CBSE Class 12 English On the Face of It Notes

On the Face of It Class 12 English Summary of the Story

SUMMARY OF THE STORY

The play entitled “On the Face of It” written by Susan Hill depicts beautifully yet grimly the sad world of the physically impaired. It is a socio-psychological story of two invalids who live with two different views. Derry is a young boy who lived a miserable life since a bottle of acid deformed his face and Mr. Lamb, a lame old man who lived a cheerful life even after he had lost one of his legs in a blast.
It is a fine day and Mr. Lamb is in his garden. He is an old man with a tin leg. He leads a lonely life and is always ready to accept any visitor who comes in his garden. One day, Derry, a young boy of fourteen sneaks into Mr. Lamb’s garden. He slowly enters Mr. Lamb’s garden without having any knowledge of his presence. Mr. Lamb figures out that someone is in his garden and cautions Derry about the apples lying on the ground for he could trip on them. Startled by this, Derry confesses that he entered the garden only because he thought that nobody lived there. Mr. Lamb welcomes him to his garden and assures him that the door is always open for people who want to come in.
Derek has low self-esteem and thinks people are afraid of him for because of his burnt face. He has bitterness for the world. People stay away and refuse to accept him in the mainstream of life. So he feels alienated from the society and wants to live in seclusion. When Derry asked him if he was interested in knowing more about him, he answered that there is nothing God made that doesn’t interest him. He even loves the weed garden that others condemn as rubbish. He finds no difference between Derry and him. Just as Derry had a burned face, Mr. Lamb had a tin leg in place of the real one that got blown off in the war. Kids call him names but it doesn’t bother him. Derry feels that he could cover his tin leg with his trousers and no one could notice them. On the other hand, Mr. Lamb tells him that people get tired of seeing it. There are a lot of other things in the world to stare at. Mr. Lamb’s concept of beauty is relative and it reminds Derry of the story of the Beauty and the Beast. The Beauty loved the dreadful Beast for what he was inside and when she kissed him he transformed into a handsome prince. But Derry feels that no matter what, nobody would ever kiss him and he will always remain the same. Only his mother kissed him that too on the other side of the face. He felt that she does so just because she has to. He did not care if anybody ever kissed him. He knew that he is always going to have half a face. Mr. Lamb assures him that the world had a whole face to be looked at. Derry asks him if he feels that the old garden is the whole world. Mr. Lamb replies that the world has been the same for him anywhere else.
He advises Derek to think of the beautiful objects of the world, and avoid people’s comments and love all mankind because hatred corrodes us and hurts more than acids. He considers Derek to be his friend.
Mr. Lamb tells a story to inspire Derek. Once there was a timid man who refused to come out in fear of fatal accident. In his room a picture fell of the wall on his head and he died. This changes Derek’s attitude and he takes interest in Mr. Lamb’s talking and likes to listen more to Mr. Lamb and wants to help Mr. Lamb in his work.
Derek wants to go home and inform his mother that he would be late. He promises to come back. His mother stops him but he is adamant saying if he does not go there he would never be able to go anywhere. When he comes back he sees lamb lying on the ground.
It is ironical that he finds Mr. Lamb dead. In this way, the play depicts the heart rendering life of physically disabled people with their loneliness, aloofness and alienation.

On the Face of It Class 12 English Character Sketch

CHARACTER SKETCH: Mr. Lamb

Mr. Lamb is an old man. Probably he had served in the army where one of his legs was blown off in the war. Now he has a tin leg. He stays in a big house and a decent garden full of flowers, weeds and crab apples. He spends most of his time in reading books or sitting in the garden. He is gentle and kind. He keeps the gate of his garden open. Everyone is welcome in his garden. When Derry strays into his garden, he warmly welcomes him.
Mr. Lamb had adjusted himself with his physical impairment, and had rather got over it with the passage of time. He has learnt how to keep himself steady on the ladder while plucking apples from the branches.
Children call him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ when he goes down the street but he is undisturbed and take it as fun and thus, they are not afraid of him.
They come into garden for apples and pears. On his part, Mr. Derek enjoys their company.

