Rohit Yadav
Primary questions
Question 1.
What is it that draws Derry towards Mr Lamb in spite of himself?
Answer:
Derry met Mr Lamb by chance. As he walked into Mr. Lamb’s garden, his apprehensions were put to rest by the sensitive counseling he received. Derry, as a young boy with a burnt face, was subjected to alienation and pity. People felt that his face was “a terrible thing” and shunned him. Mr Lamb taught him how beauty was relative and individuality of each creation was to be treasured. He taught Derry to view things differently and taught him to embrace his flaw. He told Derry’ of a man who was afraid of everything and who shut himself up in a room, till a picture fell off the wall onto his head and killed him.
He told him not to hide behind his deformity. He gave Derry the conviction to achieve what he wanted out of life. Derry learnt to let go of his hatred that was eating him up from inside. When Derry defended Mr Lamb to his mother, he seemed to be overwhelmed and inspired by Mr Lamb’s ideas. He found in Mr Lamb someone who looked beyond his deformity and did not pity or fear him. Mr Lamb attracted Derry because he taught him the valuable lesson of not indulging in self-pity and of looking at the brighter side of things. He taught Derry, by his own example, to be unafraid and to face the world.
Question 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?
Answer:
Mr Lamb comes across as a lonely, but cheerful figure who wards off his loneliness by finding diversion in nature around him. He appears to be caught up in his own world—his garden. His leg was blown off years back and the kids called him “Lamey-Lamb” but he had learnt not to let that bother him. He lived alone in his house and spent his time watching, listening, and thinking. When Mr Lamb told Derry that he had lot of friends, Derry suspected him of lying and declared that he would probably die alone, unattended. Mr Lamb found solace in his bees and crab apples. When Derry talked of going back home, he wistfully remarked, “Once you get home, you’d never let yourself come back.”
He made an effort to befriend people, leaving the door open, and the window curtain-less. Mr Lamb tried to overcome his loneliness and did not seem overwhelmed by the same. He sat in the garden and listened to his bees singing and sat in the sun and read books. Unlike Derry, he complained little about being isolated, he found company in nature around him, content to marvel at their beauty, and the occasional visitors.
Question 3.
The actual pain or the inconvenience caused by a physical impairment is often less than the sense of alienation felt by the person with a disability. What is the kind of behaviour that the person expects from others?
Answer:
The right word for ‘physical impairment’ is ‘differently-abled’—a word framed to view people in a more sensitive manner. But, it is cruel that over 90 million physically-challenged children worldwide, of whom 36 million are in India,are being systemically excluded from mainstream education. Many of them are stereotyped frequently and also face alienation even within their own families.
They deserve to be understood and accepted as productive and effective citizens. Issues of physical accessibility are just the tip of the iceberg. Instead of questioning the need for civil rights for people with disabilities, we must question a society in which these rights are not the norm. The most important thing we can do is value the voice of the people with disabilities. History is fraught with well-meaning individuals who truly desired to assist people with disabilities, but in their haste to help, they neglected to empower these people to be their own advocates. We must allow people with disabilities to become the subjects rather than the objects of their own history.
Each of us must continually question our own presumptions and attitudes. We must be willing to give people with disabilities their rightful place at the conversation table and be willing to listen to their truth. Ostracising or offering them pity pushes them back to darkness. We should strive to bring them to light.
Question 4.
Will Derry get back to his seclusion or will Mr Lamb’s brief association effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in future?
Answer:
When Derry met Mr Lamb, he suffered from a deep-rooted complex and felt he had “the ugliest face”. Subjected to insensitive remarks and alienated from the natural course of life, he came to view himself as a hideous monster to be kept away from human company. Mr Lamb, in his sensitive dealings, almost healed Derry. He liberated him from his misery.
Mr Lamb exposed him to a new world where one’s physical attributes did not matter. He respected each creation’s individuality. He taught Derry beauty was relative, and inspired him to achieve what he wished for, in spite of his disability. The brief meeting left an indelible imprint on Derry’s young mind. For the first time Derry felt comfortable with himself.
