Class 12 English Notes Chapter 6 (On the face of It) – Vistas Book

Detailed Notes with MCQs of Chapter 6 from your Vistas book, 'On the Face of It' by Susan Hill. This play is quite poignant and carries significant weight, making it important for your exam preparation. It explores themes of alienation, acceptance, and the difference between appearance and reality. Pay close attention.

Detailed Notes: 'On the Face of It' by Susan Hill

1. Introduction:

• Author: Susan Hill
• Genre: A short play in one act, featuring primarily two characters.
• Core Conflict: The play revolves around the encounter between two individuals who are physically impaired and feel isolated from society – Derry, a young boy with a severely burnt face, and Mr. Lamb, an old man with a tin leg. Their interaction challenges their perspectives on life, loneliness, and acceptance.

2. Characters:

• Derry (Derek):
  • Physical Trait: One side of his face is badly burnt by acid.
  • Personality (Initial): Extremely withdrawn, bitter, cynical, suspicious, lacks self-esteem, feels alienated and rejected by society due to his appearance. He assumes people dislike or fear him.
  • Worldview: Believes people only see his scarred face and judge him superficially. He overhears hurtful comments, reinforcing his negativity. He feels trapped by his appearance.
  • Transformation: Through his conversation with Mr. Lamb, Derry begins to question his own bitterness and the walls he has built around himself. He finds Mr. Lamb's acceptance and unconventional wisdom refreshing and hopeful. He decides to overcome his fear and his mother's protectiveness to return to Mr. Lamb.
• Mr. Lamb:
  • Physical Trait: Has an artificial leg (tin leg), having lost his real one in a war explosion.
  • Personality: Optimistic, philosophical, observant, welcoming, non-judgmental, finds interest in everything and everyone. He lives alone but doesn't feel lonely in a negative way.
  • Worldview: Believes in embracing life with all its imperfections. He doesn't let his disability define him. He sees potential and beauty where others might see flaws (e.g., calling weeds a 'weed garden'). He keeps his gate open, symbolizing his openness to the world.
  • Role: Acts as a catalyst for Derry's change. He offers Derry a different perspective, treating him as an individual rather than just a victim or a scarred face. He shares his own experiences of being called "Lamey-Lamb" but shows he hasn't let it poison his outlook.
• Derry's Mother:
  • Role: Represents societal pity mixed with over-protectiveness, which inadvertently smothers Derry and reinforces his sense of victimhood. She warns Derry about Mr. Lamb based on hearsay, highlighting societal prejudice.

3. Setting:

• Mr. Lamb's Garden: The primary setting. It's somewhat wild and unkempt but full of life (bees, trees, crab apples, flowers, weeds).
• Symbolism of the Garden: Represents Mr. Lamb's philosophy – a world where everything has its place and value, imperfections included (like weeds coexisting with flowers). It's a sanctuary, open to anyone (gate always open).

4. Plot Summary:

• Derry climbs over the wall into Mr. Lamb's seemingly empty garden, seeking solitude.
• He is startled by Mr. Lamb, who welcomes him casually.
• An intense conversation ensues. Derry is initially defensive and suspicious, expecting rejection or pity.
• Mr. Lamb gently challenges Derry's assumptions about how people perceive him and how he perceives the world. They discuss their respective disabilities, loneliness, beauty, and fear.
• Mr. Lamb shares anecdotes and his philosophy of acceptance and engagement with life (e.g., listening to bees, watching, waiting).
• Derry reveals his deep-seated pain, recalling hurtful comments he overheard.
• Mr. Lamb encourages Derry to ignore negativity and choose his own path.
• Derry feels a connection and a sense of hope for the first time. He decides to go home to inform his mother but promises Mr. Lamb he will return.
• Derry overcomes his mother's anxieties and runs back to the garden.
• Simultaneously, Mr. Lamb, trying to pick crab apples using a ladder and a stick, slips and falls.
• Derry arrives to find Mr. Lamb lying motionless on the ground. The ending is abrupt and poignant, suggesting Mr. Lamb may be dead.

5. Key Themes:

• Alienation and Loneliness: Both characters experience isolation, but react differently. Derry withdraws in bitterness; Mr. Lamb remains open and engaged.
• Appearance vs. Reality: The central theme. Derry is judged by his face; Mr. Lamb is perhaps judged by his age and disability. Mr. Lamb teaches Derry to look beyond superficial appearances. The title "On the Face of It" directly points to this – things aren't always what they seem initially.
• Optimism vs. Pessimism: Contrasting worldviews of Mr. Lamb (optimist) and Derry (pessimist).
• Acceptance and Understanding: Mr. Lamb's acceptance is crucial for Derry's transformation. The play highlights the power of non-judgmental understanding.
• Finding Beauty in Imperfection: Mr. Lamb's appreciation for weeds, crab apples, and life's variety teaches Derry (and the reader) to value things often overlooked or considered flawed.
• Overcoming Fear and Prejudice: Derry must overcome his fear of rejection and the prejudice he perceives (and internalizes). Mr. Lamb lives despite the prejudice he sometimes faces ("Lamey-Lamb").

