On The Face of It [AHSEC Class 12 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

About the Author

Susan Hill is a prolific writer and has written both fiction and nonfiction. She has authored several novels, short stories and children’s literature. She is also a reviewer, critic, broadcaster and editor. She has a talent for storytelling.

Brief Summary

‘On The Face Of It’ is a play with two main characters Derry, a fourteen-year-old young boy and Mr. Lamb, an elderly person. They meet in Mr. Lamb’s garden. Mr. Lamb engages Derry in talk and encourages him to look beyond his burned face. He too is physically challenged, with a tin leg in place after his leg was blown up by a bomb.

Detailed Summary

Scene One

The play opens in Mr. Lamb's garden. There are occasional sounds of bird songs and the rustling of leaves.  Derry's footsteps are heard as he walks slowly through the long grass. He comes around a screen of bushes and is startled when Mr. Lamb addresses him.  He told Derry to be careful of the apples lying in the grass and not trip on them. Derry had entered the garden thinking that the house was empty. Now on seeing Mr. Lamb, he wanted to leave. Mr. Lamb told him that the gates were always open, people were welcome to enter, and there was no need for him to leave. Derry had not walked in through the open gate; instead, he had climbed the garden wall and entered the garden. This had been noticed by Mr. Lamb, and Derry was angered that he was being observed unknown to him. Derry clarified that he had not come there to steal; he only wanted to enter the garden. Mr. Lamb told him not to be afraid and to remain with him in the garden. Derry reacted by saying that he was not afraid; rather, people were afraid of him. When they looked at him and saw his face, they thought that it was terrible and he was very ugly. Derry confessed that looking at his reflection in the mirror scared him.

Mr. Lamb changed the topic by saying that when it was cooler, he would pluck the ripe crab apples and make jelly. He asked Derry to help him. Derry asked him the reason for changing the subject if it was to prevent him from being upset. He told Mr. Lamb that one side of his face had been burned by acid. Mr. Lamb pointed out to some weeds growing by a wall in the garden. He said that a green growing plant is called a weed, and another green growing plant is called a flower. Both are alive and growing, similar to Derry and himself. Derry pointed out that they were not similar. Mr. Lamb pointed out that he had a tin leg and Derry had a burned face. They were similar in that both had a deformity. Derry said that Mr. Lamb could cover his tin leg by wearing trousers but he could not hide his face. Mr. Lamb said that there were many other beautiful things in nature, for people to watch apart from Derry’s face. Derry said that even the hideous beast in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ changed into a handsome prince once Beauty kissed him. In his case, there was no chance of any such change taking place. He said that no pretty girls would ever kiss him. It was only his mother who used to kiss him. Mr. Lamb consoled him by saying that things could change. There was the world to be seen and looked at. Derry said that people also preached to him about brave people in pain, who never complained or felt sorry for themselves. He also felt hurt by the cruel comments passed by people within his hearing; like a woman on the road commented that his face was terrible. Mr. Lamb advised him to keep his ears shut and not listen to the harsh things the world had to say.

Derry said that he didn't like being near people since they stared at him and were afraid of him. Mr. lamb told him about a man who was afraid of everything and shut himself up in a room. A picture, hanging on the wall, fell on his head and killed him. Derry was amused at the story and laughed. He asked Mr. Lamb about how he spent his time. Mr. Lamb had a lot of books in his house and he used to spend a lot of time in reading books. There were no curtains in his house to prevent the light from entering. He liked to hear the sound of the wind. Derek liked to hear the sound of the rain on the roof. He had also heard conversations in his family about him. They would despair about his future and what would happen to him when they were dead. Mr. Lamb chides him that he had two arms, two legs, a brain, the gift of sight, hearing and speech. He could get on like the other people. If he chose and set his mind to it, he could do better than all the others.

In answer to Derry's question whether he has friends, Mr. Lamb said that he had hundreds of friends. Many people, children and adults go to his garden. He told Derry that Derry too was his friend. Derry confided that he hated some people. Mr. Lamb cautioned him that hatred would do more harm than a bottle of acid. The acid only burnt his face, but hatred could burn him from inside. Derry had heard people say that people with deformities should be together with other deformed people.  It would be a world where all would be similar, and no one would stare at the others. Mr. Lamb told Derry that despite the outward similarity, there would still be differences. He told Derry that Derry could come to his garden whenever he wanted even if he was not there. He shares that his leg had been blown away by a bomb in the war. Children call him Lamey Lamb when he goes out into the streets.

