Here is class 12 vistas book chapter 6 on the face of it summary, theme, explanation, question answer and important topics. You may check out for the better understanding of chapter on the face of it.
On the face of it by Susan Hill
On the face of it Author Susan Hill
Susan Hill is a prominent British author known for her contributions to various literary genres. Born on February 5, 1942, in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, Hill has a diverse body of work that spans fiction, non-fiction, children’s literature, and plays.
On the face of it Introduction
“On the Face of It” is a play written by Susan Hill. The play explores themes of isolation, prejudice, and the power of human connection. The story revolves around Mr. Lamb, a man with a disfigured face who lives in isolation. Derry, a young boy, becomes curious about Mr. Lamb and decides to strike up a friendship with him. The play delves into the complexities of human relationships and challenges societal norms about appearance and acceptance.
On the face of it theme
The play, “On the Face of It” brings out the idea that the people who have any handicap/ physical impairment of some kind, generally suffer from a sense of loneliness and mental pain. It also talks about how appearances are deceptive and most often, we go on dealing with impressions and prejudices about others without caring to know about them actually.
On the face it significance of title
he title “On the Face of It” holds significance as it reflects the central theme and message of the play. The phrase “on the face of it” is an idiomatic expression that means based on initial appearances or at first glance. In the context of the play, this title emphasizes the theme of appearances being deceptive and the need to look beyond the surface.
The play explores the lives of two characters, Mr. Lamb and Derry, both of whom have physical differences. The title suggests that, at first glance, one might form judgments about individuals based on their external appearances. However, as the play unfolds, it becomes clear that these appearances do not define the true essence of the characters or their ability to lead fulfilling lives.
The significance of the title lies in its encouragement for the audience to question preconceived notions and stereotypes about people with physical impairments. It prompts a deeper exploration of the characters’ inner lives, emotions, and resilience. By using the phrase “on the face of it,” the title challenges the audience to consider the limitations of superficial judgments and the importance of understanding individuals beyond their outward appearances.
On the face of it characters
There are three characters in this play – 1. Derry 2. Mr. Lamb 3. Derry’ Mother
Derry
- He is a young boy.
- He is Withdrawn and defiant;
- He is bitter towards the world;
- He is lonely and pessimistic;
- His face was burned on one side as acid fell down him.
- He cares too much about his disability and hates it when people stare or pity him.
Mr. Lamb
- Mr. Lamb is an old man with a tin leg.
- His real leg was blown off years ago during the war.
- he is called lamey Lamb.
- he had conquered his physical disability.
- He lives all alone in his house.
- He has no family.
- There is a garden near his house.
- It has ripe crab apples looking orange and golden in colour.
- he is very positive and optimistic toward life.
Derry’s Mother
Derry’s mother is mentioned briefly in the play, but her character is not thoroughly developed. Typically, characters like Derry’s mother in a play might serve a supporting role or be mentioned to provide context to the main characters’ lives. If you have a specific question about Derry’s mother or if there’s a particular aspect you’re interested in, please provide more details, and I’ll do my best to help.
On the face of it summary
Scene -1
The story starts in Mr. Lamb’s garden. You can hear birds singing and the leaves on the trees making noise. Derry walks slowly and carefully through the tall grass. He goes into Lamb’s garden and comes around some bushes. Mr. Lamb talks to him when he’s close. Derry gets surprised and says sorry because he didn’t know someone was there. Mr. Lamb tries to make Derry feel comfortable. He tells him he can pick crab apples and doesn’t need to leave because of him. Mr. Lamb doesn’t mind if anyone comes into the garden. The gate is always open, so Derry didn’t have to climb over the wall. Derry explains he didn’t come to steal apples. Mr. Lamb tells him he can stay in the garden.
Derry tells Mr. Lamb that others are scared of him. He wants Mr. Lamb to really look at him because he thinks his face might seem really scary and ugly. Derry mentions that even he gets scared when he looks at himself in the mirror. Mr. Lamb reassures him by saying that his whole face isn’t scary.