6. Symbolism:

• Derry's Burnt Face: Symbol of his emotional scars, trauma, and social alienation.
• Mr. Lamb's Tin Leg: Symbol of physical loss, but also of adaptation and acceptance.
• The Garden: Represents openness, inclusivity, natural growth, and the coexistence of perceived 'good' and 'bad' (flowers and weeds).
• The Open Gate: Symbolizes Mr. Lamb's welcoming attitude towards the world and people.
• Crab Apples: Represent nature's bounty, the simple joys Mr. Lamb cultivates, and ultimately, the activity leading to his tragic fall.
• Bees: Represent perspective – some hear buzzing, Mr. Lamb hears them 'singing'. It depends on how one chooses to listen/perceive.

7. Significance for Exams:

• Understand the character arcs, especially Derry's transformation.
• Be able to contrast Derry and Mr. Lamb's philosophies and attitudes towards their disabilities and the world.
• Analyze the key themes and how they are presented through dialogue and action.
• Explain the significance of the setting (the garden) and other symbols.
• Discuss the relevance of the title.
• Consider the impact of the ending – Derry's return signifies hope and change, even amidst the tragedy of Mr. Lamb's fall.

Key Quotes:

• Mr. Lamb: "It’s all relative. Beauty and the Beast." (Discussing appearances)
• Mr. Lamb: "Why is one green, growing plant called a weed and another ‘flower’? Where’s the difference. It’s all life...." (On perspective and value)
• Derry: "I’m not afraid. People are afraid of me." (Expressing his alienation)
• Mr. Lamb: "You needn’t think they haven’t all told me that story before. It’s not what you look like, it’s what you are inside." (Challenging superficial judgments)
• Derry: "Things nobody else has ever said. Things nobody else ever thinks." (Acknowledging Mr. Lamb's unique impact)

This play teaches a valuable lesson about looking beyond the surface and the profound impact kindness and acceptance can have on a wounded spirit. Remember Derry's journey – it shows that change is possible.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):

1. Why did Derry initially enter Mr. Lamb's garden?
   a) To steal crab apples
   b) He thought it was empty and sought refuge
   c) Mr. Lamb invited him in
   d) He was looking for directions

2. What physical disability does Mr. Lamb have?
   a) He is blind
   b) He is deaf
   c) He has a tin leg
   d) He has a burnt hand

3. What is Derry's primary source of bitterness and withdrawal?
   a) His poverty
   b) His family's neglect
   c) His severely burnt face and people's reactions to it
   d) His failure in school

4. How does Mr. Lamb view the 'weeds' in his garden?
   a) As a nuisance to be removed
   b) As just another form of life, like flowers
   c) As something he doesn't have the energy to clear
   d) As poisonous plants

5. What name do some children call Mr. Lamb, which he mentions to Derry?
   a) Old Man Lamb
   b) Lamey-Lamb
   c) Grumpy Lamb
   d) Tin-Leg Lamb

6. What does Mr. Lamb encourage Derry to listen to carefully in the garden?
   a) The birds singing
   b) The wind blowing
   c) The bees humming/singing
   d) The distant traffic

7. What story does Derry recall overhearing that deeply hurt him?
   a) Children making fun of his walk
   b) Two women commenting pityingly and fearfully about his face
   c) His teacher complaining about his attitude
   d) His father wishing he was different

8. Why does Derry decide to go back to Mr. Lamb's garden after going home?
   a) His mother forced him to return
   b) He wanted to help Mr. Lamb pick apples
   c) He felt a genuine connection and wanted to prove he wasn't afraid
   d) He forgot his bag in the garden

9. The title "On the Face of It" primarily suggests:
   a) The story is about facial appearances
   b) Things are not always what they seem superficially
   c) Derry needs facial surgery
   d) Mr. Lamb is a very direct person

10. What happens to Mr. Lamb towards the end of the play?
    a) He locks his gate permanently
    b) He falls from a ladder while picking crab apples
    c) He decides to move away
    d) He has a heart-to-heart talk with Derry's mother

Answer Key:

1. b) He thought it was empty and sought refuge
2. c) He has a tin leg
3. c) His severely burnt face and people's reactions to it
4. b) As just another form of life, like flowers
5. b) Lamey-Lamb
6. c) The bees humming/singing
7. b) Two women commenting pityingly and fearfully about his face
8. c) He felt a genuine connection and wanted to prove he wasn't afraid
9. b) Things are not always what they seem superficially
10. b) He falls from a ladder while picking crab apples

Study these notes carefully. Understand the motivations of the characters and the underlying messages. This chapter offers deep insights into human psychology and social interaction. Good luck with your preparation!