ON THE FACE OF IT, HS SECOND YEAR (ENGLISH)

 

ON THE FACE OF IT

 

Q. What did Derry think when he entered the garden?

Ans : When Derry entered the garden he thought that the garden was an empty place.

 

Q. How old was Derry?

Ans : Derry was fourteen years old.

 

Q. What are the sounds heard in Mr. Lamb's garden?

Ans : The singing of bees, sound of birdsong and the rustling of leaves are heard in Mr. Lamb's garden.

 

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

Ans : Mr. Lamb keeps his windows without curtains because he is not fond of curtains. He likes light and darkness. He keeps the windows open to hear the wind. Moreover, he keeps the doors and gates open because he is always ready to welcome visitors in his house. He does not want anyone to turn away from his house after watching the doors closed and locked.

 

Q. How does Mr. Lamb occupy himself in the house?

Ans : Mr. Lamb occupies himself in the house reading books. He tries to befriend whoever visits his house.

 

Q. How does Mr. Lamb lose his leg?

Ans : Mr. Lamb has a tin leg. One of his legs got blown off years back in the war. Though children call him lamey-lamb, yet that can never affect his self esteem and self worth.

 

Q. How and why did Derry enter Mr. Lamb's garden?

Ans : Derry entered the garden of Mr. Lamb climbing the garden wall.

          Derry was a very withdrawn and defiant boy by nature. He didn't like anyone's company. He thought of the garden as an empty place. That's why, he entered the garden.

 

Q. Why does Derry consider Mr. Lamb to be peculiar?

Ans: Derry considers Mr. Lamb to be a peculiar person since he talks about things no one ever did. Thus, he starts enjoying their conversation. Mr. Lamb keeps his gate open to welcome guests. He does not have curtains in the windows of his house. He does that to enjoy the company of the outside world. He likes light and darkness. He considers everyone who visits his garden as his friends but he doesn't know their names. Mr. Lamb has a completely positive attitude towards life. He never feels inferior due to his tin leg. The fact that he is a handicap can not shatter his confidence. He never minds when children call him lamey-lamb.

 

Q. How does Derry's burnt face affect his self esteem?
                 Or
     Why does Derry stay away from people?
 

Ans : Derry has a half burnt face. Because of his face he does not want to be in people's company. He develops a sense of self-hatred and thinks of himself as very ugly. Sometimes he overhears people talking about his face and his confidence gets eroded due to his face. Like most of the specially abled persons he becomes withdrawn and defiant. According to him he is not afraid of anyone. But people are afraid of him because of his half burnt face.

 

Q. What draws Derry towards Mr. Lamb?
                   Or
     What are the different ways in which Mr. Lamb tries to change Derry's attitude towards life?

                   Or
  "Though both Mr. Lamb and Derry suffer from physical disability yet their attitude to life is different" ---- justify.

 

Ans : Mr Lamb has a positive outlook towards life. He thinks everyone should celebrate life despite all the obstacles s/he faces in the journey of life. He has lost one of his legs in the war. But that has not been able to shatter his self esteem. Derry meets Mr Lamb when he enters the latter's garden. Derry has a half burnt face. Though acid has burnt his face but hatred of people has burnt his confidence. Derry and Mr Lamb have different attitudes towards life. Derry was withdrawn and prefers to stay away from people. But Mr Lamb loves to make friends. He was very welcoming. He even always keeps the gate and doors of his house open so that no one hesitates to enter his garden. Mr. Lamb says that everyone has different points of view for looking at the same thing. For some bees buzz, but for others bees sing. So, one should not be worried about what others think of him. What he thinks of himself and what he makes out of his life is more important than what others think of him. Mr Lamb also says that locking oneself up in a room or closing eyes from what is happening around can never be a solution to any problem. One should face life as it comes to him and should give a tough fight to all the odds of life. Life has many beautiful things to offer to people. So one should turn his face to the beautiful things of life. Mr. Lamb tells Derry that if he lets his confidence die then it would do him more harm than a bottle of acid. Such 'peculiar' conversation and words of encouragement draw Derry towards Mr. Lamb.

 

Q. What is the story associated with the man locked himself in a room?
   Or
    Mr Lamb told Derry the story of the man who hid himself in his room. Why did the man do so and what was the result?

 

Ans : Mr. Lamb tries to motivate Derry and says that locking oneself up in a room or closing eyes from what is happening around can never be a solution to any problem. In that context he tells him a story of a man who was afraid of everything in the world. He thought that a bus might run him over, or a man might breathe deadly, germs onto him, or a donkey might kick him to death, or lightning might strike him down or he might love a girl and the girl would leave him or he might slip on a banana skin and fall. So he went into his room and locked the door and got into his bed and stayed there. But after a while a picture fell off the wall onto his head and killed him. According to Mr. Lamb one should face life as it comes to him and should give a tough fight to all the odds of life.

 

Q. "You….fell…. I'm here... Mr. Lamb it's alright." What is the significance of the quoted lines?

Ans : Mr. Lamb turned Derry into a confident boy. Both had physical impairment. They had different approaches to life. Earlier Derry was withdrawn and defiant. Acid had not only burnt his face but killed his confidence too. When he first met Mr Lamb in the latter's garden Derry was very hesitant to open up. But Mr Lamb infused positivity in Derry saying that what one thinks of his own life is more important than what others think of him. Knowing that Derry wanted to keep himself away from the rest of the world, Mr. Lamb suggested that locking oneself up in a room or closing eyes from what is happening around can never be a solution to any problem. One should face life as it comes to him and should give a tough fight to all the odds of life. He was moved by the 'peculiar conversation' initiated by Mr. Lamb. Despite his mother's warning he again came to Mr. Lamb to listen to things that mattered to him, things that nobody else had ever said. When Derry entered Mr. Lamb's garden for the second time he saw that while climbing up the ladder to pluck apples suddenly Mr. Lamb lost balance and fell from the ladder and broke his neck and died. Derry had feared such a thing would happen if he didn't come to help him. That was a shock to Derry. Derry then began to weep.

 

Q. How does Mr. Lamb meet his end?

Ans: Though Derry promises Mr. Lamb to help in plucking the crab apples. But Mr. Lamb thinks Derry will not return. So he climbs up a ladder, steadies himself but suddenly he loses his balance. He falls from the ladder and breaks his neck. Thus Mr. Lamb meets his end.