ON THE FACE OF IT

YEH PADHO AUR PURA CHAPTER ON TIPS:

Important Notes
• The play depicts beautifully yet grimly the sad world of the physically impaired.
• It is not the actual pain or inconvenience caused by a physical impairment that trouble a
disabled man but the attitude of the people around him.
• Two physically impaired people, Mr. Lamb with a tin leg and Derry with a burnt face,
strike a band of friendship.
• Derry is described as a young boy shy, withdrawn and defiant.
• People tell him inspiring stories to console him, no one will ever kiss him except his
mother that too on the other side of his face
• Mentions about a woman saying that only a mother can love such a face.
• Mr. Lamb revives the almost dead feelings of Derry towards life.
• He motivates him to think positively about life, changes his mind set about people and
things how a man locked himself as he was scared-a picture fell off the wall and got killed.
• Everything appears to be the same but is different- Ex. of bees. And weeds
• The gate of the garden is always open.
• Derry is inspired and promises to come back.
• Derry’s mother stops him but he is adamant saying if he does not go now it would be
never.
• When he comes back, he sees lamb lying on the ground
• It is ironical that when he searches a new foothold to live happily, 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.
• But at the same time, it is almost a true account of the people who don’t let a person live
happily.

APNI KAKSHA 1
Multiple Choice Questions based on an extract.
I. "I thought it was empty....an empty house".
1. Who is 'l' here?
a) Derry b) Mr. Lamb
c) Susan Hill d) Jack
Ans a)
2. Who is the owner of the house?
a) Derry
b) Mr. Lamb
c) Susan Hill
d) Jack
Ans b)
3. Why does 'l' enter the house?
a) To steal apples.
b) To get his ball back.
c) To greet the neighbours.
d) Out of curiosity
Ans d)
4. How does 'I' feel when he sees the owner?
a) Excited
b) Pleasured
c) Embarassed
d) Indifferent
Ans c)

APNI KAKSHA 2
II. "What have you changed the subject for? People always do that. Why don't you ask me? Why
do you do what they all do and pretend it isn't true and isn't there?"
1. Who is the speaker of the above lines.
a) Derry
b) Mr.Lamb
c) Derry's mother
d) Mr. Lamb's wife
Ans a)
2. What/which subject was being talked about?
a) English
b) Burnt and ugly face
c) Tin leg
d) Nature
Ans b)
3. The subject was changed by whom and why?
a) Derry
b) Mr. Lamb
c) Derry's mother
d) Mr. Lamb's wife
Ans b)
4. What did people do when they looked at Derry?
a) Laughed at him
b) Bullied him
c) Afraid of him
d) Did not notice him
Ans c)

APNI KAKSHA 3
III. "But you can put on trousers and cover it up and no one sees, they don't have to notice and
stare."
1. Who is 'you' conversing with?
a) Derry
b) Mr. Lamb
c) His wife
d) Susan Hill
Ans a)
2. Why do children call 'you' Lamey-Lamb?
a) He could not walk.
b) He had a golden leg.
c) He had a tin leg.
d) He had no legs.
Ans c)
3. In what context does the speaker say these words?
a) His burnt face
b) His amputated hand
c) His distorted head
d) His large ears
Ans a)
4. How does 'you' respond?
a) Tries to keep the speaker quiet.
b) Tries to alter the view of the speaker.
c) Tries to alter the appearance of the speaker.
d) None of these.
Ans b)

APNI KAKSHA 4
IV. "So you believe everything you hear, then"
1. Who is the speaker of the above lines?
a) Derry
b) Lamb
c) Dr. Sadao
d) Tom
Ans b)
2. About which incident the listener is talking about he had heard?
a) Two women talking about his face
b) Two men talking about his leg
c) Two children making fun of him
d) Everyone around him
Ans a)
3. How did Derry feel about it?
a) They were cruel.
b) They were sympathetic.
c) They were happy.
d) They were indifferent.
Ans a)
4. How does Mr. Lamb interpret the conversation?
a) Sympathetic
b) Casual
c) Funny
d) Serious
Ans b)

