Class 12 English Vistas On The Face Of It
About the Author (लेखक के बारे में)
- Susan Hill (सुसान हिल): Susan Hill is an English author of fiction and non-fiction works. Her novels often deal with themes of isolation, mental struggles, and human connections. (सुसान हिल फिक्शन और नॉन-फिक्शन रचनाओं की एक अंग्रेजी लेखिका हैं। उनके उपन्यास अक्सर अलगाव, मानसिक संघर्ष और मानवीय संबंधों के विषयों से संबंधित होते हैं।)
- Genre (शैली): Drama / Play (नाटक)।
- Setting (पृष्ठभूमि): Mr. Lamb’s garden and Derry’s house. (मिस्टर लैंब का बगीचा और डेरी का घर।)
Main Characters (मुख्य पात्र)
- Derry / Derek (डेरी / डेरेक): A fourteen-year-old boy whose face is half-burnt by acid. He is deeply withdrawn, defiant, pessimistic, and feels extremely alienated because people either pity him or are terrified of his ugly face. (एक चौदह वर्षीय लड़का जिसका चेहरा तेजाब से आधा जल गया है। वह गहरे अलगाव में है, विद्रोही है, निराशावादी है, और अत्यधिक अलग-थलग महसूस करता है क्योंकि लोग या तो उस पर दया करते हैं या उसके बदसूरत चेहरे से डरते हैं।)
- Mr. Lamb (मिस्टर लैंब): An old man who lives alone in a big house with a huge garden. One of his legs was blown off in a war, and he now has a tin leg. Despite his physical impairment and loneliness, he is highly optimistic, welcoming, and loves life and nature. (एक बूढ़ा आदमी जो एक बड़े बगीचे वाले बड़े घर में अकेला रहता है। युद्ध में उसका एक पैर उड़ गया था, और अब उसका एक टिन का पैर है। अपनी शारीरिक अक्षमता और अकेलेपन के बावजूद, वह अत्यधिक आशावादी, स्वागत करने वाला है, और जीवन तथा प्रकृति से प्यार करता है।)
- Derry’s Mother (डेरी की माँ): She is overprotective of Derry and forbids him from returning to Mr. Lamb’s garden due to rumors she has heard. (वह डेरी को लेकर अति-सुरक्षात्मक है और सुनी-सुनाई अफवाहों के कारण उसे मिस्टर लैंब के बगीचे में लौटने से मना करती है।)
Themes (मुख्य विषय)
- Appearance vs. Reality (दिखावा बनाम वास्तविकता): The play explores the idea that what is on the surface (“on the face of it”) does not define a person’s true self or worth. (नाटक इस विचार की पड़ताल करता है कि जो सतह पर है वह किसी व्यक्ति के वास्तविक स्वरूप या मूल्य को परिभाषित नहीं करता है।)
- Alienation and Isolation (अलगाव और अकेलापन): The psychological pain caused by society’s insensitive attitude towards people with physical impairments. (शारीरिक अक्षमता वाले लोगों के प्रति समाज के असंवेदनशील रवैये के कारण होने वाली मनोवैज्ञानिक पीड़ा।)
- Optimism and Friendship (आशावाद और मित्रता): How a positive attitude and a brief but deep connection can transform a pessimistic mindset. (कैसे एक सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण और एक संक्षिप्त लेकिन गहरा संबंध एक निराशावादी मानसिकता को बदल सकता है।)
Summary (सारांश)
English Summary:
“On The Face Of It” is a play about a fourteen-year-old boy, Derry, whose face is half-burnt by acid, and an old man, Mr. Lamb, who has a tin leg. Derry sneaks into Mr. Lamb’s garden, thinking it is empty. He is highly insecure and defensive because people constantly stare at, pity, or get frightened by his burnt face.
Mr. Lamb welcomes Derry warmly. Unlike others, Mr. Lamb doesn’t pity Derry or ask about his face. Instead, he talks about his crab apples, his bees (which he says “sing” rather than “buzz”), and weeds (which he considers just as alive as flowers). Mr. Lamb reveals that kids mockingly call him “Lamey-Lamb,” but it doesn’t bother him. He teaches Derry that beauty and ugliness are relative, and locking oneself away from the world out of fear is worse than any physical handicap.
