On The Face of It
Susan Hill
Summary
This drama is all about a dialogue between a teenage boy (Derry) and an old Man (Mr. Lamb). Both of them suffer from certain physical deformities which cause much mental trauma than the physical trauma.
One half of Derry’s face was burnt by acid in an accident. After that Derry has had to live with the trauma of carrying a disfigured face, which makes him subject of stare from everybody. The mental trauma of being stared at is too much for Derry. He feels so dejected that he does not venture out from his home, and does not want to befriend people.
Mr. Lamb’s one leg was blown by bomb during a war. After that, Mr. Lamb has been using a prosthetic leg. People, especially children call him Lamey Lamb. But unlike Derry, Mr. Lamb takes everything in his stride. He lives alone in his house which is flanked by a big garden with numerous trees, flowers and beehives. Mr. Lamb keeps his doors open for everyone. He welcomes even those children to his garden who call him by the name Lamey Lamb. He enjoys every bit of life and considers everybody to be his friend.
The dialogues in this drama are a kind of debate between diabolic perspectives of Derry and Mr. Lamb. At the end of the Drama, Derry appears to be convinced of Mr. Lamb’s approach to life. This is manifested by the way Derry comes back to Mr. Lamb’s garden at the end of the drama.
Reading With Insight
Question 1: What is it that draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb in spite of himself?
Answer: Derry has very bad experience from people around him. Everybody looks at him with some sense of rebuke or pity or fear, because of his disfigured face. Derry finds the whole world continuously scrutinizing him because of not fault of his. Mr. Lamb is the first person in Derry’s life who is not afraid of Derry’s disfigured face, who does not stare at him, and who wants to be a friend with him. Mr. Lamb. Moreover, Mr. Lamb always talks positively about life, about bees, about strangers whom we meet on street, in buses or in metro rails. Mr. Lamb appears to be full of energy, in spite of his physical disability and old age. Due to this Derry gets drawn to Mr. Lamb.
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 displays signs of loneliness and disappointment in the first scene of the play. While talking to Derry, Mr. Lamb mentions about people’s reaction on seeing a man with an artificial leg. He not only talks about the physical pain he had to suffer but also talks about the mental agony he had to suffer. Then he talks about open gates, windows without curtains, etc. as his way to beat loneliness. He talks about disappointments when talks about children calling him Lamey Lamb.
But Mr. Lamb has found various ways and means to beat loneliness and disappointment. He tries to find company in everything around him. He does not cover windows with curtains so that he can view the charm of the world outside. He wants to hear the wind and rains. He has learnt to hear music in the buzz of hum of bees. He keeps his gates open so that anybody could walk in, and give him a chance to talk to someone.
Question 3: 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?
Answer: It is true that 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. When people see a person with physical disabilities, their reaction can vary from a sense of pity to a sense of ridicule, to a sense of shock and fear. Many people try to keep their children away from a physically disabled person. Many people make fun of a person with physical disability. A person with positive attitude usually shows a sense of pity to a physically disabled person.
But a person with physical disability does not want any of these behaviours. He wants to live like a normal human being. He wants to get the same respect as a normal individual. He wants to get same opportunities as normal individuals.
Question 4: Will Derry get back to his old seclusion or will Mr. Lamb brief association effect a change in the kind of life he will lead in the future?
Answer: The brief association with Mr. Lamb appears to have changed Derry’s attitude. There is least likelihood of his going back into his shell. The way he argues with his mother and then comes back to Mr. Lamb’s garden shows that Derry has changed for the better.