ON THE FACE OF IT - Susan Hill - Class- XII -MODEL question -2020-HS

                ON  THE  FACE  OF  IT  - Susan Hill 

Short  Type  Questions  :

1. Why  aren't  there  any  curtains  at  the  windows  of  Mr.  Lamb's  house  

Ans :  There  are  not  curtains  at  the  windows  of  Mr.  Lamb's  house  because  Mr. Lamb  is  not  fond  of  them  .  He  thinks  curtains  shut  things  out  or  in  .  He  has  no  problem  with  light  or  darkness  and  he  likes  his  windows  open  to  hear  the  wind  . 

2. Why  and  how  did  Derry  enter  Mr. Lamb's  garden  ?  

Ans  :  Derry  entered  the  garden  by  climbing  over  the  garden  wall  .  He  thought  the  garden  was  empty  and  that nobody  was  there  in  the  house . 

3. Why  does  Derry  back  to  Mr. Lamb  in  the  end  ?  

Ans  :  Derry  went  back  to  Mr.  Lamb  in  the  end  because  he  wanted  to  help  Mr.  Lamb  with  his  crab  apples  and  to  look  at  things  and  listen  bees singing  and  Mr.  lamb  talking  .  He  felt  if  he  did  not  go  back  to  him  he  would  never  go  anywhere  in  this  world  again.

4. How  do  people  comment  so  painfully  about  Derry's  face  ?  And  why  ?  

Ans :  People  comment  that  Derry's  face  was  terrible  and  that  only  a  mother  could  love  such  a  face  . 
   It  was  because  one  side  of  Derry's  face  was  burnt  by  acid  leaving  a  horrible  scar  on  it  . 

5. Who   should  be  friends  ,  according  to  both  Derry  and  Mr.  Lamb ?  

Ans  :  According  to  both  Derry  and  Mr.  lamb  all  people  should  be  taken  as  friends  .  To  be  friends  it is  not  necessary  to  know  names  or  other  particulars  of  people  or  even  to  meet  him  regularly  .  People  who  never  see  each  other  can  also  retain  their  friendship .

6.   How  and  why  do  people  comment  so  painfully about  Derry's  face ? 

Ans :   People  comment  that  Derry's  face  was  terrible  and  that  only  a  mother  could  love  such  a  face  . 

   It  was  because  one  side  of  Derry's  face  was  burnt  by  acid  leaving  a  horrible  scar  on  it  . 

7.  What  is   that  draws  Derry  towards  Mr.  Lamb  in  spite  of  himself  ?  

Ans : Mr. Lamb's  way  of  looking  at  things  draws  Derry  slowly  but  surely  towards  him . His  way  of  looking  life  makes  Derry  realize  that  running  away  from  the  people  does  not  change  things  . He  also  makes  Derry  understand  that  it  does  not  matter  how  he  looks  like  but  what  really  matters  is  what  he  sees  , hears  , feels  and  thinks  .  He  also  makes  Derry  realize  that  in spite  of  his  burnt  face  he  is  in  no  way  less than  others  as  he  has  got  two  arms  ,  two  legs ,eyes , ears  , tongue  and  a  brain .  Mr.  Lamb's  words  restore  his  faith  in  himself  .  Derry  is  therefore  drawn  towards  Mr. Lamb  in spite  of  himself .  

Essay  Type  Questions  :  

1.  '  Though  both  Mr.  Lamb  and  Derry  suffer  from  a  physical  disability  , their  attitude  to  life  is  different  ' Justify  the  relevance  of  this  statement  with  reference  to  the  story  , " On  the  Face  of  it  "  

Ans  :  Both Derry and Mr. Lamb sufrer from physical deformity. Whi1e Derry has a one-side burnt face Mr. Lamb has a tin leg in. place of the real one which was blown off in the war. The physical deformity has not changed Mr. Lamb's outlook of his life and he has learnt live with his deformity. He even does not mind some people calling him '  Lamey-Lamb'. He enjoys life to the full. He keeps his house and garden open for all. 

 But Derry is very much conscious of his ugly face and feels that all people are afraid of his face. He thinks nobody can love his ugly face. That is why he avoids people and moves alone.. He suffers from an inferiority complex and makes his life miserable. He has lost his faith in himself and his capacity to enjoy life. His life is not made miserable by the scar of  his face but by the sense of alienation he himself has developed. 


2.  What  impression  do  you  from  of  Mr.  Lamb  ?  How  does  he  look  at  life  ?  

Ans  :  In  Mr.Lamb we find a lively person who accepts life as it comes to him. He is an old man with a leg of tin. But he has never seen it as a curse on 'his life. He has learnt to live with it. It no ways stands in his way of enjoying life. Though he lives alone he is really not alone for nature keeps his company. He finds beauty not only in flowers,but also in the weeds of his garden. He hears sweet music in the buzzing of bees.

He keeps this garden open for all. He even does not use curtains at the windows of the house. He looks at life in a positive way and finds beauty in everything. For him all people are his friends. He thinks that the beauty of the universe lives in its variety.Without it the world would be a dull place without thing to look at.