Mr. Lamb’s positive outlook, accepting nature, and wisdom deeply affect Derry. For the first time, Derry feels understood and wants to embrace life. He decides to help Mr. Lamb pick crab apples. Derry goes home to inform his mother, who forbids him from returning. Defying her, Derry runs back to the garden to prove he can face the world. Tragically, when he arrives, he finds that Mr. Lamb has fallen from the ladder and died. The play ends with Derry weeping, but he is now a changed, confident boy, free from his self-pity.
Hindi Summary (हिंदी सारांश):
“ऑन द फेस ऑफ इट” एक चौदह साल के लड़के डेरी (जिसका आधा चेहरा तेजाब से जल गया है) और एक बूढ़े आदमी मिस्टर लैंब (जिनका एक पैर टिन का है) के बारे में एक नाटक है। डेरी यह सोचकर मिस्टर लैंब के बगीचे में छिपकर घुसता है कि वह खाली है। वह अत्यधिक असुरक्षित और रक्षात्मक है क्योंकि लोग लगातार उसके जले हुए चेहरे को घूरते हैं, उस पर दया करते हैं या उससे डरते हैं।
मिस्टर लैंब डेरी का गर्मजोशी से स्वागत करते हैं। दूसरों के विपरीत, मिस्टर लैंब डेरी पर दया नहीं करते या उसके चेहरे के बारे में नहीं पूछते। इसके बजाय, वह अपने क्रैब सेब (crab apples), अपनी मधुमक्खियों (जिनके बारे में उनका कहना है कि वे भिनभिनाने की बजाय “गाती” हैं), और जंगली घास (weeds) के बारे में बात करते हैं (जिन्हें वे फूलों जितना ही जीवित मानते हैं)। मिस्टर लैंब बताते हैं कि बच्चे उन्हें मज़ाक में “लेमी-लैंब” (लंगड़ा लैंब) कहते हैं, लेकिन उन्हें इससे कोई परेशानी नहीं होती। वह डेरी को सिखाते हैं कि सुंदरता और बदसूरती सापेक्ष (relative) हैं, और डर के कारण खुद को दुनिया से दूर कर लेना किसी भी शारीरिक विकलांगता से बदतर है।
मिस्टर लैंब का सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण, स्वीकार करने वाला स्वभाव और बुद्धिमत्ता डेरी को गहराई से प्रभावित करते हैं। पहली बार, डेरी को लगता है कि कोई उसे समझता है और वह जीवन को अपनाना चाहता है। वह क्रैब सेब तोड़ने में मिस्टर लैंब की मदद करने का फैसला करता है। डेरी अपनी माँ को सूचित करने घर जाता है, जो उसे वापस जाने से मना करती है। माँ की बात न मानकर, डेरी दुनिया का सामना करने की अपनी क्षमता साबित करने के लिए वापस बगीचे की ओर दौड़ता है। दुख की बात है कि जब वह पहुँचता है, तो पाता है कि मिस्टर लैंब सीढ़ी से गिर गए हैं और उनकी मृत्यु हो गई है। नाटक डेरी के रोने के साथ समाप्त होता है, लेकिन अब वह आत्म-दया से मुक्त, एक बदला हुआ और आत्मविश्वासी लड़का है।
Difficult Word Meanings (कठिन शब्दों के अर्थ)
| English Word | Hindi Meaning |
| Defiant | विद्रोही / निडर |
| Tentatively | हिचकिचाते हुए / अनिश्चित रूप से |
| Windfalls | हवा से गिरे हुए फल |
| Scrump | (बगीचे से फल) चुराना |
| Weeds | जंगली घास / खरपतवार |
| Peculiar | अजीब / अनोखा |
| Trespassing | बिना अनुमति के प्रवेश करना (अतिक्रमण) |
| Daft | मूर्ख / पागल |
| Alienation | अलगाव / अलग-थलग महसूस करना |
| Swishes | सरसराहट की आवाज़ करते हुए हिलना |
Very Short Answer Type Questions (VSA – 1 Mark)
(Minimum 10 Questions)
Q1. Who is the author of the play “On The Face Of It”?
Ans: Susan Hill.
Q2. How old is Derry?