APNI KAKSHA 5
 Stand Alone MCQs
1. Why does Derry begin to weep in the end?
a) Out of relief as had managed to come
b) Mr Lamb was dead
c) Mr Lamb did not want him
d) His mother prohibited him from stepping out of doors
Ans b)
2. Why was Derry startled?
a) He was caught
b) There were many people
c) By Mr Lamb’s presence
d) On seeing a watchdog
Ans c)
3. Why did Derry enter Mr Lamb’s garden?
a) He wanted to see the flowers
b) He wanted to see the bees
c) He wanted to steal crabapp
d) Out of curiosity
Ans d)
4. Derry was afraid that Mr Lamb would find his face———-
a) repulsive b) unusual
c) boring d) hard to forget
Ans a)
5. Mr Lamb believed that Derry wanted to turn back because of he———-
a) he had been caught
b) he was ugly
c) he was afraid of Mr Lamb
d) he had something to hide
Ans c)
6. Mr Lamb asked Derry to stay back and———-
a) help him in plucking crab apples
b) talk to him
c) hear birds sing
d) discuss his problems
Ans a)

APNI KAKSHA 6
7. One side of Derry’s face was————
a) marred by scars
b) had spots
c) was darker
d) burnt by acid
Ans d)
8. No one liked to look at him. This made Derry suffer from————-
a) lack of self-regard
b) a callous attitude
c) bitter hatred for the world
d) a desire to die
Ans a)
9. Mr Lamb changed the subject and started talking about———–
a) apple picking
b) bees singing
c) beauty and the beast
d) his tin leg
Ans a)
10. Derry didn’t like being with people because————
a) he was a shy boy
b) he was deformed
c) people repulsed him
d) people reminded him of his ugliness
Ans d)

APNI KAKSHA 7
READ AND FIND OUT

1. Who is Mr Lamb? How does Derry get into his garden?

Ans Mr Lamb is an elderly gentleman with a rusted leg. Years ago, during the war, his real leg
was blasted off. He is the sole occupant of his home which has a garden. It's filled with
luscious crab apples that are orange and golden in colour. When Derry jumps over the
garden wall to get into Mr Lamb’s Garden and does not utilise the open door to enter only
to find Mr Lamb sitting in his garden.
2. Do you think all this will change Derry’s attitude towards Mr Lamb?
Ans Yes, Derry's attitude toward Mr Lamb will change because of all of this. Derry's charred
face has made him the target of scorn. People sympathized with him, but it was never a
heartfelt sympathy. As a result, he developed a negative outlook on life. Everyone loathed
and despised him, he believed. Mr Lamb, on the other hand, showed no sympathy for him.
Mr Lamb had a tin leg, and Derry had a burnt face, so Mr Lamb could sympathize with him.
He assisted the youngster in learning to love and live a happy life without disrespect for
himself. Derry had initially dismissed the elderly man as ordinary, but he grew to
appreciate and admire him because of what he said.

Reading with Insight

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

Ans Mr Lamb is distinct from the others, according to Derry. When Mr Lamb sees Derry's
charred face, he exhibits no surprise or alarm. Instead, he speaks to him in a caring tone.
He extends a warm welcome to him in his backyard. He offers to help him by picking
apples and making jelly. He refers to him as a friend. He claims that things may appear to
be different on the surface, but they are all the same on the inside. He uses flowers, trees,
plants, and weeds as examples. They may differ in appearance, but they are all growing live
organisms. People can have diverse outward appearances, yet they are all the same on the
inside. When Mr Lamb hears Derry declare he dislikes some individuals, he says it can
injure him more than any bottle of acid. Hatred, on the other hand, burns one's insides - the
soul. He encourages Derry to forget about his burned face. He has two arms and legs, as
well as eyes, ears, a tongue, and a brain. And if he has a strong mind, he will be able to
outperform others. Mr Lamb attracts Derry to himself with such words of encouragement.

