On the Face of It

Introduction

On the Face of It is a play written by Susan Hill. She is an English novelist who writes both fiction and nonfiction. She won the Somerset Maugham prize in 1971 for her novel I'm the King of the Castle. Her other works include The Mist in the Mirror and The Woman in Black.

Derry, a young man with a burnt face, and Mr Lamb, an elderly man with a disability who wears a tin-made prosthetic leg, are the main characters of the story. Derry mistakenly enters his garden to escape from others who dislike him due to his unattractive appearance. He is welcomed into Mr Lamb's garden, and he also compels him to put his past behind him and pursue an everyday life.

Summary

This play depicts the bond between an elderly man named Mr Lamb and a young child named Derry. He is quite disturbed and believes that people do not want to be associated with him because of the scar on his face. He enters the old man's garden to hide from others but becomes scared when he sees him. He was put at ease by Mr Lamb, who also gave him some life advice. Mr Lamb also has a happier and more upbeat outlook on life. He also urges Derry to avoid bitterness, to live life to the utmost and counsels him to embrace life as it is. The attitude and spirit of Mr Lamb, however, touched Derry.

Conclusion

This play conveys a message that those who are physically disabled experience loneliness and emotional distress. The play demonstrates how appearances may be misleading and we should never be ashamed of our appearance. We should also have confidence and faith in ourselves.

Questions and Answers

Q. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr Lamb despite himself?

Ans. Derry observes that Mr Lamb differs from the others. When Mr Lamb sees Derry's scarred face, he doesn’t displays courage. Instead, he speaks to him gently. Derry believed that his issue was significant enough to make him the world's most depressed person. He subsequently learns that his issue is a minor one after speaking with Mr Lamb and he begins to watch Mr Lamb.

Q. Does Mr Lamb display signs of loneliness and disappointment? How does he try to overcome these feelings?

Ans. The opening scene of the story begins with Mr Lamb displaying signs of loneliness and dissatisfaction. Even though Derry's solitude dominates the drama, Mr Lamb's loneliness is there in the play's opening scene. When Derry claims that he had heard many passive things about Mr Lamb, Mr Lamb exhibits signs of desperation. By listening to the song of the bees in the beehive on the tree in his garden, Mr Lamb chooses to counteract his loneliness.

Q. The actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the person with disabilities. What is the kind of behaviour that the person expects from others?

Ans. If they are not exposed and treated with cruel pity, a person with a physical disability can live a life of honour and respect. They don't want sympathy, they want compassion. The exclusion of disabled individuals is not necessary. Despite their limitations, functioning normally with them would be a terrific way to assist them in developing their capabilities. That is what they would expect from us.

Q. Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr Lamb’s brief association affect a change in the kind of life he will lead in the future?

Ans. Derry won't go into depression again. The remote connection between Derry and Mr Lamb boosted his confidence and inspired him to respect himself. I believe Derry's brief interaction with Mr Lamb will have an impact on the life he leads going forward. It's because Mr Lamb quickly made him feel content and at ease. Derry has learned from Mr Lamb to work for something rather than focusing on his disfigured face. This will undoubtedly alter Derry's perspective on other people and affect the kind of life he leads.

FAQs

Q. Why was Derry blessed, according to Lamb?

Ans. Derry learned from Mr Lamb how to deal with his physical impairment. Lamb referred to him as blessed because he had two legs, two arms, ears, eyes, a brain, and a tongue, except a burned face. Additionally, Lamb tells him the tale of The Beauty and the Beast.

Q. What do you think about Derry's mother?

Ans. Derry's mother was overly protective and didn't recognize his needs. She has no idea how isolating it would be to have no friends due to his face. She only kissed the unburned portion of her son's face because she continually felt sorry for how he looked.

Q. What was the suggestion given by Derry when he saw Mr Lamb's tin leg?

Ans. Derry questioned him about the cause of his tin leg. He said that it was damaged many years ago during an explosion. Children called him Lamey Lamb for fun. Derry advised him to cover the exposed tin leg with his pants so that no one could see it

Q. How did Mr Lamb and Derry meet?

Ans. Derry is welcomed in his yard by him. Derry finds him to be a decent man after speaking with him. He was known as Lamey Lamb by the kids, although he didn't seem to mind when they played in his garden. Derry learned from Lamb how to deal with his physical impairment.