Mr. Lamb now changes the topic. He says when the weather is a little cooler, he’ll use a ladder and a stick to pick crab apples. They’re good for making jelly, especially in September. The apples look orange and golden. Mr. Lamb suggests that Derry could help him with it. However, Derry doesn’t want Mr. Lamb to change the topic. He wants to keep talking about himself.
Mr. Lamb makes a guess. He thinks maybe the boy got burned in a fire. Derry explains that acid spilled on one side of his face, and it burned it all away. Derry asks Mr. Lamb if he’s not interested. The old man says he’s interested in everyone and everything created by God – even grass, trash, weeds, flowers, and fruits. He notices that they are all part of life, growing just as they are.
Mr. Lamb mentions that they share similarities. While Mr. Lamb is old, Derry is young, and Derry has a burned face, Mr. Lamb has a tin leg. In the same way, one green plant may be called a weed, and another is a flower. All of it is a part of life, constantly growing. Mr. Lamb lost one leg due to an explosion, and some kids mockingly call him “Lamey Lamb.” However, a tin leg or a burned face are not the only things worth noticing or staring at. There are many other things like crab apples, weeds, and sunflowers that deserve our attention. Mr. Lamb enjoys life and people as much as he can.
Derry says that when someone is hurting, people think those who are brave don’t cry or complain, and they don’t feel sorry for themselves. When people try to comfort those with physical challenges, they often say to think about others who might have it worse – like being blind, deaf, in a wheelchair, or dealing with mental challenges. But all these things won’t change Derry’s face. Even people he doesn’t know say mean things about how he looks.
Derry says again that he doesn’t enjoy being close to people, especially when they look at him strangely or seem scared of him. Then, Mr. Lamb shares a story about a man who was scared of everything. This man locked himself in his room and stayed in bed all the time. One day, a picture fell off the wall and accidentally hit him on the head, causing him to pass away.
Derry tells that the old man says strange things. Then he asks what the old man does all day. Mr. Lamb says he enjoys life and sits in the sun reading books. He doesn’t like curtains. Mr. Lamb encourages Derry, saying he has two arms, two legs, eyes, ears, a tongue, and a brain – just like everyone else. Derry can live the way he wants, and if he chooses, he can even do better than others.
Derry asks how, and Mr. Lamb says he can live like him, welcoming everybody with an always-open gate. Derry mentions that there are some people he hates. Mr. Lamb advises that hatred is more harmful than acid. Everything is the same, yet everything is different. Derry gets up to leave, saying he will come back. Mr. Lamb remarks that people often say that but rarely return.
Scene -2
In the next part, we see Derry with his mom. He tells her about the old man with the bad leg. His mom advises him not to go there, but Derry really wants to. He likes sitting and hearing what the old man says because no one else talks like him. Even though his mom thinks it’s better for him there, Derry doesn’t like it. Now, he doesn’t care much about how his face looks. What matters to him is what he thinks, feels, sees, hears, and learns. He wants to help the old man with crab apples and learn new things by looking and listening. If he doesn’t go back there, he feels like he won’t go anywhere in the world again.
Scene -3
The last part of the story happens once again in Mr. Lamb’s garden. Derry arrives at the garden, breathing heavily. He sees Mr. Lamb lying on the grass with a ladder. Derry informs him that he’s returned. As Mr. Lamb doesn’t reply, Derry kneels beside him and starts crying. He keeps saying, “Lamey-Lamb! I did.” The play has a very sad ending.