APNI KAKSHA 8
2. In which section of the play does Mr Lamb display signs of loneliness and
disappointment? What are the ways in which Mr Lamb tries to overcome these
feelings?
Ans Although Derry's loneliness is the focus of the play
• Mr Lamb's loneliness is evident in the first scene of the play.
• He claims to have heard the bees for a long time and that they sing instead of buzz,
which shows his perception differs from others and his lack of companionship.
• Mr Lamb spent the entire day sitting in the sun reading books, indicating that his only
actual friends were books.
• He mentions that his empty house is full of books, implying that reading filled the hole in
his life.
• When he mutters to himself that no one comes back to him after the first meeting, it
becomes evident that he is lonely and disappointment.
• Mr Lamb does not anticipate Derry's return and ascends the ladder himself to collect all
the apples, showing his lack of expectation for companionship.
• Ironically, if Derry had not returned, Mr Lamb would have died unnoticed, highlighting
the extent of his loneliness.
3. 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 he is not mocked and punished with cold pity, a person with any physical handicap can
live a life of dignity and honour. Instead of sympathy, he expects empathy. If everyone
looks down on him with a pessimistic attitude, he may never be able to shake his sadness
and, as a result, retreat to his little world. He's already under a lot of mental and emotional
strain. As a result, he expects others to be understanding rather than point out his
handicap. Derry and Mr Lamb are both caught in a similar scenario in the play. Mr Lamb, as
an adult, is capable of dealing with such issues, but Derry, as a youngster, is unable to
unravel this web on his own. He takes a liking to this elderly man because he said the
words to someone who was going through the same humiliation. The old man assumed the
child would want to hear him.
4. 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 No, Derry will not return to his seclusion. Derry's brief relationship with Mr Lamb
increased his self-esteem and taught him to value himself. Derry underwent a remarkable
transformation as a result of the elderly man's teaching him the significance of being self-
sufficient, appreciating oneself, and holding on to hope. He tells his mother that his
appearance is unimportant because of his newfound self-esteem, and he begins to believe
in his abilities rather than his appearance. Mr Lamb's death is unlikely to bring him back to
his reclusive existence. This significant shift in him is irreversible and will not be undone
by setbacks.
APNI KAKSHA 9
Short Answer Question
1. What is the attitude of Mr Lamb to the small boy who comes to his garden?
Ans Mr. Lamb's attitude to the small boy is quite gentle, protective and accommodating. Like
an elder in the family offering advice and instructions to the younger members, Mr Lamb
advises the young boy to mind the apples lest he should trip. He also advises the boy not to
feel afraid.
2. What explanation does the small boy offer for coming into the garden? How does Mr
Lamb react to it?
Ans The boy thought that this was an empty place. He did not know there was anybody there.
Mr Lamb assures him that it is all right. He asks the boy what he is afraid of. He tells the
boy that the house is empty as he is in the garden and is likely to stay there. Such a
beautiful day should not be wasted indoors.
3. How does Mr Lamb react to Derry's query: 'Aren't you interested'?
Ans Mr Lamb tells Derry that he is interested in anybody and anything. There's nothing God
made that does not interest him. Fruit and flowers, trees and herbs, grass and weeds all
interest him. Even stuff or rubbish is interesting. He finds no essential difference between a
"weed' and another 'flower' as both represent life developing or growing.
4. "We're not the same", says Derry. How does Mr Lamb try to convince him that there
is no essential difference between them?
Ans Derry and Mr Lamb are both same species. They represent various stages of growth. Derry
is young, Mr Lamb is old. Both suffer from the same physical impairment. Derry has a burnt
face. The old man has got a tin leg. But this physical disability is not important. What is
important is that both are alive. Derry is standing there whereas Mr Lamb is sitting.
5. How, according to Derry, does the tin leg not trouble Mr Lamb? What explanation
does the old man offer?
Ans Derry thinks that the old man can put on trousers and cover up his tin leg. Then no one
sees it. So, people don't have to notice and stare at, as they do at his face. Mr Lamb replies
that some people do notice and stare at his disability. Some don't. In the end, they get tired
of it. Moreover, there are plenty of things to stare at.
6. How does Derry interpret the fairy story 'Beauty and the Beast'? What does he feel
about himself?
Ans Derry says that he has been told that story before. It teaches us that outward appearance
does not matter. It is what one is inside that is important. Handsome is that handsome
does. Beauty loved the monstrous beast for himself. When she kissed him, he changed into
a handsome prince. No one except Derry's mother kisses him. She too kisses him on the
other side of the face. He has developed a negative attitude and says he does not care ' "if
nobody ever kissed" him.

