CBSE Class 12 English On The Face Of It Worksheet Set C

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. Why is Derry startled as soon as he enters the garden?
Answer: Derry, a boy of fourteen, climbs over the boundary to enter Mr. Lamb’s garden assuming it to be empty. Mr. Lamb’s ‘Mind the Apples’ startled Derry.

Question. Why does Derry want to go home as soon as he comes face to face with Mr. Lamb?
Answer: Derry thought the garden was an empty place and had come out of curiosity. On seeing Mr. Lamb, Derry wanted to go home because he felt that Mr. Lamb like other people would find his face repulsive and frightful.

Question. Why does Derry feel that Mr. Lamb had changed the subject?
Answer: Derry feels that Mr. Lamb had changed the subject because he was afraid to ask him about his burnt face. Others had also done this before. He felt that people merely pretended the physical impairment wasn’t there.

Question. What is Mr. Lamb’s response to Derry saying that the tin leg did not trouble him?
Answer: Derry feels that Mr. Lamb can cover up his tin leg and people would not even get to know. Mr. Lamb replies that if he got affected, people would still make fun of him. One has to stop bothering about people and their reaction to one’s disability.

Question. Why do people’s consolations fail to console Derry?
Answer: Derry feels that he is too ugly to be consoled. He has been advised to take inspiration from those who have been blinded, born deaf, invalid or mentally retarded. Since Derry has none of these disabilities, he should realise that he was more fortunate than them. He feels sermons cannot make his face change to a handsome one.

Question. Why does Mr. Lamb narrate the story of a man who locked himself in a room because he was afraid?
Answer: Mr. Lamb told Derry a story of a man who was afraid of everything in the world. He went into his room and locked the door. A picture fell off the wall on his head and killed him. He narrated this story to make Derry realize that building a wall around him would not help. Derry needed to shed his fears and live life.

Question. Comment on the ending of the play ‘On the Face of it’.
Answer: Mr. Lamb who lived a full life in spite of a disability and loneliness helps Derry overcome his fears. He falls down exactly as Derry had said he would earlier in the play. Mr. Lamb has left the reformed Derry to complete the good work he had started. Even though the ending appears sad there is hope in the form of young Derry.

Question. What is the bond that unites the two – Mr. Lamb, the old man, and Derry, the young boy?
Answer: Mr. Lamb and fourteen-year-old Derry suffer from physical impairment. The old man has a tin leg because he got one of his legs blown off in the war. Derry has one side of his face disfigured and burnt by acid. It is the feeling of empathy that creates the bond. Mr. Lamb draws Derry out and infuses positivity into him giving him the courage to believe in himself as a person.

Question. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden?
Answer: Derry entered Mr. Lamb’s garden by climbing over the garden wall. He had thought that it was an empty place. He didn’t know there was anybody there. He just wanted to be in a secluded place. On seeing Mr. Lamb Derry was startled. He clarified that he didn’t enter to steal anything. Mr. Lamb tried to comfort Derry and allay his fear by saying that anybody could enter the garden. He asked him to pick up ripe apples lying in the long grass.

Question. Why does Derry enter Mr. Lamb’s garden?
Answer: Derry thought there was no one in Mr. Lamb’s garden. He did not come to steal apples but out of curiosity.

Question. Why does Derry not like being with people?
Answer: When people looked at Derry’s face they found it repulsive. They thought it was the ugliest thing they had ever seen. Some were afraid of what they saw. Derry did not like being with people who reminded him of his scars. He spurned people because he felt rejected and unloved.

Question. What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man?
Answer: Derry felt Mr. Lamb had no friends and lived a lonely life. He had no curtains. He was not fond of shutting things in. He liked the light and the darkness. He also liked to hear the wind and listen to bees singing.

Question. What made Derry decide to go to the old man?
Answer: Derry decided to go to the old man because he had promised him that he would come. Mr. Lamb had helped him add a new meaning to his life. It was no longer about his face and looks but about what he thought. He no longer wanted to shun people. Derry knew that if he didn’t go back, he’d never go anywhere in this world again.

Question. Why does Derry’s mother oppose his going back to Mr. Lamb?
Answer: Derry’s mother has heard things about the old man. Though they have been here for only three months, she had been warned. She wants to protect Derry.

Question.  What terrible complex did Derry suffer from?
Answer: One side of Derry’s face was severely burnt by acid. Nobody liked him or befriended him. They were repulsed by his ugly face and avoided him. He withdrew on account of this and avoided people.