He told his mother that he did not care what he looked like. He had learnt to accept himself. Though Derry returned to find Mr Lamb dead, he was unlikely to retreat into his cocoon of isolation. This encounter between them seemed to have a purpose of passing on Mr Lamb’s wisdom and sensitivity to Derry’s young understanding. He would most certainly carry on with Mr Lamb’s advice and inspiration.
Extra Questions and Answers
Short Answer Questions
Question 1.
What is the setting of the play?
Answer:
The setting of the play is Mr Lamb’s garden where there is the occasional sound of birdsong and of tree leaves rustling. Derry had jumped over the wall and walked slowly and tentatively through the long grass. He came round to a screen of bushes, where he encountered Mr Lamb, the owner of the house.
Question 2.
“I’m not afraid. People are afraid of me.” Why did Derry say this?
Answer:
Derry was made to feel isolated as people shunned him and kept away from him. He felt that since he had a scarred face, “a terrible thing”, people feared him. He admitted to being afraid and repulsed of his own self when he looked at himself in the mirror.
Question 3.
What did Derry feel about his face? Why?
Answer:
Derry told Lamb that his face had been burnt by acid. The acid ate his face and consequently ate away at his life. He felt “it won’t ever be any different”. He felt so because he has been shabbily treated by people around him. Even his family viewed him differently, with pity.
Question 4.
How did Mr Lamb react to Derry viewing himself differently?
Answer:
Mr Lamb explained to him that external appearance was inconsequential. He taught him to disregard accepted notions of beauty. A weed was considered redundant by everyone, but to Mr Lamb, weeds were a thing of beauty. He drew on the example to make Derry understand that beauty had alternate meanings.
Question 5.
How had Mr Lamb lost his leg? What was people’s reaction to it?
Answer:
One of Mr Lamb’s legs had been blown off, years back, when he was at war. People called him “Lamey- Lamb”. He admitted that it did not bother him anymore.
Question 6.
Why did Derry feel he was unlike the beast in the story ‘Beauty and the Beast’?
Answer:
Derry admitted that he had often been consoled by people who cited the example of the Beast, who was loved by Beauty in spite of his physical appearance. However, Derry received little consolation from the example of the Beast who was changed to a handsome prince following Beauty’s kiss. Derry regretted that he would have to live with his damaged face forever.
Question 7.
Narrate the example of the man who was afraid of everything, as narrated by Mr Lamb.
Answer:
Mr Lamb said there was a man—afraid of everything. He locked himself up in a room and never left it. He was afraid that a bus might run him over, or a man might breathe deadly germs onto him, or a donkey might kick him to death, or lightning might strike him down, or he might love a girl and the girl might leave him, or he might slip on a banana skin and fall. He locked himself up in his room and stayed there, till a picture fell off the wall on his head and killed him.
Question 8.
What was Lamb’s advice to Derry about “hating people”?
Answer:
When Derry said that he hated some people, Mr Lamb told him hating people did more harm than any bottle of acid. Whereas, acid only burnt his face, hating could bum him from inside.
Question 9.
What was Derry’s mother’s reaction to his meeting with Lamb?
Answer:
Derry’s mother was apprehensive of Mr Lamb, influenced as she was by what people thought of him. She had been warned by people to keep away from Mr Lamb. She stopped Derry from going back to Mr Lamb’s. But Derry was determined. He wanted to go back there and listen to things that mattered, things nobody else had ever said to him.
Long Answer Questions
Question 1.
“Acid.. .ate my face up. It ate me up.” Describe the miseries suffered by Derry after the unfortunate incident he refers to.
Answer:
Derry’s face was badly scarred as he got burned with acid. He was deeply wounded by people’s behaviour.
He felt that though people pretended to be sympathetic, they were afraid of him because he had the ugliest face. Derry recalled how a woman had said that his face was “a terrible thing” and was “a face only a mother could love”. He had heard lots of things that were as hurtful. Moreover, he did not like people staring at him or being afraid of him. He remembered how only his mother had once kissed him, and that too, on the other side of his face. He felt that she too did it out of pity.