APNI KAKSHA 10
7. How, according to Derry, do people try to console those suffering from some
physical impairment?
Ans They ask the person to look at all those people who are in pain and brave. They never cry
or complain. They don't feel sorry for themselves. Then the person is asked to think of all
those persons worse off than him. One might have been blinded or born deaf, or confined
to a wheelchair, or be crazy and dribble. Since Derry has none of these disabilities he is far
better placed.
8. Why do these arguments fail to console Derry?
Ans Derry has developed negative attitude. He says that the arguments to console him will not
make his face change. He feels more hurt and pained by the comments of persons or what
he overhears. Once he heard a woman in the street whispering to another, "Look at that,
that's a terrible thing. That's a face only a mother could love." Derry calls it cruel of them.
9. "People are never just nothing. Never." Why does Mr Lamb say so? Why does he
advise Derry not to hate anyone?
Ans Mr Lamb says that he has friends everywhere. Derry says that the people passing us in the
street are not our friends. Mr Lamb tells him that they are not enemies either. When Derry
says they are "Just nothing", Mr Lamb makes this remark. He tells Derry that hatred does
more harm than any bottle of acid. Acid only bums the face, but hatred may bum a person
away inside.
10. How does Derry's attitude change?
Ans Due to his burnt face Derry had withdrawing attitude. He curses his handicap and is afraid
of people's stare at him. But Lamb changed his attitude. Lamb instilled courage in him to
live life as it is. He cited his own example. Children call him Lamey Lamb but he does not
mind. He has a tin leg but that does not stop him from making friends
11. How, according to Mr. Lamb, can one overcome of sense of hurt or humiliation
caused by remarks at one's physical disability?
Ans Mr Lamb does not provide a straight forward solution. He says that in the street kids shout
"Lamey Lamb" at him. Still, they come to his garden. They are not afraid of him because he
is not afraid of them. He simply ignores their comments. He concentrates on other things
which are encouraging and positive.

APNI KAKSHA 11
12. It's all relative, beauty and beast. Justify the statement.
Ans Mr. Lamb means to say that different people have different viewpoints to look at the same
thing. Some find one thing beautiful, others find it ugly. It all depends on outlook 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. Mr. Lamb tells Derry
there are plenty of things to stare at and if people look at their handicap they should not
mind, as they will be tired of soon. Beauty or ugly depends upon individual's perspective.
13. What makes Derry think that the old man is always alone and miserable? What does
he tell the old man?
Ans Derry asks Mr Lamb whether the persons who come there talk to him and ask him things.
As usual, Mr Lamb says that some do, some don't. He asks them as he likes to learn. This
makes Derry think that nobody ever comes there. He tells the old man that he is there all
alone by himself and miserable. He says no one would know if he were alive or dead and
nobody cares.
14. What makes Derry resolve to go to the old man?
Ans He no longer cares about his face and looks. He is more concerned with what he thinks and
feels, what he wants to see and find out and hear. He knows that if he does not go back
there, he will never go anywhere in that world again. He wants the world. He no longer
shuns it or avoids the people.
15. Comment on the ending of the play 'On The Face Of If.
Ans The play has a pathetic but dramatic ending. Mr Lamb who works actively in spite of his
physical disability loses balance and falls down along with the ladder. Derry enters and
tries to converse with Mr Lamb, who does not respond. Mr Lamb's "exit" is exactly the
same as envisaged by Derry earlier in the play.
Important Long Question Answers
1. Compare and contrast the characters of Mr Lamb and Derry.
Ans Both Mr Lamb and Derry suffer from a physical impairment. Mr Lamb has an artificial leg
made of tin and Derry has a severely burnt face — both the experiences have been terribly
painful for the respective sufferers.
Apart from this Mr Lamb does not bother about his lameness or that children make fun of
him. He takes life as it comes without grumbling. He keeps the gates of his house and
windows open. Mr Lamb loves all the creatures of God and states, ‘There’s nothing God
made that doesn’t interest me’. Weeds and flowers demonstrate life and growth. If one
isolates oneself; one might suffer like the man in Mr Lamb’s story who died when a picture
fell off the wall and killed him.
Derry, on the other hand, is a young boy of fourteen who is conscious of his ugly face and is
full of bitterness. Deny is withdrawn and complexed. He hates meeting people. He suffers
on account of the pain caused by his notions of how much people hate him and are
repulsed by him. Deny is forced by MrLamb to see that actions are more important than
looks and even weeds have their value. Mr Lamb’s positive attitude changes Derry and
inspires him to rush back and face the world.