Derry was concerned about Mr Lamb climbing a ladder and falling, so he offered to help him pluck the crab apples. He would go home to inform his mother and come back. Mr. Lamb thought that Derry would not be back as people seldom kept their word.

Scene Two

At Derry's home, his mother refused to allow him to go back to Mr. Lamb's house. However, Derry had made up his mind to go. He informed his mother that he was going back to help Mr. Lamb with the apples, and if he didn't go back there, he would never be able to go anywhere in the world. Thus firmly resolved, he rushed out of his house and headed back to Mr. Lamb's garden.

Scene Three

Mr. Lamb had climbed the ladder and was plucking the apples. Mr Lamb fell from the leader on the ground. Derry entered the garden through the gate. His exciting announcement about being back is met by silence. He saw Mr. Lamb lying on the ground and went to him. He knelt by Mr. Lamb and consoled him that he is back and Mr. Lamb would be alright. There was no response from Mr. Lamb. Derry repeated that he was indeed back and he began to weep.

Also Read: English AHSEC Class 12 Chapterwise Notes

Very Short Answer Questions (1 Mark each)

1. What did Derry think when he entered the garden?

Ans. When Derry entered the garden, he thought that the place was empty and that there was nobody there.

2. Did Derry come to steal anything?

Ans.  Derry had not come to steal anything. He had just come to sit in the garden.

3. How old was Derry?

Ans. Derry was fourteen years old.

4. Has Derry’s attitude changed finally?

Ans. Derry's attitude changed finally, and he realised that his face and what he looked like was not important.

5. Did Derry believe everything he heard?

Ans. Derry believed everything that he heard. When people used to say cruel things about his face, he used to believe it and get upset.

6. What are the sounds heard in Mr Lamb's garden?

Ans. In Mr. Lamb's garden, there are sounds of bird song and the rustle of tree leaves.

7. Is everyone welcome into Mr. Lamb’s garden?

Ans. Mr. Lamb has kept the gate of his garden open, and all people are welcome to enter his garden.

Short Answer Questions (2 Marks each) (30-40 Words)

1. Who is Mr. Lamb?

Ans. Mr. Lamb is an old man who lives all alone in a big house with a lot of books and a lovely garden. He has a tin leg as his leg was blown away by a bomb in the war. People in the town are prejudiced about him, and children call him 'Lamey Lamb'.

2. What is meant by ‘Handsome is as handsome does’?

Ans. It means that character and behaviour are more important than good looks. One should not be judged by their appearance but by their actions. It is a person’s good behaviour that makes him or her handsome in the eyes of others rather than outward beauty.

3. What kind of ‘face’ does the ‘world’ have?

Ans.  The world has a whole face, and the world is there to be looked at. The world has both positive as well as negative things. Derry had been focussing only on the negative things in his life and the negative things that people said to him. Mr. Lamb tells him to look at the whole picture and enjoy the simple joys in life.

4. What do people tell Derry to make him forget his pain?

Ans. People tell Derry to look at the bravery of other people in pain. They did not cry, complain or feel sorry for themselves. He was supposed to look at them and do the same.

5. Why aren’t there any curtains at the windows of Mr. Lamb’s house?

Ans. There are no curtains at the windows of Mr. Lamb’s house as he does not like shutting things out. He likes the windows open, and not restrict the light or the darkness from coming in. He also likes to hear the sound of the wind blowing.

6. How did Mr. Lamb occupy himself in his house?

Ans. Mr. Lamb lives all alone in his big house. He occupies himself with the activities he likes to do. He likes to sit in the sun. He has a lot of books in his house; he spends a lot of time reading these books. He also tends to his garden.             

7. How did Mr. Lamb perceive things?

Ans. Mr. Lamb positively perceived things. He understood things without being told by anyone. He gained this understanding by watching, listening and thinking.

8. How did Mr. Lamb lose his leg?

Ans. Mr. Lamb’s leg was blown up by a bomb explosion in the war. In spite of his loss, he has a positive outlook towards life and encouraged Derry also to stop focussing on negative things and to look at the whole picture.

9. Why and how did Derry enter Mr. Lamb’s garden?

Ans. Derry entered Mr. Lamb's garden, thinking the place was empty. He did not enter with the intention of stealing anything but to be in the garden. Though the gate was open, he entered the garden by climbing over the wall.

10. What was the reaction of Mr. Lamb after he saw Derry entering his garden?

Ans. Mr. Lamb was in his garden, and he saw Derry climb over the wall and enter the garden but he kept quiet at the time. It is only when Derry approaches close to where he is sitting, then he addresses him and tells him to be careful and not step over the apples.

