39.HS2nd Yr- On the face of it (25)
1. Who is the writer of 'On the face of it'?
Ans:- Susan Hill is the writer of 'On the face of it'.
2. Who is Mr. Lamb?
Ans:- Mr Lamb is an old man with a tin leg. His real leg was blown off years ago during the war. He lives all alone in his house which has a garden with crab apples.
3. Who is Derry?
Ans:- Derry is a teenager who accidentally comes across Mr Lamb in the latter's garden. He has one side of his face burnt.
4. How is Mr. Lamb's attitude towards Derry all throughout the story?
Ans:- Mr Lamb's attitude towards Derry is gentle and instructive. He advises the teenaged boy not to feel small about his physical defect or burnt.
5. "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 humans but they represent two different stages of life and growth. Derry is young and Mr. Lamb is old. Both suffer from physical impairment of a tin leg and a burnt face. But Derry is filled with negativeness and anguish. Whereas, Mr. Lamb is filled with positive attitude towards life. Realizing this, Mr. Lamb tries to influence Derry to change for the better as they are same.
6. Justify the title.
Ans:- The title indicates that people should not be judged from their physical appearances. Appearance may be deceptive. On the hand, people with physical deformity can also be filled with positive aspects as observed in Mr. Lamb. This kind of quality is often missing with people who are physically hale and hearty.
7. Why does Derry's mother oppose his going back to Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans:- Derry's mother tells him that she has been warned of this old man. As any mother and protector she was unsure if any stranger is worthy of her son's companionship and is safe. So, she opposes him from going back to Mr. Lamb.
8. What is that which draws Derry to Mr. Lamb inspite of himself?
Ans:- Mr. Lamb is not afraid of Derry's burnt face. Rather, he wants to be in Derry's company too. He is friendly and inspired Derry to become positive towards life and stop sulking for that burnt face. Thus, Derry gets drawn to Mr. Lamb.
9. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cold?
Ans:- When the weather is cool, Mr Lamb would take a ladder and a stick to pluck the crab apples. He would also make jelly with the ripened oranges and golden apples to keep himself busy.
10. As per Mr. Lamb why did a man lock himself up in his room and what happened to him?
Ans:- As told by Mr. Lamb, the man locked himself up in his room because he was afraid that a bus might run over or a man might breathe deadly germs towards him, a donkey might kick him to death, lightning might strike him down or he might fall slipping on a banana skin and people might laugh at him. But despite locking himself in the room, he died as a picture fell off the wall on his head.
11. What is intergenerational friendship? Does it apply to the relation of Derry and Mr. Lamb?
Ans:- Intergenerational friendship is friendship between an adult or elderly man and a younger person.
It may apply to Derry and Mr. Lamb as they made some kind of friendship and understanding in a very short time. Mr. Lamb could influence Derry's way of thinking and approach towards life.
12. How does Derry get into Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans:- Derry climbed over the garden wall to get into Mr. Lamb's garden. The gate was open but the boy did not use it.
13. Did Mr. Lamb ever felt lonely?
Ans:- There are traces of Mr. Lamb's loneliness in the first scene of the play. He says that having heard the bees for a "long time" he knows that they "sing" not buzz. Another evidence of his loneliness is the fact that whole day he sat in the sun and read books. This shows that books were his only true friends. He says that his "empty house" is full of books and these books filled the loneliness of his life. In the end of the play he also admits that no one comes back to him after any first meeting.
14. What could had Derry learnt after meeting Lamb.
Ans:- The short meeting of Derry with Lamb boosted his self-confidence and helped him realize his own importance. Becoming self-defendent is what he learnt from Lamb. He found self-esteem which make him realize that looks are not important. It is hopeful that Derry would not recede back to his earlier secluded life.
15. What do physically impaired persons expect from others?
Ans:- A person with physical impairment can also live life with respect and honour until he is ridiculed by others. He should be looked at with empathy. If he is excluded from normal mixing he might never be able to come out of his sorrow and may become secluded and lonely.
In the play "On the face of it" we find that Lamb and Derry also faced similar seclusions and loneliness.
16. How does Derry get into Mr. Lamb's garden?
Ans:- Derry gets into Mr Lamb's garden by climbing over the garden wall. The gate was open but Derry did not use it.
17. What consisted in Lamb's garden?
Ans: Lamb's garden had ripe crab apples which were of orange or golden in colour.
18. What did Mr Lamb like to do?
Ans: Mr Lamb liked to read books.
19. What consisted in Mr Lamb's house?
Ans: Mr Lamb's house consisted of many books.
20. How were the windows of Mr Lamb's windows?
Ans: Mr Lamb's windows did not had any curtains. He liked the light and darkness. He kept the windows open to hear the wind.
21. How was Derry's face? Why was it so?
Ans:- Derry's face had one side disfigured and burnt by acid.
22. How was Mr Lamb's leg? Why was it so?
Ans:- Mr Lamb's had a tin leg. His real leg got blown off during the war.
23. "Mind the apples!" says Mr. Lamb. Why do you think does he issue this instruction to whom and how many times?
Ans:- Mr Lamb gives this instruction to Derry who climbs over his garden wall and enters his compound. He asks Derry twice to mind the apples which have been blown down by the wind from the trees and strewn in the grass. Derry could put his foot on some apples fall down and hint himself.
24. How old was Derry?
Ans:- Derry was fourteen years old.
25. With whom did Lamb live?
Ans:- Mr Lamb lived alone in his house.