Ans: Derry is fourteen years old.
Q3. How did Derry get into Mr. Lamb’s garden?
Ans: Derry got into the garden by climbing over the garden wall.
Q4. What had happened to Derry’s face?
Ans: One side of Derry’s face was severely burnt by acid.
Q5. What had happened to Mr. Lamb’s leg?
Ans: Mr. Lamb’s real leg was blown off in a war years back.
Q6. What do the kids on the street call Mr. Lamb?
Ans: They call him “Lamey-Lamb”.
Q7. What does Mr. Lamb make from the crab apples?
Ans: Mr. Lamb makes jelly from the crab apples.
Q8. According to Mr. Lamb, what do the bees do instead of buzzing?
Ans: According to Mr. Lamb, the bees “hum” or “sing”.
Q9. Why does Derry’s mother kiss him only on the unburnt side of his face?
Ans: She kisses him on the other side because she has to, out of duty, not because she wants to kiss the burnt side.
Q10. What does Mr. Lamb tell Derry about a man who locked himself in a room out of fear?
Ans: A picture fell off the wall onto the man’s head and killed him.
Q11. What is the distance between Mr. Lamb’s garden and Derry’s house?
Ans: It is a three-mile walk across the fields.
Q12. What happens to Mr. Lamb at the end of the play?
Ans: He falls off the ladder while picking apples and dies.
Short Answer Type Questions (SA – 2/3 Marks)
(Minimum 10 Questions)
Q1. Why did Derry enter Mr. Lamb’s garden?
Ans: Derry entered Mr. Lamb’s garden because he thought it was an empty place. He wanted to be alone and hide away from people who constantly stared at his burnt face. He did not come to steal anything.
Q2. Why is Derry so defensive and withdrawn?
Ans: Derry is defensive and withdrawn because his face is half-burnt by acid. He is tired of people’s reactions—they either get terrified, stare at him, or show fake sympathy. He feels that nobody will ever love him, not even his mother truly.
Q3. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden?
Ans: Instead of getting angry about Derry climbing the wall, Mr. Lamb welcomes him warmly. He gently warns Derry to mind the crab apples in the grass so he doesn’t trip. He assures Derry that the gate is always open for everyone.
Q4. “It ate my face up. It ate me up.” Explain this statement by Derry.
Ans: Derry literally means that the acid burnt one side of his face. Metaphorically, he means that the incident completely destroyed his self-confidence, identity, and happiness, leaving him deeply scarred mentally and isolated from society.
Q5. How does Mr. Lamb view “weeds” and “flowers”?
Ans: Mr. Lamb does not discriminate between weeds and flowers. He points out that both are green, growing plants and a form of life. He believes it is only a matter of perception that one is called a beautiful flower and the other a useless weed.
Q6. What does Mr. Lamb tell Derry about the story of ‘Beauty and the Beast’?
Ans: Mr. Lamb mentions ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to explain that inner beauty is more important than outward appearance. He implies that just as the Beast transformed into a handsome prince due to love, a person’s worth is defined by what they are inside, not what they look like.
Q7. Why did Derry find Mr. Lamb’s talk “peculiar”?
Ans: Derry found Mr. Lamb’s talk peculiar because unlike others, Mr. Lamb didn’t pity his burnt face. Instead, he talked positively about weeds, singing bees, and a man dying by a falling picture. Mr. Lamb’s optimistic perspective on life was completely new to Derry.
Q8. Why did Derry’s mother stop him from going back to Mr. Lamb?
Ans: Derry’s mother was overprotective. Although they had lived there for only three months, she claimed to have heard bad rumors and warnings about Mr. Lamb. She believed he was not a good influence and wanted to protect her son.
Q9. Why did Derry want to go back to Mr. Lamb’s garden despite his mother’s refusal?
Ans: Derry wanted to go back because Mr. Lamb was the first person who made him feel normal. He wanted to listen to the bees sing, help pick crab apples, and talk about things that mattered. He felt that if he didn’t go back, he would never face the world again.
Q10. In what way does Mr. Lamb’s attitude toward his physical impairment differ from Derry’s?