CHARACTER SKETCH: Derry

Derry is a 14 year old young lad whose face is half burnt because of acid spill on it. His ugly looks have made him a pessimist and a loner with various negative complexes. Derry is a introvert kid, always frustrated, angry, and withdrawn. Moreover, he is low in confidence and dwells in self-pity. He hates when people stare or pity him.

Important Points for Chapter 4 On the Face of It Class 12 English

About the Author
● Susan Hill is an English Novelist, children’s writer and playwright.
● Her ghost story was published in 1983. The Woman in Black.

Key Point

The meeting in the Garden
● A 14 year old boy, Derry climbed over and entered the garden.
● He heard a voice and got scared.
● The voice was of Mr. Lamb who wanted to aware him about not to trip up on crab apples.
● Berry assumed of garden being empty and explained that he was not sneaking in.
● Mr. Lamb put his fears at rest.
● Derry can enter garden anytime.

Apprehensive Derry
● Derry’s one side of face was burnt, due to acid.
● This made him furious & everybody pity on him.
● Because of this he vehemently said that he is not a ‘poor guy’.
● Mr. Lamb changed the subject because of heated moment but it made Derry more furious.
● He said people pretend to be sympathetic towards him & he was ugly.

Mr. Lamb’s Philosophy
● The acid incident not just ate up Derry’s face but it ate him up.
● Derry thought Mr. Lamb was not interested but Mr. lamb was a noble person.
● Mr. Lamb was interested in everything God made.
● Weeds and flowers both are beautiful.
● Lamb did not find any difference in Derry.
● Celebrated life in all its forms.

Mr Lamb Reveals his Impairment
● One leg of Mr Lamb was blown off in a war.
● Kids call him ‘Lamey-Lamb’ which did not bother him.
● His leg could be covered but not the burnt face of Derry.

Optimistic Mr Lamb
● Positive attitude towards life.
● Reminds Derry of the ‘Beauty and the Beast’.
● Derry is interested in everything made by God.

Pessimistic Derry
● Filled with bitterness.
● Did not believe in fairy tales and his face will always be same.
● Only his mother kisses him on the other side of face.
● Derry mocked Mr Lamb’s thoughts and call people worse.

Derry Calls Mr Lamb Peculiar
● At bus stop, two women talked about his face.
● Called it a terrible thing, only mother could love such face.
● Derry was hurt and felt it cruel.
● Mr Lamb advised not to believe everything he hears.
● Derry called Mr. Lamb Peculiar.
● He liked the garden but not being around people.

Story by Mr Lamb
● A man who was so afraid to die.
● He feared each & every thing & locked himself in a room.
● He died when a picture fell of the wall on his head.
● One cannot hide oneself or shun society of fear.
● Derry laughed at the story.

The Positive Side of Life’
● No curtains in Mr Lamb’s house.
● He likes light and darkness & to hear wind.
● Derry liked the sound of rain falling on the roof.
● Derry was not lost & still he was sensitive somewhere.
● His family pity on him & are worried about his future.
● Mr. Lamb called everyone his friend, even Derry.
● To him being friends doesn’t mean to know all the details about a person.
● Derry told him his real name is ‘Derek', but he wants to be called Derry.

Watching, Listening, Thinking
● Hatred is more dangerous – Mr. lamb.
● Some said to Derry that he would have been better in hospital with others like him.
● Mr lamb contradicted by asking what kind of world would that be.
● Derry is amazed the way Mr. Lamb understands everything.
● Mr. Lamb replied, ‘Watching, Listening, Thinking,’
● Derry could come and go in Mr Lamb’s house as much he wanted.
● Derry should come out of his shell and shed his bitterness.

Derry offers his Help
● Mr. Lamb wanted to get some apples from the tree.
● He learned to deal with his handicap.
● Derry wanted to help but his mother, won’t allow once he gets home.
● It was Derry’s bitterness that won’t let him come out – Mr Lamb.
● Derry could do any thing he chooses to – Mr Lamb.
● Mr. Lamb says Derry doesn’t have gets to fight the odds.
● Derry became infuriated & mocks his lame leg.
● He promised to return to the ground.

