Please refer to On the face of It (Susan Hill) Class 12 English Important Questions with solutions provided below. These questions and answers have been provided for Class 12 English based on the latest syllabus and examination guidelines issued by CBSE, NCERT, and KVS. Students should learn these problem solutions as it will help them to gain more marks in examinations. We have provided Important Questions for Class 12 English for all chapters in your book. These Board exam questions have been designed by expert teachers of Standard 12.
Class 12 English Important Questions On the face of It (Susan Hill)
Short Answer Type Questions :
Question. Why does Mr. Lamb leave the gate of his house always open?
Ans. Mr. Lamb always kept his gate open because he always wanted visitors to come to his house. Mr. Lamb resided alone in a big house and that is why he wanted a companion. He left the gates open so that visitors might not turn away watching the gates closed.
Question. How is the Derry we meet at the beginning, different from the Derry at the end?
Ans. We find a positive change in Derry at the end. He is free from his old complexes. Lamb has given him a direction and purpose of life.
Question. What kind of garden does Mr. Lamb have? Why does he like it?
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. There is a garden near the house. It has ripe crab apples looking orange and golden in colour. It is a place which welcomes different kinds of people and lets them do what they want. Mr. Lamb wanted kids and all to visit him as he couldn’t move much.
Question. In what sense is the friendship between Mr. Lamb and Derry fruitful?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is optimistic, whereas Derry is pessimistic and has an inferiority complex. Mr. Lamb helps him overcome his inferiority complex and advises him not to pay much attention to what others thought about him. He asked him to enjoy life and the beauty of nature. He brings about a positive change in Derry.
Question. Why did Derry go back to Mr. Lamb’s garden even after opposition?
Ans. Derry developed a new vision of life under Mr Lamb’s guidance. He became positive and looked happy. Derry no longer cared about his face and looks. He was more concerned with himself, what he thought and felt, what he wanted to see and find out and hear. He knew that if he did not go back to Mr Lamb’s garden then, he would never go anywhere in that world again. He wanted the world. He no longer wanted to shun it or avoid the people.
Question. How do people react to Derry’s face?
Ans. When people looked at Derry’s burnt face, they kept staring at him. They often reacted as if they were afraid of him. Some of them pitied him and consoled him by saying sympathetic words.
Question. What is common between Derry and Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Both of them had their own disabilities, Mr. Lamb was a man who owned a tin leg and Derry was a victim of acid attack. Both of them had physical deformities which made them stay away from society. The callousness of society affected them adversely.
Question. How do people console Derry when they look at his face?
Ans. People often asked him to look at those people who were in pain, are brave, never cry, never complain and don’t feel sorry for themselves. They also asked him to think of those who were worse off. He was better off than those people who were blind, born deaf, confined to a wheel chair, or are crazy and dribble.
Question. ‘It is not merely age but experience that counts.’
With reference to any one example from the text, comment on how Derry found Mr. Lamb different from other adults he had encountered.
Ans. Mr Lamb was a person full of life. Sadness or negativity found no place in his world. His physical impairment and people’s humiliating remarks had failed to dampen his spirit. His undying optimism and ever friendly attitude drew Derry towards him. For Derry, Mr Lamb was his source of inspiration.
Question. Why does Derry’s mother not want him to go back to visit Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Lamb was new to the place and she had not much personal information about him. She had also heard adverse remarks made by people about Mr. Lamb, who was leading a lonely life, with no contact with outside world. Earlier, children used to tease and chase him, so he would not be a healthy company for her son.
Question. Why does Derry come to Mr.Lamb’s garden?
Ans. Derry has a burnt face. So, he avoids people and wants to stay alone. In order to find a secluded place, he jumps a wall to enter Mr. Lamb’s garden. He thinks the garden is empty.
Question. Why is Mr. Lamb sitting in the garden outside his house?
Ans. Mr. lamb is an old man who lives all alone in his house. He likes anything and everything. He remains busy in his garden. His garden gate is always open for everyone.