Question. Why did kids call Mr. Lamb ‘Lamey-Lamb’? How does he feel about it?
Answer: Mr. Lamb had an artificial leg. His limb had been blown off in a bomb explosion. The street children called him Lamey-Lamb. It no longer troubled him as he had come to terms with his disability.

Question. What arguments does Derry give to convince his mother why he wanted to go to the old man’s garden?
Answer: Derry told his mother that Mr. Lamb had a tin leg. He lived in a huge house with no curtains. Derry wanted to be in Mr. Lamb’s garden and listen to things that matter. Things nobody else had ever said. Things he wanted to think about. He added it was nothing to do with his face but about what he felt.

Question. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?
Answer: When it got cooler, Mr. Lamb kept himself busy by getting the ladder and a stick to pull down the ripe crab apples. He made jelly out of them.

Question. What is the attitude of Mr. Lamb to Derry who comes to his garden?
Answer: Mr. Lamb is gentle and friendly. He is not repulsed by Derry’s appearance and tells him to mind the crab apples. He urges Derry to stay on.

Question.  ‘We’re not the same’, says Derry. How does Mr. Lamb try and convince him that there is no essential difference between them?
Answer: Mr. Lamb tells Derry, that despite apparent differences, they are the same. They have life and are growing. Both of them have a physical disability. The differences are superficial and unimportant.

Question. Why is one green plant called a ‘weed’ and another ‘flower’?
Answer: Mr. Lamb says there is no difference between a weed and a flower. They are variations of the same life which is all important. They are both growing and they both represent life – developing or growing with Mr. Lamb and Derry. There is inherent oneness in God’s creation.

Question. What did Derry feel about the conversation the two women had at the bus stop?
Answer: Derry once overheard a woman who went by him when he was at a bus stop whisper about him. She told the other woman that his face was a terrible thing. It was a face only a mother could love. Derry felt it was a cruel thing to say and it upset him very much.

Question. Why did Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open?
Answer: Mr. Lamb was a lonely man. The gate was always open. People would often come in. Kids came for the crab apples and for toffee. Mr. Lamb was not afraid of anything and he did not mind strangers entering his house or garden.

Question. How does Derry interpret the fairy story ‘Beauty and the Beast’? What does he feel about himself?
Answer: The story about the inner beauty being more important than the outer appearance has often been narrated to Derry. The beast in the story changed into a handsome prince. Derry feels his situation will never change. No one kissed him, not even his mother. She only kissed him on the other side of the face.

Question. What kind of garden does Mr. Lamb have? Why does he like it?
Answer: Mr. Lamb’s garden was an empty, unkempt garden where both weeds and flowering plants grew side by side. There was a crab apple tree which was laden with ripe, red and orange fruits. There was also a beehive. The gate always remained open. Lamb enjoyed talking to anyone who cared to walk in. The garden was a source of solace to his lonely life. He enjoyed the sunshine and living in the lap of nature.

Question. Who is Derry? What self‐opinion does he hold?
Answer: Derek, also called Derry was a young boy of 14. He was a quiet, shy and defiant boy. One side of his face was totally burnt by acid. He was a victim of inferiority complex.

Question. How does Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?
Answer: Mr. Lamb influences Derry by his optimistic philosophy. He advised him not to give attention to other’s comments, try to be internally pure and strong and eliminate the negativity in life.

Question. What did Derry’s mothers think of Mr. Lamb?
OR
Why did Derry’s mother stop him from going to Mr. Lamb?
Answer: Derry’s mother does not hold a good opinion about Mr. Lamb. She has heard many things about the old man, therefore stops Derry to visit Mr. Lamb.

Question. Why does Derry go back to Mr. Lamb in the end?
Answer: Actually Mr. Lamb has taught Derry the most important lesson of life. He advises him not to care about the comments made by others. He now no longer cares about his burned face or looks. He is more concerned about what he thinks and feels ;what he wants to hear and see. He knows if does not go back, he will never go back. Therefore he returns.

Question. Comment on the moral value of the play.
Answer: The moral of the play is very loud and clear. The physically disabled should focus on the brighter side of life and not brood over their shortcomings. The society should accept them as they are and expand their social interactions .In this way they can fight out the loneliness, depression and disappointment

Question. Mr. Lamb says to Derry; ‘it’s all relative, beauty and the beast’, what essentially does he mean by that?
Answer: Mr. Lamb tells Derry that it all depends upon people’s individual perceptions. A thing is a beauty for one while that beauty may be a beast for others.