Derry Choose for Himself
● Derry’s mother warned Derry about Mr. Lamb being eccentric.
● Derry still insisted and took a stand for himself.
● Derry said he did not care about his face anymore.

Derry is a changed Person
● Final scene to the garden again.
● Found Mr Lamb lying on the ground.
● His ladder slipped & he fell on the ground.
● Mr. Lamb was not moving and probably dead.
● But he taught Derry how to live.

Summary

Around 14 year old boy named Derry was walking in a garden. He panicked to see an old man Mr. Lamb who awarded him about not tripping upon crab apples. Derry was an upset and pessimistic guy because of his facial scar. He developed a strong hatred towards people who pity on him. Mr Lamb put him at ease and advised him to accept life as it comes. Mr. Lamb. He was more cheerful and optimistic person. He was an admirer of nature and beauty. Derry was influenced by Mr. Lamb’s attitude. Mr. Lamb told him that he has
an impairment too. His leg was blown off in a war. Kids made fun of him & called him Lamey-Lamb which did not bother him. He reminded Derry of the ‘beauty and the Beast’ Derry was filled with bitterness and his mother would kiss him on the other side of his face. People would talk about his face. Mr. Lamb told a story of guy. Who was so afraid to die that he would lock himself in a room. But he died when a picture fell off the wall on his head. Derry found it funny.
Mr lamb had no curtains and he liked light & darkness & to hear sound of wind. Derry liked the sound of rain falling on the roof. Derry was not lost and still had positive attitude. Mr. Lamb called everyone his friend, even Derry. He said to be a friend all the details are not important to know. Looking at all the optimistic thoughts of Mr. Lamb, Derry asked how he thinks like that. Watching, Listening and Thinking were the three mysterical things followed by Mr. Lamb, At last, Derry understood things. Derry was leaving back for home and Mr Lamb wanted to get some apples for the jelly, Derry promised to return back after informing his mother even when Mr. Lamb doubted him. Derry once reached home told her mother about Mr. Lamb. Her mother warmed him about Mr. Lamb being eccentric.
Derry choose for himself and said that he did not care about his face any more. When he reached back to the garden he called for Mr. Lamb but he saw him lying on the ground without any movement. Mr Lamb’s ladder slipped & he fell on the ground. Derry was devastated but Mr. Lamb taught Derry how to live.

Question. Why does Mr Lamb the gate of his house always open? 
Answer: Because Mr. Lamb loved to seet and meet people. He wanted people to come to his garden and he could interact with them and greet them. Everybody was Mr. Lamb’s friend.

Question. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool? 
Answer: Mr. lamb gets a ladder and stick to pull down apples. He called it magic fruit and make jelly out of them.

Question. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden? 
Answer: He warned him about the crab apples, that he could trip down them. He welcomed Derry into the garden. He told him that his home is open to all.

Question. Why does Derry’s mother not want him to go back to visit Mr. lamb?
Answer: Derry’s mother have heard about Mr. Lamb that He is not a good person. She asked Derry not to go
back to Mr. Lamb Derry asked her not to whatever she hears.

Question. What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him? 
Answer: Mr. Lamb was not scared of Derry’s burnt face. He was patient and listened to him. He made him understand the importance of beautiful things. Mr. Lamb saw everything in an optimistic way. Even when kids mocked him by calling lamey-lamb, he liked it and never took it personally. These were some qualities of Mr. Lamb which attracted Derry.

Question. What was Derry’s infirmity? How had it made him withdrawn and defiant? 
Answer: Derry’s face had burnt scar on one side of his face. This made him look ugly and frightful and everybody was scared of his look. People either pitied him or ignore him. He had no friends because of his face. His parents were worried about his future which bothered him more than his own impairment. Because of all this treatment he developed a lot of hatred inside me and he became a pessimist, withdraw and defiant.

Question. It ate my face up. It ate me up’. Who said these words? Why?
Answer: These words are said by Derry. Acid fell on his face which left an ugly scar on his face. That’s why he said. It ate his face up. But the people shunned him because of the scar and he developed a hatred towards himself and the people around, that’s why he said it ate me up.