Question. Why does Derry’s mother not want him to go back to visit Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Derry’s mother has heard many things about Mr. Lamb. She thinks that he is not a good person. So, she asks Derry not to go back to visit Mr. Lamb.
Question. What surprised Derry when he entered the garden?
Ans. Derry thought that the garden he entered was empty. When Mr. Lamb spoke to him, he became surprised. Mr. lamb was friendly in approach. He only told Derry to mind the crab apples.
Question. What is Derry’s attitude towards Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Initially, considering Mr. Lamb to be like other people, Derry wants to go from the garden. But hearing Mr. Lamb and his inspiring words, Derry is influenced.He starts respecting and liking Mr. Lamb. He feels that unlike other people, this man does not pity him and welcomes him in his garden. Mr. Lamb helps Derry love his life in spite of the odds in his life.
Question. Who is Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is an old man. One of his legs was blown off in war. So, He has a tin leg. He lives all alone in his house. He has a garden where he remains busy the whole day. People have spread many stories about him.
Question. Why did Mr. Lamb help Derry?
Ans. Mr. Lamb himself was physically impaired. So, He could understand the difficulties of Derry.He was an optimist who was also kind hearted. He wanted to change Derry’s perspective of life.
Question. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden?
Ans. Mr. Lamb welcomes him. He only asks him to mind the crab apples, otherwise he may slip. When Derry wants to run away from there, Mr. Lamb says that he doesn’t have to go. Everyone is welcomed to his garden.
Question. What happens at the end?
Ans. While picking apples with the help of a stick, suddenly the ladder falls back and Mr. Lamb dies falling on the ground. Derry comes and finds him dead. He weeps.
Question. Who is Derry?
Ans. Derry is a fourteen years old boy. One side of his face is burnt due to spilling of acid. He avoids people. He thinks people talk about him, feel pity for him, some are scarred of him.
Question. What kind of a garden does Mr. Lamb have?
Ans. Mr. Lamb has a garden where he plants flower plants and weeds alike. He has beehives in the garden. He has an orchard full of fruit trees.He likes his garden because he remains busy there and children come there to play.
Question. What physical impairment is Mr. Lamb suffering from?
Ans. Mr. Lamb is retired from the army. In a war, he lost one of his legs. In its place, there is a tin leg now. Because of it, kids call him ‘ Lamey Lamb’. But it doesn’t trouble him.
Question. Will Derry go back to his old loneliness again?
Ans. The short meeting of Derry with Mr. Lamb boosted self confidence in Derry. He realized that life is beautiful; whatever God has created is beautiful. His whole perspective of life changed. So, definitely, Derry will not go back to his old loneliness again.
Question. How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?
Ans. Mr. Lamb takes a ladder and a stick and pulls down the crab apples to make jelly.
Question. How does Mr. Lamb try to remove the baseless fears of Derry?
Ans. Mr. Lamb tells Derry that like others, he has two eyes, two ears, two legs, two arms, the brain and the tongue. He can achieve whatever he likes, like all the rest. He can even get better than the rest.
Question. How does Mr. Lamb react when Derry enters his garden?
Ans. Unlike Derry’s thought that Mr. Lamb would be angry at him if he saw him entering stealthily into the garden. Mr. Lamb treated Derry very gently and welcomed him to his garden. In fact, he was happy to get someone to talk to him in his loneliness. Like a father, he even gave Derry advice to be careful while fetching apples as he might slip and get hurt physically.
Question. Who was Derry? What problems did he have?
Ans. Derry was a young boy who came to Mr. Lamb’s garden. One side of his face had been burnt by acid. He was reserved and did not like to mix with people. He would always think that he was the ugliest person on the earth.
Question. Do you think Derry’s mother is protective of him? Justify your opinion with textual evidence.