APNI KAKSHA 12
2. What is the theme of the play ‘On the Face of it’? How has it been worked out?
Ans ‘On the Face of it’ deals with the theme that appearances are deceptive. Derry’s mother has
been warned about Mr Lamb and Deny is seen as a repulsive, ugly boy. Mr Lamb, on the
contrary, is a kind and generous man who has a positive and practical outlook. Derry is a
vulnerable boy who desires love and acceptance.
The play also deals with the consequences of physical impairment on a person’s emotions.
People need love and not pity. This theme has been brought out through the positive
attitude of Mr Lamb who draws Deny out of his shell. He tells Derry that acid only burns
the face but isolation and withdrawing from the world consumes the whole being. Mr
Lamb illustrates that scars do not change a person. On the face of it, people may appear
differently abled but they are all the same. They are God’s creations like the weeds and the
flowers. It is life. The theme has been woven into the play through the interaction of the
two characters.
3. What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr Lamb?
Ans Derry was a fourteen year’s old boy whose one side of the face was burnt because a bottle
of acid fell on him. As a result, he became conscious of his ugly face. He found that people
either ridiculed him pity on him. He developed a negative attitude towards life. He became
frustrated. But when he met Mr Lamb, he got inspiration from him to live life as it comes.
Derry was encouraged by Mr Lamb to Look at the world around him and to find many
interesting things around him. He found truth, sense and inspiration in Mr Lamb’s words.
He learnt to handle the handicap and loneliness from Mr Lamb. In fact, it was Mr Lamb who
brought Derry back to life. Deny learnt the way to live life fully by dealing with his infirmity
in an appropriate manner.
4. What was Derry’s infirmity? How had it made him withdrawn and defiant?
Ans Deny was a fourteen-year-old boy. Half of his face was burnt as acid fell on it. This made
him look so ugly that everyone either showed pity or ridiculed him. This kind of attitude of
people made him bitter. He detested the world and suffered from a lack of self-respect and
rejection.
Derry’s infirmity made him so much frustrated that he evaded people. He came to Mr
Lamb’s garden because he thought it to be empty. When he saw Mr Lamb, he wanted to go
away. He was extremely sensitive and even had a grudge against his mother for kissing
him only on the other side of his burnt face.
Thus, due to his infirmity of the burnt face, Deny became defiant and withdrawn. He was
frustrated by the rejection of the people and became so much withdrawn that he didn’t
want to meet and talk to anyone.