Question. Discuss the relevance of the title ‘on the face of it’.
Answer: The title is little od. People can be different from what they appear to be. Mr. lamb and Derry both were different from inside. Mr. Lamb looked mysterious, lonely and secretive man but he was first the opposite. He was gentle, kind, considerate & loving person. He helped Derry to give a new perspective to life.
Derry had a strong resistance towards people because of his ugly face. After meeting Mr. Lamb Derisy learnt to admire things and understood the life to the fullest. Thus the author has titled her play. ‘On the face of It?

Question. Aren’t you interested?
You’re a boy who came into the garden.
Plenty do. I ‘m interested in anybody.
Anything. There’s nothing God made that
doesn’t interest me. Look over there… over
beside the far wall. What can you see?
Rubbish
Rubbish? Look, boy, look… what do you see?
Just… grass and stuff. Weeds.

(i) Aren’t you interested? This line has been stated in the context of ___________.
(a) Derry’s behaviour
(b) Derry’s burnt face
(c) Derry’s purpose
(d) Derry’s dilemma

(ii) Why Mr. Lamb is interested in anybody?
(a) Because he is friendly to others.
(b) Because he has a positive outlook in life.
(c) Because he loves to help others.
(d) Because he didn’t want anybody to be in trouble.

(iii) What was the purpose of Mr. Lamb asking Derry to look at the far wall?
(a) To make him admire the beauty of his garden.
(b) To show him the positive outlook of life.
(c) To make Derry understand the absurdity of his behaviour.
(d) To get Derry’s help in making jam.

(iv) To What Mr. Lamb is pointing to beside the wall?
(a) Crab apples (b) Weeds (c) Herbs (d) Flowers
Answer: (i) (b) Derry’s burnt face
(ii) (b) Because he has a positive outlook in life.
(iii) (c) To make Derry understand the absurdity of his behaviour.
(iv) (b) Weeds

Question. And that’s all true, and you know it. It won’t make my face change. Do you know, one day, a woman went by me in the street…..
I was at a bus – stop…… and she was with another woman, and she looked at me, and she said,
“Look at that, that’ a terrible thing. That’s a face only a mother could love.” So you believe everything you hear, then?

(i) That’s here refers to
(a) Derry’s negative outlook
(b) Mr. Lamb’s belief that Derry is normal like other children.
(c) Derry’s realisation that there are worse handicaps.
(d) Mr. Lamb has different attitude towards life.

(ii) What made Derry so negative?
(a) People’s comments (b) His burnt face
(c) Mother’s attitude. (d) His loneliness

(iii) What impact does the lady’s comment love on Derry?
(a) Anger (b) Irritation (c) Hurt (d) Resentment
(iv) The word terrible can be replaced with
(a) rubbish (b) grave (c) shocking (d) awful
Answer: (i) (c) Derry’s realisation that there are worse handicaps.
(ii) (a) People’s comments
(iii) (c) Hurt
(iv) (d) Awful

Question. It’s have been trespassing.
Ah. That’s not why
I don’t like being near people. When they stare… when I see them being afraid of me.
You could lock yourself up in a room and never leave it. There was a man who did that. He was afraid, you see. Of everything. Everything in this world. A bus might run him over, or a man might breathe deadly germs onto him, or a donkey might kick him to death, or lightening might strike him leave down, or he might slip on banana skin and fall and people who saw him would laugh their heads off.

(i) That’s not why. This statement indicates that
(a) Mr. Lamb’s suspicious of Derry.
(b) Mr. Lamb’s doesn’t like Derry.
(c) Mr. Lamb’s doesn’t believe in Derry.
(d) Mr. Lamb knows that Derry is negative.

(ii) Why people are afraid of Derry?
(a) Because of his anger issues. (b) Because of his burnt face.
(c) Because of his negative attitude. (d) Because of his mother’s nature.

(iii) The moral of the given story by Mr. Lamb is
(a) people have different views (b) you cannot please everyone
(c) you cannot live your life fear (d) isolation is not a solution

(iv) The word trespassing can be replaced by
(a) exploit (b) invade (c) offend (d) unlawful
Answer: (i) (c) Mr. Lamb doesn’t believe in Derry (ii) (b) Because of his burnt face.
(iii) (c) you cannot live your life fear (iv) (b) invade