to do so. Mr. Lamb said that
this was unpredictable.

Derry said that he will never look different. When he will be as old as Mr. Lamb then
also he will have only half a face. Mr. Lamb said that yes he will always have half a face
but the world was full of so many things to look at. So, he must look at its beauty. Derry
questioned him that was the garden the whole world for him. Lamb said that when he was
present in the garden, then the garden was his world. He then questioned him whether his
leg hurt. Lamb replied that tin didn’t hurt, it never pained. Derry asked him if he suffered
pain when he lost his leg. Lamb said that it pained back then. He then asked him if it
pained now, where the artificial leg stuck into the real one. Lamb said that sometimes it
pained in wet weather but it was not that important. Derry said that he could understand
what he meant by all this as he had heard people saying that you should take a lesson
from those who suffer in pain and never cry or complain about their problems. Mr. Lamb
said that he didn’t say so. Derry continued that people told him to look at those people
who were in worse conditions than him. They told him that he might have become blind,
be born deaf or be handicapped and have to remain in a wheelchair. He may even have
been born with mental disorder. Mr. Lamb said that yes it was true and that Derry knew
so much.

Derry said that all this would not change his face. One day as he was waiting at a bus
stop, a woman passed by him. He heard her telling another woman that he had such a
terrible face that only his mother could love him and no one else could. Mr. Lamb asked
him did he believe what he heard. Derry stressed that he heard it. Mr. Lamb asked that
was this the only thing he had heard from someone. Derry said that no, he had heard
many other things too. Lamb suggested him to shut his ears i.e., he should ignore all this.
Derry found Lamb’s words strange and added that he couldn’t understand his questions.
Mr. Lamb said that he liked to talk and also liked the company of others. He also told him
that there was no need to answer him and as the gates were open, he could leave if he
wanted to. Derry did not leave and he seemed unsure of it. Mr. Lamb said that there was
a beehive in one of the trees. People considered the buzzing sound of the bees to be a
noise but for him it was a song sung by the bees. Derry explained that he had liked the
place from outside and so, had entered the garden. Mr. Lamb questioned that would he
have entered had he seen Mr Lamb to which Derry replied in the negative.

been without his permission. Mr. Lamb said that was not the real reason. Derry said that
he did not like going near people as they got afraid of him and stared at him. Mr. Lamb
suggested that he could lock himself in a room forever. He then narrated a story about the

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man who locked himself in his room as he was afraid of everything. The man thought
that he would meet with an accident with a bus, he would catch infection from someone,
a donkey would kick him to death, the lightning may hit him or he may die because the
girl whom he loved may leave him or he may even slip off a banana and people would
laugh at him. In order to safeguard himself from all such incidents, he locked himself in
his room. Derry surprisingly asked Mr. Lamb if he locked himself forever. He replied
that no, he did so for a while. Derry asked him what happened next. Mr Lamb replied that
a picture fell on his head and he died. This made him laugh a lot and he said that Mr
Lamb narrated strange talks. Mr. Lamb said that they were strange for some people.

Deery asked what Mr Lamb did all day. He replied that he sat in the Sun, reading books.
He said that the house was full of books. Derry looked at the house and said that there
weren’t any curtains on the windows. Mr Lamb replied that he did not like curtains. He
liked transparency- light, darkness and the wind too. Derry added that he also liked all of
them and he also liked the sound of the rain falling on the roof of his house. Mr Lamb
commented that Derry was present minded as he could hear. Derry said that his family
worried about him that what would he do in the future with a burned face. Mr Lamb said
that Derry had everything – two arms, two legs, two eyes, two ears, etc. He wanted to
make Derry realize that he had so much which many other people were deprived of. He
added that Derry could accomplish a lot if he determined to do so. Derry asked how was
it possible and Mr Lamb replied that the same was as he did.

Mr Lamb commented that it did not mean that strangers were enemies, if not friends.
Derry said that they were nothing, just people. Mr Lamb said that it could not be that
people were nothing to each other. Derry said that there were some people whom he
hated. Mr Lamb replied that hatred would harm him more than the acid that had ‘only’
affected his face. Derry commented that ‘only’ his face. Mr Lamb said that a bomb
explosion blew up his leg but there were worse things that could happen – one could burn
himself up from the inside by the negative feelings. Derry said that when he had returned
from the hospital, a person had said that it was better if he had remained there with
people like him. He added that people think all disabled people should remain together at
one place. Mr Lamb added this meant that people without legs should remain together
and the world would become imbalanced that way. Derry said that at least no one would
stare at the other because all of them were similar. Mr Lamb asked Derry that did he
mean that he was like all other people with burned faces just because they had similar
appearance. He added that everything was different. Although all things are the same, yet
they are different. Derry was confused. Mr Lamb said that our habits of watching,
listening and thinking differently made us different from each other. Derry said that he

13
liked Mr Lamb’s house and garden. He replied that Derry was always welcome there.
Deery said that the place was not his. Mr Lamb said that everything was his if he wanted
it to be. He added that all his possessions were for everyone. Derry asked if he could visit
the place again and Mr Lamb replied that he could and he would find company too. He
added that Derry needn’t mind other people, no one would stop him from entering the
premises. Derry said that they probably would not like to enter the place upon seeing
him. Maybe they would look at his face, get scared and run away.