On the face of it summary in Hindi
पहला सीन मिस्टर लैम्ब के बगिचे में है। पक्षियों के गाने और पेड़ों की पत्तियों के हलचल की एक ध्वनि है। डेरी धीरे-धीरे और सतर्कता से लम्बी घास के बीच चलता है। वह लैम्ब के बगिचे में पहुँचता है। वह झाड़ीयों के एक पर्दे के चारों ओर चला जाता है। मिस्टर लैम्ब जब उसके पास हैं, तो उन्होंने उससे बात की। डेरी को आश्चर्य हुआ। वह क्षमा मांगता है। उसे नहीं पता था कि कहीं कोई है या नहीं। मिस्टर लैम्ब डेरी को आराम से महसूस कराने की कोशिश करते हैं। वह कीटनाशक ले सकता है। डेरी को मिस्टर लैम्ब के लिए दूर जाने की जरुरत नहीं है। उसे यह फर्ज नहीं है कि कौन बगिचे में आता है। दरवाजा हमेशा खुला है। डेरी को बगिचे की दीवार पर चढ़ने की आवश्यकता नहीं थी। डेरी कहता है कि उसने सेब चुराने के लिए वहाँ नहीं आया था। मिस्टर लैम्ब उसे यह आश्वासन देते हैं कि वह यहाँ रुक सकता है।
फिर डेरी कहता है कि लोग उससे डरते हैं। उसने मिस्टर लैम्ब से कहा कि वह उसे देखें और जब उन्होंने उसका चेहरा देखा होगा, तो शायद उसे यह महसूस होगा कि वह सबसे डरावनी और सबसे कुड़ा हुआ चीज है। डेरी कहता है कि जब वह आईने में देखता है और अपना चेहरा देखता है, तो उससे डरता है। मिस्टर लैम्ब कहते हैं कि उसका पूरा चेहरा डरावना नहीं है।
मिस्टर लैम्ब अब विषय बदल देते हैं। उनकहते हैं कि जब थोड़ा सा ठंडा होगा, तो वह सीढ़ी और एक छड़ी लेकर सेब तोड़ने जाएंगे। वे जेली बनाने के लिए पके हुए हैं। सितंबर इसके लिए सही समय है। सेब नारंगी और सुनहरे रंग के है | मिस्टर लैम्ब डेरी से कहते है कि वह सेव तोड़ने में उनकी मदद कर सकता है | डेरी चाहता है कि मिस्टर लैम्ब टॉपिक ना बदले और उसके बारे में बात करें |
मिस्टर लैम्ब किसी की अनुमान लगाते हैं। शायद लड़का किसी आग में जल गया है। डेरी कहता है कि उसके चेहरे के उस पक्ष में सारा अम्ल गिरा था और इसने सारा चेहरा जला दिया। डेरी मिस्टर लैम्ब से पूछता है कि वह इसे देखना चाहते हैं या नहीं। बूढ़ा आदमी कहता है कि उसे हर किसी और हर वस्तु में रुचि है, जो भगवान ने बनाई है – चाहे वह घास, कचरा, जंगली फूल, फल हों। उसे लगता है कि यह सब जीवन का हिस्सा है और वे अपने तरीके से विकसित हो रहे हैं।
मिस्टर लैम्ब कहते हैं कि वे समान हैं। मिस्टर लैम्ब बूढ़े हैं। डेरी जवान है। डेरी के चेहरे पर जलन हुई है। मिस्टर लैम्ब के पास एक टिन की टांग है। उसी तरह, एक हरा पौधा एक खुरपा कहलाता है और दूसरा फूल। यह सब जीवन है। यह बढ़ रहा है। लैम्ब ने अपनी एक टांग खो दी है। कुछ बच्चे उसे “लेमी लैम्ब” कहकर छेड़ते हैं। एक टिन की टांग या जला हुआ चेहरा ही ऐसी चीजें नहीं हैं जिन पर ध्यान दिया जाए या देखा जाए। बहुत सी अन्य चीजें भी हैं जैसे कि क्रैब एपल्स, घास और सूरजमुखियाँ। इन्हें हमारा ध्यान मिलना चाहिए और मिस्टर लैम्ब जीवन और लोगों का इतना ही आनंद लेते हैं जितना कि वह कर सकते हैं।