Ans. Derry’s mother is given little characterization in the play, but she seems simultaneously overprotective and not understanding of her son. She contributes to his isolation by keeping him home because of his facial injury, and treats him with a sense of pity that robs him of dignity and treating him like a perpetually helpless victim. In the play, Derry’s mother forbids him from returning to Mr. Lamb’s house, but Derry leaves anyway, finally asserting himself in a positive way.
Question. “It ate my face up. It ate me up.” Who said these words? Why?
Ans. ‘It ate my face up. It ate me up’. These words are uttered by Derry. He said these words because his face was eaten by acid. He had one side of his face disfigured with acid and didn’t like it. That was the main reason why he always kept to himself and did not have any friends. He was withdrawn and pessimistic.
Question. Why does Derry stay away from people?
Ans. Derry suffers from the complex that most of the physically impaired persons suffer from. He has become withdrawn and defiant. He has got a burnt face. He thinks that he is the ugliest person on the earth. People find his face very terrible. So, he is not afraid of the people but they are afraid of him.
Long Answer Type Questions :
Question. Derry and Mr. Lamb both are victims of physical impairment, but their attitudes towards life are completely different. Elaborate.
Ans. Derry is a fourteen year old boy whose main problem is his burnt face. One side of his face had been burnt by acid. He suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious of the fact that his face is “bad”, “terrible” and “the ugliest thing”. People are “afraid” of him. He tries to escape people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. On the other hand, Mr. Lamb doesn’t allow his physical disability to come in his way. He accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards life, things and people. He doesn’t find solace in escapism. Children tease him by calling him “Lamey-Lamb” but he doesn’t mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the war. But he is full of life and enjoys it to his best. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and growing weeds and flowers.
Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He doesn’t trust people. He thinks that no one will ever love and kiss him except his own mother. He can’t stand people staring at him or passing uncharitable remarks. He is touchy and hyper sensitive. Mr. Lamb is open-minded and open-hearted. All are welcome. He loves everybody and everything. He teaches Derry how to handle people and things.
Question. Both Derry and Lamb are victims of physical impairment but much more painful for them is the loneliness. Comment.
Ans. Derry’s main problem is his burnt face. One side of his face had been burnt by acid. He suffers from a tremendous sense of inferiority complex. He is always conscious of the fact that his face is “bad”, “terrible” and “the ugliest thing”. People are “afraid” of him. He tries to escape from people. He allows himself to be alienated from the world. On the other hand, Mr. Lamb doesn’t allow his physical disability to come in his way. He accepts life as it comes. He has a positive attitude towards life, things and people. He doesn’t find solace in escapism. Children tease him by calling him “Lamey-Lamb” but he doesn’t mind it. One of his legs was blown off in the war. But he is full of life and enjoys it to his best. He enjoys sitting in the sun, reading books and growing weeds and flowers.
Derry is withdrawn and defiant. He doesn’t trust people. He thinks that no one will ever love and kiss him except his own mother. He can’t stand people staring at him or passing uncharitable remarks. He is touchy and hyper sensitive. Mr. Lamb is open-minded and open-hearted. All are welcome. He loves everybody and everything. He teaches Derry how to handle people and things.
Question. Derry sneaked into Mr. Lamb’s garden and it became a turning point in his life. Comment
OR
Who was Mr. Lamb? How did he make Derry gain confidence and come out of his shell?
Ans. Derry is a fourteen-year-old boy with a face burnt by acid. Mr. Lamb serves as an ideal for Derry. Mr. Lamb has a tin leg. But he never allows his disability to sour the joys of life. Derry, on the other hand, makes himself quite pitiable and miserable. His hyper sensitivity is like an open wound. He can’t stand people staring at him. Even cruel and uncharitable remarks upset him. He can’t keep his ears shut. Nor does he possess a large and generous heart like that of Mr. Lamb, whom children called ‘Lamey-Lamb’, but Mr. Lamb does not mind it. He plays with them and gives them jelly and toffees. Derry, on the other hand, has developed a perverted mindset. The worst is that Derry distrusts the world and its people. We find a change in Derry towards the end. Mr. Lamb’s ideas leave their imprint on him. He is free from that complex now. He doesn’t care about his burnt face and it no more seems important to him.