He had heard his parents wonder about what would happen to him when they died as it would be difficult for him to get on in the world with a face like his. He had heard a person say that people were better off with others like themselves, for example, blind people only ought to be with other blind people and idiot boys with idiot boys. Derry, too, preferred such a situation because people would then not stare at him. The attitude of people towards Derry reflects the callousness of the society towards the physically impaired.
Question 2.
Mr Lamb also displays signs of loneliness and disappointments. What are these? What are the ways in which Mr Lamb tries to overcome these feelings?
Answer:
Mr Lamb was called “Lamey-Lamb” as his leg was blown off years back in a bomb attack and he had a tin leg. He was very lonely and longed for company as he lived alone in his house. He welcomed Derry into his garden and tried to put his fears to rest. When Derry noticed that there were no curtains at the windows and inquired about it, Mr Lamb told him that it was so because he neither liked shutting things out, nor shutting them in, implying his openness of mind. He liked the light and the darkness, and also wanted to hear the wind.
These views were a manifestation of Mr Lamb’s desires. He wanted hundreds of friends to visit his house. This was also evident from the fact that he always left the gate open. He visualized people coming in and sitting in front of the fire in winter and kids coming for the apples and pears and for toffee that he made with honey. Mr Lamb felt that people “are never just nothing”. Like the open windows, Mr Lamb was always “waiting, watching and listening”.
Question 3.
How were Derry’s and Mr Lamb’s views different?
Answer:
Both Derry and Mr Lamb had a physical handicap. Derry had a face that was half burnt with acid while Mr Lamb’s leg had been blown off and had been replaced with a tin leg. That was where the similarity ended. Derry’s burnt face had scarred his soul. He was withdrawn and felt that people were afraid of him because he had the ugliest face. He felt that people pretended to be sympathetic when actually they were repulsed. They either ignored him or gave him curious looks, glances and questions. He feels awkward and abnormal.
He did not even like his mother to kiss him because she kissed the other side of his face and he felt she did so as she had to. This sense of isolation is heightened by the overprotective attitude of his mother, who tried to keep him isolated to protect him from getting hurt. As a result, he had no true friends. Derry believed that people such as him are better off with others like themselves to avoid being stared at.
On the other hand, Mr Lamb said that beauty was relative and he enjoyed everything God had made—even the weeds in the garden and the bees singing. He respected each creation’s individuality. He said that the world was as one looked at it. He did not care about physical attributes and said they were not important.
He felt that Derry had arms, legs, eyes, ears, tongue and a brain. He could get with his life, like everyone, or even better. He also said that hating people would do him more harm than any bottle of acid. It would burn away his inside. He clarified to Derry that people with the same deformity were also different. It was incorrect to judge people by what they looked like. One had to watch, listen, and think to notice the differences. Though Mr Lamb led a lonely life, he liked to think that the people who entered his garden were his friends. He avoided thinking of his isolation and tried to invite company by keeping the gate to his house open.
Question 4.
A positive attitude helps to tackle all difficulties in life. Elaborate with reference to Mr Lamb in the play “On the Face of It”.
Answer:
People with physical handicaps are aware of the fact that they are physically different from most others and that there are certain things they cannot do. They have poor self-esteem. They feel victimized, and fall into a vicious cycle of morbid sadness and intense anger at the world. They constantly feel that “nobody loves me or cares”. Being stigmatized worsens it.
In the story, we see Derry’s feeling of dejection after being treated with fear and horror. Derry finally leams to face his disability with courage only when Mr Lamb encourages him to have a positive attitude. This positive attitude makes one understanding, friendly towards life and people, provides confidence and ability to face the hardships of life and realize one’s potential. As a result, Derry, who has avoided company and has been afraid to meet people, decides to go to Mr Lamb’s house and meet him. He no longer wants to live in isolation.
MCQs
Question 1.
If Derry didn’t go back, he was scared ___
(a) Mr Lamb would not let him in
(b) Mr Lamb would make other friends
(c) he wouldn’t be able to pick crabapples
(d) he’d never go anywhere in the world again
Answer
Answer: (d) he’d never go anywhere in the world again
Question 2.