Mr Lamb replied that they might or might not run away and that he had to take a chance
on that. Derry said that Mr Lamb had to choose out of him and the other people as
visitors because no one liked to remain near him. Mr Lamb would lose all his friends if
he had Derry in his garden. Mr Lamb said that he was there and did not run away on
seeing Derry. He added that when he went out on the street, kids teased him although
they visited his garden and his house. It was like a game. They were not scared of him
because he was not scared of them. Derry asked that did his leg get injured in the war and
Mr Lamb replied that it did so. Derry asked that how would he climb up the ladder to
pluck the apples. He replied that there were a lot of things that he had learned to do.
Derry added that if he climbed the tree alone, fell from it and broke his neck, he would lie
on the grass, dead. Mr Lamb said that it could happen. Derry asked if he could help him
pluck the apples. Mr Lamb said that he could help him if he wanted to. Derry said that his
mother would be waiting for him. His home was five miles away, across the fields. He
was fourteen years of age but still he was supposed to tell her where he was. Mr Lamb
added that people had the habit of worrying. Derry added that actually they were in the
habit of fussing. Mr Lamb asked Derry to go home and inform his mother of his
whereabouts. His house was three miles away. As the weather was fine and he had legs,
he could easily go home, tell them and return. Derry said that once he went home, he
would not be allowed to return. Mr Lamb added that once home Derry himself would not
feel like coming back. Derry said that Mr Lamb did not know what all he could do. Mr
Lamb said that only Derry knew what he could do. Derry started to say that if he chose…
but was interrupted by Mr Lamb. He said that Derry had to choose and he could not tell
him what to do.

Derry said that his family forced him to do things their way. Mr Lamb said that it was
Derry’s wish to agree with them or not. Derry was confused about what he wanted,
something that was only his, and no one had it – like the garden. Mr Lamb said that he
could find out what he wanted. Derry asked how he could do that. Mr Lamb told him to
wait, watch and listen. He added that he had to see the bees. Derry asked that did the
other visitors talk to Mr Lamb. Mr Lamb replied that some did while some did not. Derry

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said that he did not believe that someone ever visited the place. Mr Lamb lived alone all
by himself. No one cared for him. Mr Lamb said that Derry could think as he pleased.
Derry asked him the names of some of the visitors. Mr Lamb said that names were
nothing. They could be like Tom, Dick or Harry. He left to see the bees. Derry said that
perhaps Mr Lamb was mentally challenged. Mr Lamb said that was a good excuse for
Derry but Derry said that Mr Lamb did not talk sense and that’s why he said so. Mr Lamb
repeated that it was a good excuse for not returning to the garden. Derry’s face was
burned which was other people’s excuse for not seeing Derry. Derry said that Mr Lamb
was like other people. If he was not sorry that his face was burned, then maybe he was
scared of it. If not that, then maybe he thought that Derry was as ugly as a devil. He
added that he was a devil. Derry shouted. Mr Lamb did not reply. He had gone to see the
bees. Derry became calm and said that Mr Lamb did not think him to be a devil. He liked
to be in the garden. Derry got up and shouted that he was leaving and that he would
return to see him. He did not have a tin leg, could run and would be back soon.
Derry ran off. The place was silent with the sounds of the creatures of the garden.
Mr Lamb talked to the bees that they saw all that happened. They all knew that no one
ever returned to the garden.

The second scene is at Derry’s house and Derry is talking to his mother.
His mother asked what did Derry think of her. She had already heard about Mr. Lamb.
Derry told her not to believe what others said but she warned him that she knew what was
required to be known about any person and therefore, asked him not to go back. Derry
asked her the reason of her fear. He told her that Mr Lamb was just an old man with a tin
leg and had a big house without curtains and a garden. He said that he wanted to go back
and listen to things. His mother was curious to know what was it that he wanted to listen.
He replied that he wanted to hear bees singing and wanted to listen to what Mr Lamb
said. But she didn’t find it suitable and so she told him to stay at home and think about
what he wanted to.

Derry said that he hated to remain at home. His mother excused him for speaking wrong
because he felt bad and so spoke that way. Derry said that it had nothing to do with is
face. The important thing was how he thought and what he saw or heard. He announced
that he would go back into the garden to help Mr. Lamb with the crab apples. His mother
tried to stop him but he ran away shutting the door behind him.

The third scene is in Mr. Lamb’s garden. There was the sound of branches. Mr. Lamb
was talking to himself while he was plucking the apples. Suddenly a harsh sound of the
crackling wood was heard and the ladder fell on the ground. Mr. Lamb fell too. Derry
opened the gate, he was still breathing rapidly and declared to Mr. Lamb that he had

15
returned. He looked at him and found him lying on the ground. He went near him and
tried to talk to him but no one replied. Derry kept on calling him by his name and
suddenly started crying. He did so because he realized that Mr. Lamb was dead.