Question. The play ‘On The Face of It’ depicts the unusual behaviour of the people towards the physically disabled, which makes them feel lonely. Comment.
Ans. The lesson ‘On The Face of It’ aptly depicts the loneliness and sense of alienation experienced by Derry and Mr. Lamb on account of a disability. The actual pain and inconvenience caused by the disabilities is often much less than the sense of alienation felt by the disabled person. Derry suffered from severe negative complexes because of his burnt face. He became a pessimistic loner who indulged in self-pity and was always suspicious of the intention of others. His anger and frustration made him withdrawn and an introvert. Mr. Lamb, on the other hand, was inwardly a loner who craved for company and acceptance. Though outwardly he was always jovial, outgoing and optimistic; he was an extremely sensitive person. Derry and Mr. Lamb’s physical disabilities caused pain and suffering, not only to their body, but also to their mind and soul.
Question. Optimism in one’s attitude helps deal with all the challenges in life. Prove the statement by referring to the character Mr. Lamb from the chapter “On the Face of It”.
Ans. Derry was a fourteen year old young boy who suffered from a sense of inferiority complex due to his acid-burnt face. He never accepted himself like that and therefore, he was never able to reconcile himself with his physical disability. He had a poor self-esteem and felt victimized. But there was a positive change in him when he came in association with Mr. Lamb. He was surprised to notice that Mr. Lamb, despite his physical impairment, was an optimistic and cheerful man. He had a positive bent of mind. He never felt miserable or pitiable. He played with children and always kept the doors and windows of his house open so as to welcome everybody. He was very warm and friendly towards Derry. He told him that he had a weed garden because he felt weeds are also green living plants like others. Why should, then, they be called weeds. He also said that children called him `Lamey lamb’ whenever he went out into the streets, but he didn’t feel bad about it. He, on the other hand, made toffees to give them to the children whenever they met him. Derry was quite impressed with his attitude of ‘waiting, watching, listening’. This provided confidence to Derry and he was a changed personality after meeting Mr. Lamb. Thus, we can say that optimism in one’s attitude helps deal with all the changes in life.
Question. How is the Derry we meet at the beginning different from the Derry at the end?
Ans. Derry was a fourteen-year-old young boy who suffered from a sense of inferiority complex due to his acid–burnt face. He never accepted himself like that and therefore, he was never able to reconcile himself with his physical disability. But there was a positive change in him when he came into association with Mr. Lamb. He was surprised to notice that Mr. Lamb, despite his physical impairment, was an optimistic and cheerful man. He never felt miserable or pitiable. He played with children and always kept the doors and windows of his house open so as to welcome everybody at all times. This left a deep impression on Derry’ s mind. He liked the way Mr. Lamb took his disability and learnt how to deal with people and things that come in the path as hurdles. His attitude towards life took a turning point and he became a different man who wanted to meet the world with open arms like Mr. Lamb who gave him a direction and purpose of life.
Question. Both Derry and Lamb are physically impaired and lonely. It is the responsibility of the society to understand and support people with infirmities so that they do not suffer from a sense of alienation . As a responsible citizen, write in about 100 words, what you would do to bring about a change in the lives of such people.
Ans. Like Derry and Lamb, there are so many people in this world who are impaired and lonely. They suffer from an inferiority complex and a sense of alienation. They remain aloof and turn themselves into a recluse. It is our duty to accept them and make them realise that this world belongs to them as well. We should treat them in a kind and sympathetic way. We should not look down upon them with pity in our eyes as they will feel bad and disheartened with such treatment. We should accept them with open arms and make them realise that their disability is not their fault. We should fill their hearts with hope and optimism and allow them to feel equal with the rest of the world.