How far is Derry’s house from Mr Lamb’s?
(a) A mile
(b) 2 miles
(c) 3 miles
(d) 4 miles
Answer
Answer: (c) 3 miles
Question 3.
The boy’s name is __ but he prefers
(a) Dennis
(b) Derek
(c) Derham
(d) Derrain
Answer
Answer: (b) Derek
Question 4.
Mr. Lamb claimed he had ______ friends
(a) hundreds of
(b) no
(c) two or three
(d) a couple of
Answer
Answer: (a) hundreds of
Question 5.
Derry felt Mr Lamb said ___ things
(a) peculiar
(b) sad
(c) funny
(d) profound
Answer
Answer: (a) peculiar
Question 6.
Derry didn’t like people
(a) being friendly
(b) being afraid of him
(c) being affectionate
(d) being sympathetic
Answer
Answer: (b) being afraid of him
Question 7.
The gate to Mr Lamb’s house is
(a) always shut
(b) heavily guarded
(c) barricaded
(d) always open
Answer
Answer: (d) always open
Question 8.
The terrible woman said about Derry that it was a face———-
(a) no one could love
(b) everyone could love
(c) only a mother could love
(d) kids would be scared of
Answer
Answer: (c) only a mother could love
Question 9.
What ate Derry’s face away?
(a) Mites
(b) Disease
(c) An accident
(d) Acid
Answer
Answer: (d) Acid
Question 10.
How old is Derry?
(a) 13
(b) 14
(c) 15
(d) 16
Answer
Answer: (b) 14
Question 11.
Mr Lamb says. it’s all __ , Beauty and the Beast.
(a) relative
(b) unimportant
(c) God’s Grace
(d) destiny
Answer
Answer: (a) relative
Question 12.
‘Why is one green growing plant called a ___ and another a flower?’ asks Mr Lamb
(a) thorn
(b) grass
(c) weed
(d) fruit
Answer
Answer: (c) weed
Question 13.
Mr Lamb felt the name children called him by——
(a) suited him
(b) did not suit him
(c) was outrageous
(d) was disgusting
Answer
Answer: (a) suited him
Question 14.
Mr. Lambfeels one must——-
(a) survive
(b) struggle with disability
(c) live fully
(d) look for sympathy
Answer
Answer: (c) live fully
Question 15.
Derry is ___ when Mr Lamb welcomes him to his garden repulsed
(a) surprised
(b) angry
(c) happy
(d) curious
Answer
Answer: (a) surprised
Question 16.
Mr Lamb changed the subject and started talking about ___
(a) apple picking
(b) bees singing
(c) beauty and the beast
(d) his tin leg
Answer
Answer: (a) apple picking
Question 17.
One side of Derry’s face was ___
(a) marred by scars
(b) had spots
(c) was darker
(d) burnt by acid
Answer
Answer: (b) had spots
Question 18.
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
Answer
Answer: (c) he was afraid of Mr Lamb
Question 19.
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 crabapples
(d) Out of curiosity
Answer
Answer: (d) Out of curiosity
Question 20.
Derry entered Mr Lamb’s garden by __
(a) climbing over the wall
(b) climbing through the window
(c) walked in through the open gate
(d) walking in stealthily
Answer
Answer: (a) climbing over the wall
Question 21.
In what sense was friendship between Lamb and Derry was fruitful?
(a) he gave him fruit to eat
(b) his maturity
(c) both were good companions and Lamb’s mature experiences and words helped Derry to have a positive view of life
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) both were good companions and Lamb’s mature experiences and words helped Derry to have a positive view of life
Question 22.
What did Mr. Lamb tell about himself?
(a) he had a tin leg
(b) still he was happy
(c) he never mind even if children teased him
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 23.
What complex does Derry suffer from?
(a) Superiority
(b) oedipus
(c) inferiority
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (c) inferiority
Question 24.
Why did Derry always find a vacant place to live?
(a) he liked to be alone
(b) was scared of people
(c) because of inferiority complex as he had a burnt face
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 25.
What did Derry learn from the fairy tale?
(a) how to look beautiful
(b) how to make friends
(c) learnt to love and appreciate himself
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 26.