11. Who should be friends according to both Derry and Mr. Lamb?

 Ans. According to both Derry and Mr. Lamb people who might never see each other again but still retain the friendship, should be friends.

12. What does Mr. Lamb do that seems ‘peculiar’ to Derry?

Ans. Mr. Lamb says peculiar things. He asked questions that Derry did not understand. Hence Derry found Mr. Lamb to be peculiar. Mr. Lamb doesn’t let his physical disability destroy the happiness in his life. He is not afraid of Derry’s face, unlike others. The quality that attracted Derry most to Mr. Lamb was his tremendous patience as he listened to him. He talked to him about things which mattered; things nobody else had ever said to him.

13. Why did Derry go back to Mr. Lamb in the end?

Ans. Derry went back to Mr. Lamb in the end as he told him things that nobody else had ever told him. He told him about things that mattered. After his talk with Mr. Lamb, he stopped thinking about his burned face and giving too much importance to it. Moreover, he has promised Mr. Lamb to come back to him. He wants to prove that he has fulfilled his promise.

14. Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open?

Ans. Mr. Lamb leaves his gate open always because he does not like to shut out things. All people are welcome into his garden, and he considers all those who come there as his friends.

15. How do people comment so painfully about Derry’s face and why?

Ans. By looking at her face people called Derry ‘’poor boy’’. Once when Derry was at the bus stop, a woman who was passing by looking at his face told another woman that his face was terrible. Only a mother could love such a face. Derry heard her cruel comment and felt crushed by it. People comment cruelly about Derry’s face because they are insensitive and indifferent to his pain.

16. What did Derry’s mother think of Mr. Lamb?

Ans. Derry's mother is quite sceptical of Mr. Lamb. She considers him to be eccentric. She claims that she has heard many things about Mr. Lamb and some have also warned her against him. She has a prejudiced attitude toward Mr. Lamb. That is why she doesn't want Derry to meet Mr. Lamb.

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

Or

How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?          2020

Ans. To remove Derry's baseless fears, Mr. Lamb tells him a story about a man who was afraid of everything in the world. He was afraid that things would go wrong, and the worst would happen. He locked himself up in his room to be safe. A picture hanging on the wall fell on his head and killed him. Derry is amused at this story and laughs.

18. “It ate my face up. It ate me up.” Who said these words? Why?

Ans. These words are said by Derry in the play, ‘On The Face of It'. Here he speaks about the acid that burned half of his face. People find him ugly and are terrified of his face. The acid which burned his face also left a deep scar on his life. The burning of the face destroyed all the happiness in his life.

19. Do you think all this will change Derry’s attitude towards Mr. Lamb?

Ans.We find that there is a change in Derry’s attitude toward Mr. Lamb. He is encouraged by his positive talk and outlook towards life. He listens to him and considers him a friend.

20. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?

Ans. When the weather is a bit cool, Mr. Lamb keeps himself busy by pulling down ripe crab apples and making jelly from it. He gets his ladder and a stick to bring down the orange and golden apples.

21. Why doesn’t Derry stay to help Mr. Lamb to get crab-apples?

Ans. Derry does not stay to help Mr. Lamb to get crab-apples as his family doesn't know his whereabouts, and they would worry about him. He assures Mr. Lamb that he would inform his mother and come back to help him with the crab-apples.

22. How did Derry get his face burnt? 

Ans. Acid fell on Derry’s face, burning one side of his face and leaving him with a scarred face for life. He tells Mr. Lamb that the acid not only ate his face, but it also ate him up.

Long Answer Questions (7 Marks each)

1. What impression do you form of Mr. Lamb? How does he look at life?         2015

Ans. Mr. Lamb is a very optimistic person. Despite having a tin leg, there is no dent in his confidence and his zeal for life. He lost his leg in a bomb explosion in the war. Despite this loss, he does not feel sorry for himself. He has a lot of enthusiasm. He looks at the larger picture in life. He loves people, nature, reading and cherishes the simple joys in life. He lives all alone in his big house. The gate of his garden is always open, welcoming all those who come in. He engages Derry in talk and tries to make him see the whole picture of life and not just focus on the negative things that people say. He likes to sit in his garden and enjoy the sight of the flowers, weeds and apples.