Question. Mr. Lamb calls Derry his friend while Derry refuses his affirmation. Would you consider their relationship with each other as friendship? Support your answer with the reference to the instance(s) from the text.
Ans. Derry was a small boy who had a burnt face due to acid. He was very withdrawn and defiant. He used to run away from the world as he hated others staring at him. He thought people are afraid of his infirmity. Similarly, Mr. Lamb too was a handicapped person. He had lost his one leg in a bomb explosion during war years ago. He lived alone in this world.
The two of them have infirmity and are rejected by the people. Both have a vacuum in their hearts for not having company. Mr. Lamb is a man full of positive energy. When Derry met him, he found himself drawn towards Mr. Lamb. Mr. Lamb happened to be the only one who give him a new line of thought about his physical infirmity. Thus, they both shared a bond that united the two of them.
Question. Compare and contrast the characters of Mr. Lamb and Derry.
Ans. Both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from problems. Mr. Lamb had a tin leg, whereas Derry had a burnt face. But both of them differ in their attitude towards handling their problems.
Mr. Lamb is very positive in his outlook. He sees the beauty in everything, including weeds. He doesn’t let physical handicap prevent him from living life to the fullest. He is very friendly, opened his doors to the world as he thinks that the world and people are important. Moreover, he is strong and doesn’t let people’s negative comments hurt him. Besides, being very practical, he knows one’s life is in one’s own hands. He also shows understanding of Derry’s problems.
On the contrary, Derry is scared of meeting people as he hates seeing their fear of him and facing their rejection. He is too sensitive and people’s comment hurt him deeply. He becomes upset due to his parents’ overprotectiveness and mother’s repulsion for his burnt face. He is defiant and rude and does not talk to people. He sees everything in a bad light and is pessimistic about everything. He not only hates himself but the world and remains away from all. He indulges in self-pity over his face but he has inner deep desire to be accepted which he hides under an abrasive exterior. However, he changes at the end after listening to Mr. Lamb and becomes ready to face the world and overcome obstacles to do so. Eventually he finds courage and strength to get what he wants.
Question. What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Derry was a fourteen-year-old young boy who suffered from a sense of inferiority complex due to his acidburnt face. He never accepted himself like that and therefore, he was never able to reconcile himself with his physical disability. But there was a positive change in him when he came into association with Mr. Lamb. He was surprised to notice that Mr. Lamb, despite his physical impairment, was an optimistic and cheerful man. He never felt miserable or pitiable. He played with children and always kept the doors and windows of his house open so as to welcome everybody at all times. This left a deep impression on Derry’s mind. He liked the way Mr. Lamb took his disability and learnt how to deal with people and things that come in the path as hurdles. His attitude towards life took a turning point and he became a different man who wanted to meet the world with open arms like Mr. Lamb.
Question. Both Derry and Mr. Lamb suffer from handicaps, yet their attitude to life is totally different. Discuss.
Ans. Mr. Lamb and Derry both are handicapped. Mr. Lamb has a tin leg and Derry has a deformed face due to spilling of acid. But they differ in their attitude to life. Derry does not like people’s reactions and so withdraws and keeps himself isolated. On the other hand, Mr. Lamb is not much affected by his handicap. He enjoys reading and gardening. He accepts everything as it comes. Though both Derry and Mr. Lamb are in contrast to each other, Mr. Lamb inspires Derry and changes his attitude towards life.
Question. What benefits did Derry reap from his association with Mr. Lamb?
Ans. Derek(Derry), the fourteen years old boy was conscious of his ugly face and so he wanted to remain alone. He felt that people either ridiculed or pitied him. So, he developed a negative attitude towards life. But his brief association with Mr. Lamb inspired him to live life as it came. Mr. Lamb said that he had two ears, two eyes, two arms, two legs, a tongue and a brain like all the rest and if he chose, he could do better than all the rest.