Why did Derry like to be alone?
(a) because of burnt face
(b) because he couldn’t bear with people’s comments
(c) because of inferiority complex
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 27.
Why did Mr. Lamb keep the door of his garden open?
(a) to let the people come in
(b) to get fresh air
(c) to avoid opening the door again and again
(d) to have fine contact with the outer world and enjoy
Answer
Answer: (d) to have fine contact with the outer world and enjoy
Question 28.
How did Derry burn his face?
(a) in a fire
(b) with a gas stove
(c) hot water
(d) acid burnt his face
Answer
Answer: (d) acid burnt his face
Question 29.
What kind of a garden did Mr. Lamb have ?
(a) cherry
(b) plum
(c) peach
(d) Apple garden
Answer
Answer: (d) Apple garden
Question 30.
Why did Mr. Lamb call Derry blessed?
(a) because he was young
(b) because he had a mother
(c) because he had friends
(d) because except a burnt face he had a perfectly healthy body
Answer
Answer: (d) because except a burnt face he had a perfectly healthy body
Question 31.
Why did Derry share his fear with Mr. Lamb?
(a) because he had a garden
(b) because he was old
(c) because he understood him and was friendly
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) because he understood him and was friendly
Question 32.
Why did Derry go to Mr. Lamb at the end?
(a) because of his wish to live a free life
(b) he wanted apples
(c) he wanted to play in the garden
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (a) because of his wish to live a free life
Question 33.
How did Mr. Lamb pick apples?
(a) bending down
(b) with the help of his servant
(c) with the help of children
(d) using a ladder and a stick
Answer
Answer: (d) using a ladder and a stick
Question 34.
Why didn’t Mr. Lamb feel hurt by children’s comments?
(a) because he thought that it suits him
(b) he loves children
(c) he likes them
(d) he want them to play in his garden
Answer
Answer: (a) because he thought that it suits him
Question 35.
Why did Mr. Lamb keep the door of his garden open?
(a) to keep an eye over his garden
(b) to be safe
(c) to chat with the people and the children who come there to take fruit
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) to chat with the people and the children who come there to take fruit
Question 36.
Why did Derry go to Mr. Lamb’s garden?
(a) to steal apples
(b) to speak to Mr. Lamb
(c) to help the old man
(d) to feel that place
Answer
Answer: (d) to feel that place
Question 37.
What unites Mr. Lamb and Derry?
(a) their age
(b) their woes
(c) their life stories
(d) their physical impairment
Answer
Answer: (d) their physical impairment
Question 38.
Why did Mr. Lamb help Derry?
(a) because both were victims of war
(b) both were sad
(c) both were victims of physical impairment
(d) because he wanted Derry to change his view of life.
Answer
Answer: (d) because he wanted Derry to change his view of life.
Question 39.
Who is Mr. Lamb?
(a) a young man
(b) a middleaged man
(c) an old man
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) an old man
Question 40.
Who has written On The Face Of It?
(a) Susan Hill
(b) William Sydne
(c) Salman Rushdie
(d) Chetan Bhagat
Answer
Answer: (a) Susan Hill
Question 41.
What draws Derry towards Lamb?
(a) his appearance
(b) his grief
(c) his positive outlook
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (c) his positive outlook
Question 42.
What specific things about Mr. Lamb does Derry notice?
(a) A man of firm resolution
(b) always remains happy inspite of his deformity
(c) had a positive outlook
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
Question 43.
Why did Mr. Lamb not have curtains in his house?
(a) it’s difficult to wash
(b) too expensive
(c) because he wanted visitors in his house
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) because he wanted visitors in his house
Question 44.
Why was Derry startled entering the garden?
(a) because of trees
(b) because of apples
(c) because he expected no one else but seeing Mr.Lamb
(d) none
Answer
Answer: (c) because he expected no one else but seeing Mr.Lamb
Question 45.
How was Mr. Lamb happy inspite of his disability?
(a) because of his acceptance of it
(b) because he was wise
(c) because he had grown old
(d) All these
Answer
Answer: (d) All these
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings