ON THE FACE OF IT- DETAILED NOTES & QUESTION ANSWERS

On the Face of it by Susan Hill

Bits & Pieces of the story-

• Derry was a teenager, highly pessimistic and withdrawn from the mainstream society.
• He developed this attitude after one side of his face was disfigured by acid. He avoided company
of others and remained lonely lest he be noticed by other people.
• He believed that no one loved him and his mother loved him because she was supposed to.
• Well, Derry cannot be completely blamed for his pessimistic and aggressive attitude towards the
world around him.
• Once he heard two women commenting about his monstrous appearance. They said only a mother
could love a face like his.
• On another day Derry heard his parents conversing that he would not survive after their death
because he was deformed.
• The shock he received from these words was big.
• On another occasion Derry heard his relatives saying that his being put in the hospital where he
had been treated after the accident was good for him. In their opinion a deformed boy like Derry
could accommodate himself with other deformed boys and girls.
• Derry had his ears always open for such comments and used to respond to them in his silent way.
• He concluded that the world altogether didn’t need a boy like him.
• One day Derry accidently met a man called Mr. Lamb.
• Mr. Lamb was an old man with a lame leg. After he became lame, Mr. Lamb began to develop a
positive attitude with his deformity.
• He worked hard to defeat this impairment and learnt to walk and climb ladders.
• He was happy to be alive and ignored his lameness.
• He made everyone his friend and had a house with no curtains and open doors. He welcomed
anyone who came to him.
• While Mr. Lamb took his impairment as a challenge and tried to overcome it, Derry believed that
he was unwanted and lost.
• His pain was physical and mental. Being a child he was not as strong as Mr. Lamb about
suffering.
• He couldn’t take the sneering and sympathizing world as taken by Mr. Lamb.
• Mr. Lamb was able to sit smart and unaffected as long as he wore trousers and sat but Derry had
no way to hide his face.
• After meeting Mr. Lamb Derry realized how foolish he had been to believe his parents.
• For him Lamb was a man who opened the doors of his closed world in an hour’s time the same of
which were shut on him by his parents and therefore believed that his company with Lamb would
make him a perfect person.
• At the end Derry goes back to his house where his mother cross questioned him. She had
instructed him not to step out of the house.
• Derry tried to convince his mother that Mr. Lamb was an extremely good man but she was not
ready to listen.
• Ignoring his mother’s thoughtless restrictions, Derry left his home and ran to Mr. Lamb’s garden.
• On reaching, Derry found a motionless Mr. Lamb fallen from the ladder.
• He had fallen while pulling the crab apples down from the tree.

ON THE FACE OF IT -Justification of Title

The title is appropriately used An individual may be quite different from what we think of him or what he
or she may apparently appear to be at first glance. There is the imperative need for us to view others by
removing our glasses of prejudice, hatred, hearsay and dislike.
On the face of it, Mr. Lamb appears to be mysterious, lonely, lame old fellow who lives in a
neighbourhood house with a huge garden, but in reality he is very kind, generous, loving and altruistic.
Similarly, although Derek has an ugly looking scary face, he is fine lad of fourteen with a deep longing
for love. There is nothing wrong with Mr. Lamb and Derek. What is wrong is the way people in their
lives and around them view and treat them.
On the face of it, there is so much of diversity, so many differences and divides between the people and
other species of the world but underneath is a oneness, a sameness – all of them are created by God and
all of them need to live and grow together with love and mutual acceptance/ As the play progresses the
characters’ views about each other and our impression of them changes for the better.
Thus, Susan Hill has quite appropriately entitled her play “On the Face of it

Theme - People who suffer from disabilities must always look at the bright side of things and adapt
reality of life bravely. At the same time the actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment
is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the person. The disabled need support and
acceptance and not our pity. The title ‘On the Face of it’ is used to mean that something seems to be good,
true etc. but that needs to be changed when you know more about it.

Appearances are deceptive and most often, we go on dealing with impressions and prejudices about other
without caring to know about them actually.People know Mr. Lamb as a lonely eccentric lame old man
but in reality he is a very kind and generous man who longs for company and he loves his fellow human
beings along with all the other creations of God. Similarly Derek appears to be an abominable ugly boy
with a huge scar on his face whom no one loves or likes or befriends. He is the object of other people’s
hateful stares ridicules and neglect. Even his mother does not dare to kiss him on the cheek with the scar.
Yet this boy who is suffering from an acute inferiority complex has a tender and sensitive heart. He wants
to love and be loved. Fortunately he eets Mr. Lamb who transforms him with his healing touch.

Q1. Who is Derry? What self-opinion does he hold?

Derek, also called Derry was a young boy of 14. He was a quiet, shy and defiant boy. One side of his face
was totally burnt by acid. He was a victim of an inferiority complex.

Q2. ‘I am not afraid, people are afraid of me’, why does Derry say so?

Derry lives in a cocoon of complexes – due to his burnt face – isolated himself – don’t mix up –
considers his burnt face , scary, people are afraid of, people avoid him

Q3. Mr. Lamb says to Derry; ‘it’s all relative, beauty and the beast’, what essentially does he mean
by that?

Mr. Lamb means to say that different people have different view pints to look at the same thing. Some
find one thing beautiful, others find it ugly. It all depends onoutlook and attitude. It is, therefore,
important to adopt a positive attitude towards everything just like the Princess Beauty who loved the
monstrous Beast in the fairy tale. The point is that what you look like, but what you are inside.

Q4 What does Derry know about the fairy tale ‘Beauty and the Beast’? Why is he not convinced by
its moral?
-Derry had heard the tale; Beauty liked the monstrous Beast; when she kissed he turned into a
handsome prince; moral was not how you look outside but how you look inside is important; Derry
was not convinced as even if someone kissed he would never change and his mother always kissed
him only on the other cheek

Q5Mr. Lamb has successfully learned to cope with his loneliness. How?

*keeps busy by gardening, rearing bees, making apple jam etc. Also
keeps windows and doors open, welcomes all companies, interested in people not in their names

Q6. What did Derry’s mothers think of Mr. Lamb? OR Why did Derry’s mother stop him, going
to Mr. Lamb?

Derry’s mother does not hold a good opinion about Mr. Lamb. She had heard many things about the old
man, therefore stops Derry to visit Mr. Lamb.

Q7. How does Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?

Mr. Lamb influences Derry – his optimistic philosophy – advised him not to give attentionon
other’s comments – try to be internally pure and strong – eliminate the negativity of life.

Q8. Comment on the moral value of the play

The moral of the play is very loud and clear. The physically disabled should focus on the brighter
side of life and not to brood over the shortcomings. The society should accept them as they are and
expand their social interactions .In this way they can fight out the loneliness, depression and
disappointment.

Q9“When I look in the mirror…I’m afraid of me.” Why does Derry say so?

*burn scar on his face, curious looks by people make him conscious,

avoids meeting others, sour experiences have made him bitter.

Q10What is ironical about his mother’s behaviour towards Derry?

*her over-protective attitude stops Derry from meeting new people, discourages him, instead of
making him brave – makes him timid.

Q11 “It’s got nothing to do with my face and what I look like.” What attitudinal change do Derry’s
words to his mother indicate?

*Derry attitude is now positive & he looks forward to a better life, no longer hiding from others

Q12Though the play ends with Mr. Lamb’s death there is still an element of hope. Explain.

*positive change in Derry’s attitude by Mr. Lamb will be permanent,

his life will get better. Mr. Lamb has passed his knowledge and philosophy to younger generation.
Though Mr. Lamb is physically dead, but his ideas will remain alive in Derry’s heart.

Q13. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb?

*Lamb makes Derry feel comfortable, doesn’t question him about his disability, instills confidence
in him, is a good friend to him

Q14Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open?

(a) – happy to have visitors / children to come there for apples, pears and

toffees / to overcome his feeling of loneliness

Long answer questions

Q1 How did Mr. Lamb’s meeting with Derry become a turning point in Derry’s life?

– Both Lamb and Derry handicapped

– Derry in the beginning withdrawn and defiant

– couldn’t stand people staring at him

– Lamb open-minded and generous.

– kept garden gate open and welcomed all

– had a positive attitude, taught Derry not to indulge in self pity/love life

– taught him the ways of dealing with people

– Derry confessed to his mother that Lamb talked of things that nobody had ever talked of – things
that gave him an optimistic outlook.

– Even defied his mother.

– Derry’s return to Lamb’s garden shows his appreciation for Lamb/ restored confidence.

.Q2 How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?

Welcomed him and accepted him as he was. Told him its important to see how you are on the inside
than how you look on the outside , One cannot go through life being scares and alienated
Shouldn’t brood over limitations but count on his blessings-he had brain legs tongue arms and thus
was totally functional-this was a blessing ,Enjoy simple joys of everyday living with people around
and nature, ignoring the unpleasant-see beauty in beez buzzed or humming-weeds growing-flowers
blooming

One’s attitude that matters, Individuals make a difference to the problem,Extended unconditional
love, Inspired him with love for life and instilled confidence in him to look at life in an optimistic
way. Embrace his burnt face and rise above it.

Q3. The lesson, ‘On The Face of It’, is an apt depiction of the loneliness and sense of alienation
experienced by people on account of a disability. Explain.

– loneliness and sense of alienation experienced by Derry and Mr Lamb

Derry -– loner / pessimistic / suffered from severe negative complexes / anger andfrustration /
withdrawn and introverted / low confidence / indulged in self pity / suspicious of the intent of others

(any two)

Mr Lamb - – inwardly – lonely, craved for company and acceptance

– outwardly – jovial, optimistic, lover of nature, social, outgoing, tolerant (didn’t mind children
calling him Lamey Lamb or picking the Crab apples) – helpful, sensitive, independent

Q4 Mr. Lamb in spite of his bravado is a lonely man. Comment.

• He lived alone in a huge house with a sprawling garden

• He left his gate open, hoping that people would just walk in
• He pretends to have hundreds of friends but in reality has none
• Welcomes Derry in his garden and keeps him engaged in conversation
• He puts Derry’s fears to rest
• Doesn’t curtain his windows as he doesn’t want to be shut away from the world
• The open window gives him the feeling of space and part of the world
• When he narrates his routine to Derry he creates an image of the house being full of people
• He visualizes people walking and sitting in front of fire sharing food and time
• In the end he says “they never come back.” Indicating the sadness he feels on alienation
• One almost can see through his bravado of being very busy with lots of friends

Comarison between Derry and Mr. Lamb

-Derry –burnt face –everyone pities him-only a mother could love that face ,-Both Mr. Lamb and
Derry have been the victims of verbal atrocities – -Mr. Lamb takes comments lightly

-But Derry does not have the attitude like Mr. Lamb – Attitude of the people needs to be changed –
Do not want sympathy but accept them as they are-Wounds get healed –but bitter comments never
forgotten leaves a scar

Q6“Acid…ate my face up. It ate me up.” Describe the miseries suffered by Derry after the
unfortunate incident he refers to.
*ignored by others or has to face curious looks, glances and questions, feels awkward and
abnormal, sense of isolation, unkind comments, over-protective attitude of mother, no true friends.

Q7 Various factors can lead to psychological changes in one’s personality. Discuss with reference to
Derry’s experiences in On the face of it. *burn scars and unkind attitude of others make him
negative, encouraging, positive and kind attitude of Mr. Lamb changes his attitude.

Q8 Physically challenged people don’t want sympathy, they just need acceptance. Comment with
illustrations from On the face of it.

*need for acceptance by fellow beings, pain of being ignored …don’t want to be reminded of
disabilities again and again, emotional scars deeper than physical one, sympathy weakens them, need
to be inspired, and encouraged..

Q.9.Explain: “Derry is a victim of his own complex.” How does there come a change in his thinking?

Ans:Derry is a young boy of fourteen years. One side of his face is badly burnt due tofalling of the acid.
He thinks it ‘the ugliest thing’ in the world. When he sees his face in the mirror, he gets afraid of himself.
He has heard ladies saying ‘What a terrible face!’ None will like him. He becomes dejected, withdrawn
and defiant. He is unable to face the world. He avoids the general public. All these facts turn Derry a
victim of his own inferiority complex and negative attitude. By chance he sneaks into the garden of Mr.
lambthinking it to be a secluded place. But Mr. Lamb interrupts him and tells that his door is always
open. People can come and he has got so many friends. Consequently a surge of relief starts flowing in
the mind of Derry. He is drawn towards him. Mr. Lamb tells that children tease and call him ‘Lamey
Lamb’ but he never minds. He plays with them and gives them toffees. His viewpoint brings a great
change in Derry. He becomes free from inferiority complex and decides to face the realities of life.

Q10. Both Mr. Lamb and Derry represent two serious aspects of life, though their origin can be called the
same. Explain the statement.

Suggested Answer / Value Points- Both Mr. Lamb & Derry are physically handicapped – but have a
different perspective on life – Derry an escapist – intentionally distances himself from people – likes
solitude – considers his burnt face as the most ugliest thing – believes none even his mother will never
love him.

On the other hand Mr. Lamb – an open hearted & broad minded – does not let his disability affect his life
– being an optimistic – takes life as it comes , enjoys sitting in the sun – reading books – growing flower
& weeds – with his positivism enlightens Derry who then follows his foot step

OTHER SHORT QUESTIONS

1. How does Derry enter the garden? What had he thought about it?
2. . How did Derry’s face get disfigured?
3. How does Mr. Lamb differentiate between weeds and flowers? What does it tell about Mr. Lamb?
4. What did Mr. Lamb tell Derry about his handicap?
5. Why isn’t Mr. Lamb troubled by the people who stare at him?
6. What cruel things did the woman at the bus stop say about Derry?
7. “It was so cruel”. What does Derry refer to?
7. How do people react to Derry’s burnt face?
8. How does Mr. Lamb convince Derry of the uselessness of being a recluse?
9. * Why were there no curtains in Mr. Lamb’s house?
10. What did Derry overhear his parents talking about his future?
11. How is Mr. Lamb’s concept of a “friend” different from that of Derry’s?
12. Why does Mr. Lamb advise Derry to stop having feelings of hatred towards the people?
13. How do Derry’s parents add to his feelings of insecurity?
14. How does Mr. Lamb treat the people who visit his house?
15. What according to Derry, would happen if Mr. Lamb continued his friendship with him?
16. Why does Mr. Lamb tell Derry that if he went back he would never return?
17. Why does Derry’s mother object to his going to Mr. Lamb’s house? or
18. What did Derry’s mother think of Mr. Lamb ?(2009)
19. Why does Derry say “if I don’t go back there I’ll never go anywhere in this world”?
20 Do you think Derry is a changed person at the end of the play? Give reasons.