Question. What was Lamb’s advice to Derry about ‘hating people’?
Answer: When Derry said that he hated some people, Mr.Lamb told him that hating people did more harm than a bottle of acid. Whereas acid had only burnt his face, hatred could burn him from within.

Question. “We’re not the same”, says Derry. How does Mr Lamb try to convince him that there is no essential difference between them?
Answer: Derry and Mr Lamb are both of the 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.

Question. How does Derry interpret the fairy stoiy ‘Beauty and the Beast’? What does he feel about himself?
Answer: 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.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. What is it that draws Derek towards Mr. Lamb inspite of himself?
Answer: When Derek meets Mr. Lamb for the first time – wants to run away – feels embarrassed. However the old man startles him with his strange talk – Derek is surprised – Mr.Lamb does not mind his stealthy entry – further surprised when Mr. Lamb says he’s not as ugly as he believes himself to be – Mr. Lamb talks about his interest in everything created by God including weeds – encourages Derek by saying “you’ve got two arms, two legs…you’ll get on the way you want, like the rest”. Mr.Lamb’s talk about everything and everybody being essentially the same, his notion of beauty being relative, his concept of the world and friendship mesmerize and baffle Derek – fascinated by the old man. Derek sheds his complex of being ugly – rediscovers the joy of life. It is not only Mr.Lamb’s strange ideas that attract Derek but also his loneliness and longing for company – he returns to him at the end- the two have a great affinity – both have suffered loneliness – both long for company.

Question. What is the significance of Derek’s words, “I thought it was empty…an empty house” in the play?
Answer: Derek climbs over the boundary wall and enters Mr. Lamb’s garden – Lamb not surprised at this as he’s used to seeing children coming in to steal and eat apples – but Derek has come into the garden out of curiosity – when Lamb sees him, Derek is embarrassed and tries to give an explanation.
Derek’s words are significant – points out to his terrible sense of frustration, loneliness and isolation on account of his severely burnt face – these words also prompt Lamb to speak about his loneliness – these words go a long way in Lamb’s understanding of Derek’s character and his subsequent efforts in helping Derek come out of his inferiority complex, poor self-regard and self-rejection – these words are a bitter reminder of the bitterness that has crept into Derek’s mind due to other people’s dislike and hatred for his ugly face – a desperate cry of a fourteen-year-old boy for love and acceptance.

Question. 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: It is in the middle section of the first scene of the play that Mr Lamb displays signs of loneliness and disappointment. He says that when it is a bit cooler, he will get the ladder and a stick, and pull down those crab apples. He makes jelly. Derry could help him. Then he says he is interested in anybody or anything that God made. It may be a person, flower, fruit, grass, weeds or rubbish. There are plenty of things to look at. Some of them are his crab apples or the weeds or a spider climbing up a silken ladder or his tall sun-flowers. He also likes to talk and have a company. He has a hive of bees. He hears them singing. He sits in the sun and reads books. He likes the light and the darkness. He hears the wind coming through open windows. There aren’t any curtains at the windows as they either shut things out or shut things in. These are the ways in which Mr Lamb tries to overcome his loneliness.

Question. 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?
Answer: (Two different answers are possible. One is being given below) Derry will not get back to his old seclusion. He has been associated with Mr Lamb for a short time only, but even this brief association will effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in future. Instead of being conscious of what people comment about the ugliness of his face, he will use his head and heart to achieve what he decides to do in life. It is also possible that with his firm determination and zeal to achieve his aim, he might do better than the rest, even those who do not suffer from any physical impairment.
By his persuasive manner and skilful use of anecdotes, Mr Lamb convinces Derry that a life of seclusion and withdrawal from the world is dull as well as risky. The world has many beautiful objects to see and admire, sounds to hear and ideas to think. One should have an open mind and positive attitude. Hatred is worse than acid.

Question. VBQ – 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 behavior that the person expects from others?
Answer: Both Derek and Lamb suffer from physical impairment – Lamb has an artificial tin leg – Derek has a severely burnt face – both must have suffered terribly.
We see that Derek not only suffers for his burnt face but also from an acutely low self-regard, self-rejection and his notion of how much people hate him for being ugly – his loneliness and suffering are aggravated by his feeling that nobody loves/wants him – suffers pangs of alienation within his family (he believes his mother kisses him not because she loves him, but because she has to).People’s indifferent attitude, their hatred and dislike for handicaps, and their utter lack of concern and compassion- hurt people more than the actual pain of impairment. Victims of impairment do not want empty words of sympathy and pity, for they feel more hurt when people continue to remind them of their being handicapped. We should accept them as they are-help them to lead better lives by creating the appropriate opportunities and environment.