Ans: Derry is highly sensitive, angry, and isolated because of his burnt face. He hates it when people look at him. Conversely, Mr. Lamb is completely unbothered by his tin leg. When kids call him “Lamey-Lamb,” he takes it as a game. He is optimistic, social, and accepts life as it is.
Long Answer Type Questions (LA – 4/5 Marks)
(Minimum 10 Questions)
Q1. What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself?
Ans: Derry is a deeply scarred and isolated boy who expects rejection, pity, or horror from everyone he meets. However, he is drawn to Mr. Lamb because the old man treats him as a normal human being. Mr. Lamb does not flinch, stare, or ask intrusive questions about his burnt face. Instead, he offers a warm welcome and engages him in a conversation about life, nature, and perspective. Mr. Lamb’s philosophy that weeds and flowers are the same, that bees sing, and that isolation is worse than any physical injury deeply resonates with Derry. Mr. Lamb listens to Derry’s fears without judging him and gives him the confidence to accept himself. This unconditional acceptance and refreshing optimism break down Derry’s defensive walls and draw him toward the old man.
Q2. 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: Both Derry and Mr. Lamb suffer from physical impairments. The play highlights that the physical pain of losing a leg or burning a face subsides over time. However, the emotional trauma caused by society’s reaction is persistent and agonizing. People with disabilities face constant staring, whispered cruel comments, or exaggerated, fake sympathy. As Derry points out, people either fear him or tell him to be brave by comparing him to those who are worse off. This creates a deep sense of alienation and inferiority. What a person with a physical impairment truly expects from others is normal, empathetic behavior. They want to be treated as equals, without pity or disgust. They want their personality and inner worth to be recognized, just as Mr. Lamb recognizes Derry’s, rather than being solely defined by their physical appearance.
Q3. Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr Lamb’s brief association effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in the future?
Ans: Mr. Lamb’s brief association has fundamentally transformed Derry. Before meeting Mr. Lamb, Derry was a bitter, secluded boy who hated the world and himself. However, Mr. Lamb taught him the value of life, the beauty of nature, and the importance of inner strength. By the end of the play, Derry exhibits immense courage. He argues with his overprotective mother and boldly declares that if he doesn’t go back to the garden, he will never go anywhere in the world. Even when he finds Mr. Lamb dead at the end, Derry is weeping, showing that he has learned to feel and connect. His final words, “I came back,” signify a victory over his fears. Therefore, Derry will not return to his old seclusion. He will lead a more confident, open, and resilient life in the future.
Q4. 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: Mr. Lamb displays signs of loneliness and disappointment subtly throughout the play, but most prominently at the end of Scene One. After Derry leaves, promising to return, Mr. Lamb talks to his bees (or to himself) saying, “They never do, though. Not them. Never do come back.” This reveals his deep-seated loneliness and his past disappointments with people who abandoned him because of his tin leg.
To overcome these feelings, Mr. Lamb keeps himself completely open to the world. He leaves his gates open, welcoming anyone who enters. He refuses to put up curtains, preferring the light and the wind. He keeps himself busy by tending to his crab apples, making jelly, reading books, and listening to the “singing” of his bees. He adopts a philosophy of universal acceptance to combat the isolation forced upon him by his disability.
Q5. Contrast the characters of Derry and Mr. Lamb. How do they handle their respective disabilities?
Ans: Derry and Mr. Lamb are a study in contrasts regarding how they handle their physical disabilities. Derry, a fourteen-year-old with a burnt face, is extremely pessimistic, aggressive, and defensive. He suffers from a severe inferiority complex, hates social interaction, and locks himself away from the world due to the fear of being mocked or pitied.
On the other hand, Mr. Lamb, an old man with a tin leg, is the embodiment of optimism and resilience. He is not bothered when kids mockingly call him “Lamey-Lamb.” He loves life, keeps his gates open for everyone, and finds beauty in everything—even in weeds and the buzzing of bees. While Derry allows his disability to consume his identity (“It ate me up”), Mr. Lamb embraces his disability as a part of life and focuses on living fully and spreading joy.
Q6. What is the significance of the title “On The Face Of It”?