डेरी कहता है कि लोग उन लोगों के बारे में बात करते हैं जो दुखी होते हैं और बहादुर लोग कभी नहीं रोते या शिकायत नहीं करते और खुद को दुखी महसूस नहीं करते। लोग शारीरिक विकलांगता से पीड़ित लोगों को सांत्वना देने की कोशिश करते हैं और उनसे कहते हैं कि वे उन सभी लोगों का ख्याल करें जो उनसे ज्यादा परेशान हैं। उनके साथ कुछ भी हो सकता है, जैसे कि अंधे होना, बहरा पैदा होना, व्हीलचेयर में जीना, या पागल होना और बूँदें गिराना। लेकिन इस सब से उसका चेहरा बदला नहीं जाएगा। कुछ बिलकुल अनजान लोग भी उसे खराब कहते हैं।
डेरी दोहराता है कि उसको लोगों के पास रहना पसंद नहीं है: खासकर जब वे उसे घूरते हैं और जब उन्हें उससे डरते हुए देखता है। तब मिस्टर लैम्ब उसे एक ऐसे आदमी की कहानी सुनाते हैं जो दुनिया में हर चीज से डरता था। इसलिए उसने अपने कमरे को ताला लगा दिया और बिस्तर पर ही रह गया। एक दिन, एक तस्वीर दीवार से गिरी और उसके सिर पर गिर गई, जिससे उसकी मौके से मौत हो गई।
डेरी कहता है कि वृद्ध आदमी अजीब बातें कहता है। फिर उसने पूछा कि वह पूरे दिन क्या करता है। मिस्टर लैम्ब जवाब देते हैं कि उन्हें जीवन का आनंद लेने का तरीका पसंद है। वह सूरज में बैठकर किताबें पढ़ते हैं। उन्हें पर्दों का शौक नहीं है। मिस्टर लैम्ब डेरी को प्रेरित करते हैं। डेरी के पास दो हाथ, दो पैर, आंखें और कान हैं। उसके पास जीभ और एक मस्तिष्क भी हैं। वह वैसे ही आगे बढ़ सकता है, जैसे सभी अन्य लोग। और अगर वह चाहे, तो वह “सभी से बेहतर” भी हो सकता है।
डेरी पूछता है “कैसे?” मिस्टर लैम्ब जवाब देते हैं कि डेरी वैसे ही जी सकता है, जैसे कि वह खुद करते हैं। उसके लिए सभी का स्वागत है। दरवाजा हमेशा खुला रहता है। डेरी कहता है कि उसे कुछ लोग नफरत करते हैं। मिस्टर लैम्ब कहते हैं कि नफरत एक एसी चीज है जो सलाई के बोतल से भी ज्यादा हानिकारक है। सब कुछ एक समान है, लेकिन सब कुछ अलग है। डेरी खड़ा होकर तैयार हो जाता है और जाने की तैयारी करता है। उसकहता है कि वह वापस आएगा।
तीसरा या आखिरी सीन फिर से मिस्टर लैम्ब के बगिचे में स्थित है। डेरी हाफते हुए मिस्टर लैम्ब के बगिचे पहुंचता है, उसे लैम्ब सारी पेड़ों पर लेटे हुए मिलता है। डेरी उससे कहता है कि वह वापस आया है। क्योंकि मिस्टर लैम्ब का जवाब नहीं मिलता है, इसलिए डेरी उसके पास घुटनों पर बैठता है और रोने लगता है। वह “लैमी-लैम्ब! मैंने किया” कहकर रोता रहता है। नाटक का एक बहुत दुखद समाप्त होता है।
On the face of it important topics
Derry’s infirmity / Derry’s problems
- Derry’s face got burned by acid.
- He suffered from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex.
- He was always conscious that his face was bad, terrible and ugliest thing, people are afraid of him. No body would kiss him.
- Derry became highly sensitive to what people said about him.
- His parents , his family friends and well wishers were all greatly concerned about his future.
- Their anxiety , concern and apprehension pained more than the impairment itself.
- This abnormal treatment by the people gradually made the boy pessimistic and bitter and he became withdrawn and defiant.
- He often avoided company and began to lead a life of seclusion.
