On the Face of It — Class 12 English

Written by Susan Hill, this play deals with the theme of physical disability and the alienation it causes, showing that the real tragedy lies not in the impairment itself but in the loneliness and prejudice the disabled person faces. The play features the friendship that grows between Mr Lamb, an old man with a tin leg, and Derry, a withdrawn, defiant fourteen-year-old boy whose face has been badly disfigured by acid. Derry climbs the wall into Mr Lamb's garden, expecting it to be empty, and is startled to find the old man there. Derry is bitter and convinced that everyone is afraid of him and finds him ugly; even his mother kisses him only out of duty. Mr Lamb, who has himself faced taunts from children calling him 'Lamey-Lamb', refuses to pity Derry or treat him as different. Through his gentle, philosophical talk about weeds and flowers, bees that hum and sing, open windows, and the value of every living thing, Mr Lamb draws Derry out of his shell and teaches him that what matters is what one thinks and feels and does, not how one looks. Inspired, Derry resolves to return to help Mr Lamb with the crab apples, defying his protective mother who has heard ill of the old man. He runs back to the garden — only to find that Mr Lamb has fallen from the ladder while picking apples and lies dying. Derry, kneeling beside him, weeps. The play poignantly shows the power of acceptance and friendship, and the loneliness of those society shuns.