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 CHAPTER-IV

CENTRAL IDEA IN SUSAN HILL’S “ON THE FACE OF IT”

The title of the story ‘On the Face of It’ seems to be very appropriate. The idiom ‘On the
Face of It’ means from appearance alone or apparently. In the play, Derry is frustrated
and has lost self-esteem due to people’s attitude to him. Everyone thought that his burnt
face was terrible, and he was handicapped. Similar was Mr. Lamb’s case. He had lost one
leg in a bomb explosion. Apparently both Mr. Lamb and Derry had deformities. But Mr.
Lamb enabled Derry to have faith in himself and look at the bright side of things and to
learn to live with his deformity. Their physical handicap was an apparent thing for them
as well as for the world. But the most significant thing is the strength of one’s soul. Mr.
Lamb was a mentally strong person who handled his own handicap and loneliness very
effectively. He became instrumental in Derry change his views about himself and his
deformity and start taking things positively. The play deals with the acceptance of the
fact that things are not always as they appear, i.e. physical handicap has nothing to do
with the mental strength and positive attitude towards life.

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 CHAPTER-V

SUMMATION
On the Face of It Summary – This is a play. Moreover, it is about the friendship between a
young boy, Derry and an old man, Mr. Lamb. Because of his facial scar, he is very upset and
feels that people do not want to associate with him. So, to hide from people he gets into the
old man’s garden but panics when he meets him. Mr. Lamb put him at ease and advise him
to accept life as it comes. Further, he as a more cheerful and optimistic approach to life. Also,
he conveys Derry to live life to the fullest and avoid bitterness. He further advises him to
accept life as it is. However, Derry was moved by Mr. Lamb’s attitude and spirit. Besides,
when Derry tries to come out of his shell, he met a great loss of the only person who makes
friends with him.

The story starts with a teenage boy (Derry) who enters a garden. Due to an accident when
acid befell on his face and got burned on one side. He was afraid of facing people that’s why
he has gone there to hide. Because other people tease him for having such a face. Upon
entering the garden he finds someone already presents there. Hence, he tries to leave but the
old man, Mr. Lamb (owner of the garden) stops him.

Not arriving without permission Derry feels guilty. However, Mr. Lamb welcomes him in
his garden and tells him not to leave just because of his presence. People don’t like his face
that’s what Derry think and that’s why he wants to leave. Then again Mr. Lamb asks him to
stay there. After that, they start having a conversation that how no one like Derry and how
he hates people behaving like this with him. Also, Mr. Lamb attempts to console him.

Mr. Lamb state to him that he has a tin leg and how kids make fun of him. Yet he enjoys his
life to the fullest. Their conversation went on and on and reveal various things about Derry’s
fear, hatred, and depression about being in such a condition. Also, Mr. Lamb keeps on
telling him to think about the positive things. Before long they became friends and Mr.
Lamb asks Derry to assist him in plucking the crab apples of his garden.

Derry state to him that he had come too far from his home and hadn’t told anything about
this to his mother. So, Mr. Lamb asks him to take permission from his mother. Bur Derry
finds it difficult and this leads to a small argument between both of them. Eventually, Derry
agrees and tells Mr. Lamb that he would come back after asking permission from his
mother. However, his mother does not want him to go but he came back to fulfill his
promise.

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 In the meantime, Mr. Lamb climbs a ladder on his own to pluck the crab apples as he was
sure that Derry would not return. Moreover, because of his disability, it was difficult for him
to climb. So, he slips from the ladder and dies. On the other hand, Derry returns to the garden
to help him but on entering the garden he sees him lying on the floor. Further, he attempts to
move him but didn’t get any response from him. In the end, he came to know that he is dead
and starts crying.

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 CHAPTER-VI

MORAL/MESSAGE IN SUSAN HILL’S “ON THE FACE OF IT”

The positive moral of the story is the ones who are physically challenged and disabled
must focus on the brighter side of the life and they must not brood over the shortcomings
they have. Besides, the society must accept them the way they are and must be helpful
towards them and expand their social interaction. Therefore, they can fight the loneliness,
disappointment, and depression.

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 CHAPTER-VII

CONCLUSION

The play ends abruptly and unexpectedly while Derry can be seen trying to scream
telling Mr Lamb that he has come back. From the circumstantial evidence it is evident
that Mr Lamb has died from falling. However, he may also have lost sense because the
ladder slipped with a creaking sound, and it was not a straight fall from the apple tree. If
ever Mr Lamb has died or alive this makes no sense in the play at all because the largest
philosophy that he had passed on to Derry had become fruitful. It was his practical
aspect of the lesson he had learnt from Lamb that broke the stereotype and evolve as an
open thinker by disobeying his mother. The veritable purpose of the playwright was
over with an apt conclusion that forces the reader to think solemnly after the tragic
incident.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
 Vistas class 12 NCERT book.
 www.wikipedia.com
 www.successcds.com
 www.edumantra.com
 www.learncbse.in

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