Derry’s meeting with Mr. Lamb
Derry was a 14 years old teenage boy .He entered a garden. His face is burnt on one side due to an accident when acid fell on half of his face. He has gone there to hide himself as he is afraid of facing people. He fears being teased by others for having such a face. But when he enters, he finds someone already present there. Derry’s footsteps are heard as he walks slowly and hesitantly through the long grass. He comes round a screen of bushes. When Mr Lamb speaks to Derry he is close at hand. Naturally, Derry is startled.
Lamb’s reaction at Derry’s entry
The attitude of Mr. Lamb’s towards Derry is quite gentle , protective and accommodating. Like an elder in the family giving advice and instructions to the younger members. Mr. Lamb advicss Derry to mind the apples lest he should trip. He also advises Derry not to feel afraid.
Mr. Lamb keeps himself busy
Mr. Lamb keeps himself busy by getting a ladder and a stick and pulling down the crab apples. He calls them magic fruit and likes to make jelly and toffees out of them.
Peculiar things in Mr. Lamb
Mr. Lamb is very positive and optimistic towards life. he suggests Derry to always kept his ears shut. there are no curtains at the windows in his house. he likes the light and darkness and hears the wind the windows open.
Change in attitude of derry / Benefits of Derry’s association with Lamb/ Mr. Lamb’s meeting with derry is turning point in Derry’s life
There was a positive change in him when he came in association with mr. Lamb. .after the meeting , Derry is filled with a new enthusiasm for life. He undergoes a major transformation and develops into a confident youth from the meek young that he was earlier. Lamb advises him not to pay too much attention to what others thought about him.
Mr. Lamb’s words have a profound effect on him and inspire him to see the brighter side of life. He is encouraged to choose happiness in life rather than accept isolation. He is no more bothered about his impairment and wants to live his life to the fullest. His entire attitude towards life has changed drastically.
Opinion of Derry’s mother about Mr. Lamb
Derry’s mother is quite skeptical of Mr. Lamb. She considers him to be an eccentric. She claims that she has heard many things about Mr. Lamb. Infact, she has been warned. Though they have lived there for three months, she knows what is worth knowing and Derry is not to go back there.
Why Mr. Lamb helped Derry
Mr. Lamb perhaps identified himself with Derry. though he had conquered his physical disability, he could well understand Derry’s mentality, having himself gone through a similar phase in life. he probably did not want Derry to be a victim of the same.
Difference between Derry and Mr. Lamb
| Mr. Lamb | Derry |
| Mr. Lamb is an old experienced man. | Derry was a 14 years old young boy. |
| He had a tin leg because His real leg was blown off years ago during the war. | His face was burned on one side as acid fell down him. |
| He is called lamey Lamb. | He is Withdrawn and defiant. |
| He had conquered his physical disability | He suffered from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. |
| he is very positive and optimistic toward life. | He is lonely and pessimistic. |
| He does not cares about his disability . | He cares too much about his disability and hates it when people stare or pity him. |
| He is polite and humble towards the world. | He is bitter towards the world. |
| He has no family; so he lives all alone in his house. | He has his family. |
On the face of it question answer
Short Answer Questions
Q.1 Why was Derry surprised when he climbed the garden wall and suddenly finds an old man talking to him?
Ans.1- He was surprised to hear the old man talk to him as he has imagined the house to be empty. He was indignant because he felt that the old man had been watching him climb over the wall even though the gate was open.
Q.2 How was Derry’s face scarred? How did the scar on his face scar his life?
Ans.2- Derry’s face was badly burnt with acid and this ugly scar scarred his life making him bitter and withdrawn. He began to hate the company of people as they either looked at him with pity or with disgust. He was filled with self pity and sadness.
Q.3 Why does Derry feel drawn towards Mr. Lamb?
Ans.3 –Derry is impressed with Mr. Lamb’s independence and his ability to do things despite his disability. Mr. Lamb has infected him with a love for life and the curiosity to discover the simple joys of everyday living.
