On the Face of It

On the Face of It                                                                                                                                  By Susan Hill

 

Analysis :

·      The chapter ‘On The face of It’ is a one act play written by Susan Hill, an English author.

·      The story features an interesting debate between two different perspectives of life through the dialogue between Mr. Lamb who lost his leg in the world war and a boy, Derry whose face got burnt in an accident.

·      The story highlights mental condition of a boy and his viewpoint about the world which is sometime pitiful or scornful, and sometime indifferent towards the people who suffer from mental trauma due to some or the other reason, disclosing the truth that no matter how the world treats us, we need to face and accept the reality of our life bravely.

·      The story points out the pain of physical disability and its damaging impact on the young minds and their relationship with the world.

·      The plot centres on an intellectual dialogue between an old man who is mature enough to think positively about life and a 14 years old boy who is sad and disheartened enough to think bitter about the world. They are originally strangers in the beginning yet despite the difference in their perspective they develop a sweet relationship.

·  It discusses adolescent behaviour and its complexities namely escapism, irritation, misunderstanding and gloominess due to immaturity in this age. It expresses the state of a teenage boy’s mind who is constantly tormented by the world’s insensitivity and indifference.

·      It also highlights the sensibility and maturity of an old man who lost his leg in the world war despite the fact that he leads a life of loneliness, sadness and helplessness

·      The story clearly states that there are better ways to resolve struggles of life. Positive perspective can transform our life and make it more beautiful.

·      The chapter successfully gives a beautiful message of peace, love and positivity stressing upon the fact that we need to accept our reality.

 

Summary

The scene opens in the garden of Mr. Lamb where Derry walks in slowly and cautiously through Lamb who speaks to him and Derry is startled. He didn't know if there was anybody there. Mr. Lamb tries to make Derry comfortable saying that he can pick crab apples and need not go away. He doesn't mind who comes in the garden. The gate is always open. Derry did not need to climb over the wall of the garden. Derry says that he didn't come there for stealing. Mr. Lamb assures him that he need not to be afraid. Derry says that he is not afraid but people are afraid of him. They look at his face and find it terrible and ugly. Even when he himself looks at his face in the mirror, he is afraid of himself. Mr. Lamb says that he will get the ladder and a stick and pull down the crab apples. He makes jelly from them. Derry doesn't want Mr. Lamb to change the subject. He wants to talk about himself. Mr. Lamb thinks that perhaps Derry's face got burnt in a fire. Derry tells that in an accident the acid burnt up his face. Mr. Lamb says it doesn’t make them different.

Derry says that they are not similar. Mr Lamb is old. Derry is young. Derry has got a burned face. Lamb has got a tin leg. Similarly, one green plant is called a weed and another flower. It is all life. Lamb got his one leg blown off in war. Some kids call him "Lamey Lamb". But he doesn't mind it. He doesn't put on trousers to cover his leg as he accepts it. A tin leg or a burnt face are not the only things to be taken notice of or to be stared at. There are so many other things like crab apples, weeds and sunflowers. They deserve more attention. Mr Lamb enjoys life and people as much as he can.

Derry says that people have told him many fairy stories to console him saying that it is not important what "you look like". People tell these comforting lies only to console him. But Derry knows that he will not change. He will stay as a 'monstrous beast'. No one will kiss him ever. Only his mother kisses him but she too kisses on the other side of his face. He doesn't care if nobody ever kissed him. Mr Lamb asks Derry if he doesn't care to be kissed by pretty girls, girls with long hair and large eyes, and the people he loves. Derry replies that no one will ever kiss and love him. He is grieved that he won't ever look different. Even when he grows as old as Mr Lamb. He will still only have 'half a face'. Mr Lamb replies that Derry may have a 'half face' but the world has got a 'whole face'. He should look at it.

Derry is indulged in self pity and is obsessed with what people say and comment about him. People remind Derry that there are people even worse than him. He might be blind, dumb or mad by birth. Once, a woman looked at him and said to another woman, "Look at that terrible thing" telling that only a mother could love such a face. Mr Lamb advises Derry to keep his ears shut on such people and comments. Derry says that he doesn't like people passing cruel comments about him.

Mr Lamb reminds Derry that he can't lock himself up in a room and narrates the story of a man who was afraid of everything in the world. So he went into his room, locked the door and stayed there. One day, a picture fell off the wall on to his head and killed him. Mr Lamb says that he enjoys life as it comes. He sits in the sun and reads books. He is not fond of curtains. Mr Lamb motivates Derry saying that he has got two arms, eyes and ears, a tongue and also a brain. He can get on the way he wants, like rest of the world. And if he chooses, he can get on better than all the rest. Mr Lamb says that Derry can live the same way as he himself does. For him everybody is welcome. The gate is always open. Derry says that there are some people who hate him and if he comes in his garden, Mr. lamb may lose his friends. Mr Lamb says that hatred is more harmful than a bottle of acid. Derry gets up and prepares to go. He says he will come back. Mr Lamb says that generally people say so but never come back.

Derry comes home but his mother warns him not to go back there. Derry assures her that she need not fear. Only an old man with a tin leg lives there. He has a huge house and a velse has ever said. Derry runs to Mr Lamb's He is Mr Lamb. He says things nobody garden. He opens the garden gate. He cries that he has come back. Suddenly there is a sound of thud and crash. The ladder falls back, Mr Lamb also falls down with it. He dies. Derry begins to cry. He goes on crying “Lamey-Lamb ! I came back and wept bitterly.

Character Sketch of Derry

Derry is a boy of 14 years who suffers from inferiority complex. He got his face burnt in an accident. This makes him lonely and withdrawn. He avoids men and their company as he doesn't want their reactions and comments. He can't stand their cruel remarks. He comes to Mr. Lamb's garden and meets him there. It is a meeting of two minds with totally opposite view points. Derry is withdrawn. Mr. Lamb is very social.

Derry takes time to open up before Mr. Lamb. But he finds a patient listener in him. Mr. Lamb accepts life as it comes and tries to comfort others.

Mr. Lamb leaves the stamp of his personality on Derry. He shows the young boy the ways of the world. He motivates him to move forward in life and accept his reality bravely.

Character Sketch of Mr. Lamb

Mr. Lamb has a positive outlook towards life, people and things. He accepts life as it comes. He lives alone. But rarely he displays the sign of loneliness and disappointment on his face. He has a tin leg. One of his legs was blown off in the war. When Derry asks: "Does your leg hurt you?", Mr. Lamb confesses that his leg pains now and then, particularly in wet weather.

Mr. Lamb tries to overcome his loneliness by opening his heart to others. Whosoever comes in his garden, is welcome. He takes everything in his stride. He wants to have company and likes to talk to people. He has friends everywhere. Everybody knows him. Kids come for the apples, pears and toffees. There is nothing that doesn't interest him. He enjoys sitting in the sun and reading books. He doesn’t have curtain in his house. Life means growing to him. He grows apples, pears, weeds and flowers. So, such a person never feels lonely and disappointed.