Question. What is the theme of the play ‘On The Face Of It’? How has it been worked out?
Answer: The theme of the play is the consequences of physical impairment on the affected person’s body, mind and soul. The actual pain and inconvenience caused by the disabilities is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the disabled person. People think that a person who has lost an organ or suffered some deformity such as a disfigured face should either be confined to the hospital or allowed to move in the company of people having the same disability. The playwright does not approve of this idea as it will create a strange sort of world. The attitude of persons towards the victims of accidents or disasters needs com¬plete change. They must be considerate and thoughtful. They must appreciate the efforts of the physically challenged persons to overcome their disability and compete with others. The theme has been worked out through the interaction of two characters—old Mr Lamb and a young boy, Derry. Through his peculiar way of looking at things and asking ques¬tions, Mr Lamb persuades Derry to have a positive approach to fife. Only positive attitude towards life will give one true happiness.

Question. Comment on the ending of the play ‘On The Face Of It’. How far do you find it effective ?
Answer: The ending of the play is quite suggestive. Mr Lamb, who has been picking apples, falls down along with the ladder. As Derry enters the garden, he finds total silence pervading there. He is surprised and shocked to see Mr Lamb on the ground. He hopes it is all right. He kneels near Mr Lamb and announces that he has come back and he is there. He implores the old man to get up and talk. As the old man does not respond to Derry’s repeated requests, he begins to weep. The ending is quite dramatic and stageworthy. The old man with the ladder under him is a Christ-like figure. It is a pathetic ending, no doubt, but it does not spread gloom. Rather, it acts like a beacon light. The old generation has handed over the charge to the younger one. It is like a soldier making an exit with the satisfaction of mission accomplished. The old man has handed over his philosophy of life to Derry and inspired him to find out what he wants to be. Thus, though the old man expires physically, his ideas inspire Derry to pursue higher goals and achieve them. In this sense, the ending is quite effective and meaningful.

Question. What do you understand by ‘On The Face Of If ? Do you think the title ‘On the Face of If is appropriate? Give reasons in support of your answer.
Answer: ‘On The Face Of It’ is used to say that something seems to be good, true, etc. but that this opinion may need to be changed when you know more about it. Apparently, the play seems to be an interaction between two persons suffering from physical impairment. Being a drama of ideas, it has minimum physical action. The old man’s efforts to strike up a friendship with a young boy of fourteen, who is very withdrawn and defiant, seems to be the main issue. The old man’s effort is worth appreciation. However, as we go on reading further, more is in store for us. We learn the mental anguish, emotional starvation and physical distress of the physically challenged who are unable to lead normal life among normal persons. The play is not didactic but it inspires people like Derry, who have some physical blemish, to ignore it as well as comments of people about it. They should set goals for themselves and strive to outshine even the other normal persons. Thus, the title is quite appropriate and highly suggestive.

Question. Draw a character sketch of old Mr Lamb.
Answer: Mr Lamb is the protagonist in the play. He dominates the play from beginning to end. He impresses us as a sensitive, watchful, kind, considerate and sympathetic person. He is quite gentle, accommodating and protective. He is more concerned about the boy’s well-being than the apples. He is a victim of alienation due to his physical impairment. Though he keeps his gates open and says he has many friends, actually he lives alone and is quite miserable. He loves company and wants to talk. He shares his thoughts even with the young boy. Mr Lamb is like a modem communicator and a psychologist who believes in drawing out the best of an individual. His tactful handling and peculiar questions make Derry shed some of his firmly fixed notions and respond to the things of the world around him. Thus he is a source of inspiration to the depressed and gloomy. Mr Lamb is pragmatic. His way of life is an object lesson for all who suffer some physical handicap or the other. One can always undertake some meaningful activities which give life some purpose and aim and save it from boredom. Even in his fall with the ladder, he exhibits Christ-like grace.

Question. Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Lamb and Derry.
Answer: Both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from 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 come 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. Derry 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. Derry is forced by Mr. Lamb 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.

Question. What is the theme of the play ‘On the Face of it’? How has it been worked out?
Answer: On the Face of it’ deals with the theme that appearances are deceptive. Derry’s mother has been warned about Mr. Lamb and Derry 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 the person’s emotions. People need love and not pity. This theme has been brought out through the positive attitude of Mr. Lamb who draws Derry 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.