Q.4 Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open? Why does he live in a house without curtains?
Ans.4 – He leaves his gate open so that anyone who wants to come in are all welcome to enjoy and garden and home. There are no curtains because he does not like shutting out anything out or shutting in anything.
Q.5 What advice does Mr. Lamb give Derry that makes him start to think a little?
Ans.5- The old man tells him that one cannot go through life being scared. All the hatred and bitterness would be more damaging than the acid that burnt his face. He assures him that he can have whatever he wants and thus instills confidence in Derry.
Q.6 How does the old man get across the idea that one cannot go through life being scared?
Ans.6 –The old man conveys this through the simple story of the man who was scared of everything. If he went out the bus may run over him, he might breathe in deadly germs, a donkey might kick him to death and other such things. Though he locked himself , a picture from the wall fell on him and killed him.
Q.7- Why does Derry decide to come back to Mr. Lamb’s house?
Ans.7 – Mr. Lamb has infected him with a love for life and the curiosity to discover the simple joys of everyday living ignoring the unpleasant. The meaningful time that he has spent with the old man made him want to come back to his house.
Q.8 The play ends tragically yet leaves one with a sense of hope. Explain.
Ans.8- A tragic end leaves the readers with a sense of hope. Mr. Lamb was successful in infecting Derry with a love for life and the curiosity to discover simple joys of everyday life ignoring the unpleasant.+
Long answer type questions
Q.1 The play is an apt depiction of the loneliness and the sense of alienation experienced by people on account of disability. Elaborate.
OR
Despite their disabilities, both Mr. Lamb and Derry look at life differently. Elucidate with examples from the play.
Ans.1 – The protagonist of the play, a young boy of fourteen has been burnt by acid that has left his face scarred and disfigured. His ugliness invites the curiosity of some, a pity of others and the disgust of many. He is often subjected to stares from people who are either scared of his ugly face or disgusted by it. Unkind remarks from insensitive people who suggest that he would have been better off in the hospital with others of his kind have destroyed his self confidence. He seeks solitude away from the prying glances of curious people.
The fact that the old man Mr. Lamb has a tin leg as he has lost his leg in the war comes as a surprise, especially in the light of the fact that people do stare at him and call him Lamey Lamb. We are impressed by his independence. However the reader gets a sense of his loneliness from his remark that all those who promise to come back never do.
Q.2 -The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind of behavior that the person expects from others?
Ans.2 –The play focuses on the sense of alienation that is experienced by those who suffer from a handicap of some kind. The protagonist of the play, a young boy of fourteen has been burnt but by acid that has left his face scarred and disfigured. His ugliness invites the curiosity of some, a pity of others and the disgust of many. He has even overheard two women remarking that he had a sort of face only a mother could love – a remark that cut him to the core making him sad and sorry for himself.
This had led him to withdraw and he locked himself in his own world. Sulking in bitterness and self pity he was quite unable to face the company of people and his own ugliness. unkind remarks from insensitive people who suggest he would have been better off in the hospital with others of his kind, have destroyed his self confidence and he seeks solitude away from the prying glances of curious people. This is what he tells Mr. Lamb.
Q.3- “The whole world has got a whole face and the world’s there to be looked at.” How does this statement reflect Mr. Lamb’s state of mind and how does this help in changing Derry’s outlook to life?
Ans.3 –The fact that the old man has a tin leg as he has lost his leg in the war, comes as a surprise to Derry, especially in the light of the fact that the old man is not in the least put out by his disability and the fact that the people do stare at him and call him Lamey Lamb. His surprise heightens as their conversation progresses and he discovers that the old man lives in his house without curtains as he did not want to shut out the world and that he loves hearing his bees sing and delights in picking his crab apples, loves reading and talking to friends. In short this old man with a tin leg seems to love life.
Who is the writer of ‘On the face of it ‘?
Ans – Susan Hill
Who was Derry ?
Ans.
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The Last Lesson summary ,background, theme, explanation, questions & answers