2. What are the different ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to change Derry’s attitude towards life?

Ans. Mr. Lamb is gentle and patient with Derry. He listens to Derry speak about his insecurities and his painful experiences. He does not judge him, but his attitude is full of encouragement. He makes him feel welcome and considers Derry a friend. He does not feel disappointment at the sight of Derry's burned face and accepts him as he is. He reminds Derry that he has all his faculties intact and if he decided to, he could do better than most others in life. He tells him the story of a man who was afraid of everything. To be safe, the man locked himself up in a room. A picture from the wall fell on his head, killing him. Through this story, he tries to tell Derry not to have baseless fears. Throughout the play, Mr. Lamb encourages Derry to look at the brighter side of life and not focus on the negative things alone.

3. ‘Though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from a physical disability, their attitude to life is different.’ Justify the relevance of this statement with reference to the story, ‘On the Face of it’.

Or

Derry and Mr. Lamb both are victims of physical impairment, but their attitudes towards life are completely different. Explain.

Ans. Though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from a physical disability, their attitude to life is different. Mr. Lamb has a tin leg on account of losing his leg in a bomb explosion. Derry has a face burned by acid. Thus, both are victims of physical impairment and subject to ridicule from the world. The way both respond to their situation is different.

Mr. Lamb is wise enough to look beyond the impairment caused by his tin leg. He is optimistic and positive. Though children call him 'Lamey Lamb', he is unaffected by it. He likes people. All are welcome into his garden, and the gates are always opened. He is sensitive to Derry’s pain and encourages him to look at the brighter side of life. He does this without preaching or being judgmental. Mr. Lamb keeps himself occupied with activities like reading and tending to his garden. He loves nature and derives happiness from the simple joys in life.

Derry is very conscious of the fact that he has a burned face. He is deeply affected by the insensitive and cruel comments of the world. His own family does not understand him or encourage him to forge ahead in life. Derry is sensitive to the pain of others. He asks Mr. Lamb about his tin leg and offers to help him pluck the apples. Derry let the insensitive attitude of the world affect him and focused on his impairment more than anything else.

4. What is Derry’s attitude to life? How is it transformed?

                                                             Or

Do you think Derry’s chance meeting with Mr. Lamb would prove meaningful to him?

Ans. In the play, ‘On the Face of It’, Derry is a fourteen-year-old boy. One side of his face has been burned by acid. The world does not let him forget that he has a burned face. Their words and behaviour alienate him and make him withdraw from interactions with other people. He too cannot look beyond his burned face and thinks only about that.

After meeting Mr. Lamb and interacting with him, Derry is influenced by his positive outlook towards life. Mr. Lamb tells him that if he set his mind to it, he would do better than other people in life. He reminds him that he has two hands, legs, a brain and the gift of sight, hearing and speech. He tells him to focus on other beautiful things in nature. Derry listens to Mr. Lamb and finds empathy and understanding in him.

He realises that his burned face or how he looks is not important anymore. He is encouraged to be more enthusiastic in life.

5. What impression do you form of Derry, the small boy, in the play ‘On The Face Of It’? 

Ans. In the play, 'On the Face of It', Derry is a fourteen-year-old boy. One side of his face has been burned by acid. People get scared of seeing him or feel sorry for him. They do not bother to look beyond his face. His parents also worry about what would happen to him after they are gone. Gradually he feels isolated and alienated and becomes a lonely recluse. The insensitive, cruel remarks of people affect him deeply. He keeps away from people and avoids interactions. He meets Mr. Lamb in his garden, who engages him in conversation. He responds positively to Mr. Lamb's encouraging words and can look beyond his burned face. He goes home to inform his mother about being with Mr. Lamb to help him pluck apples. Despite being denied permission by his mother, he goes to Mr. Lamb's house. He weeps to see the only friend, he ever had, lying motionless under the apple tree, after falling from the ladder

Exam Questions From 2012-2024

2 marks questions

1. Why and how did Derry enter Mr. Lamb's garden?        2012   2013  2015     2016     2017

2. Why aren’t there any curtains at the windows of Mr. Lamb’s house?      2012     2016     2018

4. Why does Derry go back to Mr. Lamb in the end?       2013  2017

5. How do people comment so painfully about Derry's face? And Why?      2014     2015

6. Who should be friends, according to both Derry and Mr. Lamb?          2014

7. Why aren't there any curtains at the windows of Mr. Lamb's house?         2016

8. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself?         2011

9. How did Derry get his face burnt?           2019

10. How did Mr. Lamb try to give courage and confidence to Derry?          2020

Long questions – 7 Marks

1. “Though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from a physical disability, their attitude to life is different”. Justify the relevance of this statement with reference to the story, “On the Face of it.”     2012  2016  2019

2. What impression do you form of Mr. Lamb? How does he look at life?           2015