APNI KAKSHA 13
5. Justify the title ‘On the Face of It’.
Ans 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, Deny is frustrated and
has lost self-esteem due to the others’ attitude towards him. Everyone thought that his
burnt face was terrible and he was handicapped. Similar was the case of Mr Lamb. He lost
his one leg in a bomb explosion. Apparently – both Mr Lamb and Derry had the deformity.
But Mr Lamb enabled Deny to have faith in himself and look at the bright side of things and
to learn to live with it. 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 nicely. He
became instrumental in making Deny change his views about himself and his deformity
and started taking things positively. The chapter deals with the acceptance of the fact that
it is not always the same as it appears, i.e., physical handicap has nothing to do with the
mental strength and positive attitude towards life.
6. How do Mr Lamb and Derry differ in their thoughts, traits and attitude to life?
Or
Both Deny and Mr Lamb suffer from handicaps, yet their outlook towards life is
totally different. Discuss.
Ans Mr Lamb and Derry both are handicapped. Mr Lamb has lost his one leg in a bomb
explosion and Deny has a deformed face due to acid attack. They both differ in their
thoughts, traits and attitude to life. Deny is not able to cope with his disfigured face and
people’s uncharitable remarks. As a result, he keeps himself withdrawn and alienated from
the world and has a very negative attitude towards life. Deny keeps to himself and is
extremely sensitive. He can’t stand people staring at him. On the other hand, Mr Lamb is
not much affected by his handicap. He enjoys reading books, tending plants and flowers. He
has a positive attitude towards life and everything has it comes. He is open-minded and
welcomes people. He is not affected when children call him ‘Lamey Lamb’.
Thus, both Derry and Mr Lamb contrast with each other and finally, Mr Lamb was able to
inspire Derry and get his attitude towards life changed.

APNI KAKSHA 14
Previous Year Questions

1. Why did Mr Lamb help Derry? (Compartment 2014)

Ans Mr Lamb and Derry were both victims of physical impairment or deformity. However,
unlike Derry, who became embittered because of it, Mr Lamb was always full of life. His
physical suffering had failed to damper his spirit. Thus, Mr Lamb helped Derry because he
wanted him to change his perspective towards life and enjoy every moment of it.
2. In what sense is the friendship between Mr Lamb and Derry fruitful? (Compartment
2014)
Ans The friendship that flourished between Mr Lamb and Derry was indeed fruitful. Mr Lamb’s
unending enthusiasm and unceasing zeal to live life despite all odds helped Derry change
his outlook towards life. Derry, who was just carrying on an unhappy existence, was able to
see some meaning to his life after meeting Mr Lamb.
3. If you were to give a different ending to the story, ‘On The Face of It’ how would you
end it? (All India 2013)
Ans The ending of the story, ‘On the face of It’ is very sad as Mr Lamb is probably dead. In my
opinion, such a beautiful story should not have such a tragic ending. In the end, Derry
should have saved Mr Lamb from falling by holding the ladder at the last moment. This
would have given a message of hope.
4. How does Mr Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool? (Delhi 2012)
Ans Mr Lamb was a person who could survive and enjoy in all circumstances and seasons.
When it got cooler, Mr Lamb kept himself busy by breaking the crab apples from the trees
in his garden and making jelly from them.
5. Why does Mr Lamb leave his gate always open? (All India 2011)
Ans Mr Lamb always left his gate open because he did riot mind strangers entering his house
or garden. Probably also because he was not afraid of anything.
6. What is the bond that unites the two—Mr Lamb, the old and Derry, the small boy?
How does the old man inspire the little boy? (Foreign 2011)
Ans It is physical disability in different forms, the empathetic feeling that creates a bond, which
unites the old man and Derry. Although both face the same problem, there is a vast
difference in the attitude to and perception of the problem.
The old man has an upper hand #n life and experience due to his age, which gives him the
zest to inspire the little boy.

APNI KAKSHA 15
7. What qualities of Mr Lamb attracted Derry to him? (All India 2009)
Ans Mr Lamb was a person full of life. Sadness or negativity found no place in his world. His
physical impairment and people’s humiliating remarks had failed to dampen his spirit. His
undying optimism and ever friendly attitude drew Derry towards him. For Derry, Mr Lamb
was his source of inspiration.
8. What did Derry’s mother think of Mr Lamb? (All India 2009)
Ans When Derry informed his mother of Mr Lamb and that he wanted to sit with him, she did
not like it. She thought that he was not a good man and she did not want her son to remain
in touch with him for any purpose.
9. How does Mr Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry? (All India 2008)
Ans Mr Lamb tries to remove the baseless fears of Derry by telling him that nothing in this
world is so worthless that it deserves to be considered as trash. Even weeds have their
own value. He advises Derry to ignore people’s comments and think of beautiful objects. He
tells him to hear only those things that are worth hearing. It is attitude that matters.

APNI KAKSHA 16