Ans: The title “On The Face Of It” is highly appropriate and symbolic. Literally, it refers to Derry’s physical appearance—his burnt face, which causes him immense psychological pain. Idiomatically, the phrase means “looking at the surface level” or “judging by appearances.” The play strongly criticizes the societal habit of judging people solely by their physical appearance. “On the face of it,” Derry looks like an ugly, frightening boy, but inside, he is just a vulnerable, lonely child seeking acceptance. Similarly, “on the face of it,” Mr. Lamb looks like a lonely old man with a tin leg, but inside, he is a wise, resilient, and deeply optimistic individual. The title urges society to look beyond superficial appearances and recognize the true inner worth of a person.
Q7. How does Mr. Lamb use the example of the man who locked himself in a room to teach Derry a lesson?
Ans: Derry is afraid of people’s reactions and prefers to hide from the world. To counter this, Mr. Lamb tells him a story about a man who was terrified of everything—accidents, diseases, lightning, and heartbreak. To protect himself, the man locked himself in his room and stayed in his bed forever. Ironically, a picture fell off the wall onto his head and killed him.
Mr. Lamb uses this darkly comic story to teach Derry a profound lesson: one cannot escape fate or the risks of life by hiding from it. Locking oneself away out of fear is worse than any physical injury. Life is meant to be lived, and one must face the world bravely, taking risks, rather than living in a self-imposed psychological prison like Derry was doing.
Q8. Discuss the role of Derry’s mother in shaping his personality.
Ans: Derry’s mother plays a significant role in exacerbating his sense of alienation and insecurity. While she loves him, her love is overprotective and suffocating. She treats him with a sense of pity, which is evident when Derry points out that she only kisses him on the good side of his face because she “has to.” This makes Derry feel that even his mother is repulsed by his appearance. Furthermore, she restricts his movements and forbids him from meeting people like Mr. Lamb based on unfounded rumors, thereby encouraging him to stay isolated. Instead of empowering him to face the world with confidence, her overly cautious and pitying attitude reinforces Derry’s belief that he is a “poor boy” who must hide from society.
Q9. Explain the metaphor of the “weeds” used by Mr. Lamb.
Ans: Mr. Lamb uses the metaphor of weeds to teach Derry about perception and equality. Derry looks at a patch in the garden and calls it “rubbish” and “weeds.” Mr. Lamb points out that a weed is just as much a green, growing plant as a beautiful flower. Both represent life and are created by God. The distinction between a “weed” and a “flower” is merely a human label based on subjective perception.
Through this metaphor, Mr. Lamb tells Derry that society might label him as a “weed” (ugly or undesirable) because of his burnt face, while considering others as “flowers” (normal or beautiful). However, inherently, Derry is just as alive, valuable, and equal as anyone else. It is a powerful lesson in self-acceptance.
Q10. How about… using your imagination to suggest another ending to the above story.
(Note: This is a creative answer based on the textual prompt)
Ans: In an alternative, happier ending, as Derry runs panting into the garden, he hears the crash of the ladder. He rushes through the long grass and finds Mr. Lamb lying on the ground, groaning but conscious. Derry quickly kneels beside him, helps him sit up, and checks for injuries. Mr. Lamb smiles weakly and says, “See? I told you falling won’t kill a tough old weed.” Derry helps Mr. Lamb fix his tin leg and get back on his feet. Together, they slowly gather the fallen crab apples into a basket. The scene ends with Derry and Mr. Lamb sitting by the fire, making jelly together, symbolizing the beginning of a lifelong, healing friendship and Derry’s complete integration into a joyful life.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q1. What is the central message of the play “On The Face Of It”?
Ans: The central message is that people should not be judged by their physical appearances. It also highlights that emotional isolation caused by societal insensitivity is worse than physical disability, and that optimism, self-acceptance, and genuine human connection can help overcome any trauma.
Q2. Why does Derry hate it when people say “he’d be better off with others like himself”?
Ans: Derry hates this because he feels it is cruel and discriminatory. Segregating blind people with blind people or disabled people with disabled people implies that they are not fit to live in normal society. It takes away their individuality and right to an integrated life.
Q3. How does the play end?
Ans: The play ends on a tragic yet hopeful note. Derry defies his mother and returns to the garden, only to find that Mr. Lamb has fallen from a ladder and died. Derry weeps for his friend, but his return proves that he has overcome his fear and is ready to face the world.
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