chapter - at the face of it

1. “ON THE FACE OF IT”
Submitted To- Mr. Jagroop Singh
Submitted By- Roopjot Kaur

2. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my project guide and
english teacher “Mr. Jagroop Singh” for their invaluable guidance and
unwavering support throughout the duration of this project. I would
like to acknowledge the contributions of our Principal Sir ‘Mr.
Chander Shekhar’, our respected coordinator mam “Mrs. Sukhjit
Kaur”, and honorable manager mam ‘Mrs. Manpreet Kaur Dhaliwal’,
who gave me this golden opportunity to do this wonderful project. I
would also like to thanks my parents who helped me a lot in
finalizing the project within the limited time frame.

3. CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that “Roopjot Kaur” student of class +2 of Jatindera Greenfield
School has satisfactorily completed the required English Project work on Topic-
‘On The Face Of It’ under the guidance of “Mr. Jagroop Singh”.
Student’s Signature-
Teacher’s Signature-
Examiner’s Signature-

4. CRÉDITOS: Este modelo foi criado pelo Slidesgo, e inclui ícones do
Flaticon, e infográficos e imagens da Freepik
INDEX
 Introduction
 About the Author
 Theme
 Title
 Characters
 Summary
 Message
 Person With Abilities
 Questionnaire
 Conclusion
 Biblography

5. INTRODUCTION
“On the Face of It” is a play by Susan Hill that explores the themes
of appearance versus reality, the nature of friendship, and the
importance of looking beyond the surface to see what lies beneath.
The play tells the story of an unlikely friendship between an old
man and a young boy who is very withdrawn and defiant. The
boy, Derry, has a disfigured face due to an acid burn, and he is
conscious of the fact that his ugliness is revolting to others. He
suffers from an inferiority complex and becomes too arrogant,
usually avoiding any social interaction. He heard people using
nasty comments about him and so bears a grudge towards the
entire society. Derry starts listening to Mr. Lamb because Mr.
Lamb was also handicapped. It is only when Mr. Lamb bestowed
on his love, trust and generosity that his mindset started changing.
Due to the wise words of Mr. Lamb, Derry transformed
completely.

6. Susan Hill (February 5, 1942 ) is an English
author of fiction and non-fiction works. Hill
has won several awards for her literary
works, including the Somerset Maugham
Award in 1971 for “I’m the King of the
Castle”. In “On the Face of It”, Hill explores
the themes of appearance versus reality, the
nature of friendship, and the importance of
looking beyond the surface to see what lies
beneath. Hill’s writing style is known for its
vivid descriptions and attention to detail.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

7. “On the Face of It” is a play written by Susan Hill that deals with the
theme of overcoming isolation and prejudice. The story revolves
around two characters, Mr. Lamb and Derry, who are both physically
impaired and suffer from loneliness and mental anguish. The play
highlights how appearances can be deceptive and how people often
form impressions and prejudices about others without bothering to
know them. The play emphasizes that people should not be judged
based on their physical appearance, but rather on their character and
actions.
THEME

8. TITLE
The title of the chapter “On the Face of It” is an idiomatic
expression that means “based on what is known or seems
to be true at first glance”. It is often used to describe a
situation that appears to be one way, but may have hidden
costs or complications.
In the context of the play, the title “On the Face of It” is
used to suggest that appearances can be deceiving and that
people should look beyond the surface to see what lies
beneath. The play explores the themes of appearance
versus reality, the nature of friendship, and the importance
of looking beyond the surface to see what lies beneath.

9. CHARACTERS
The play “On the Face of It” by
Susan Hill revolves around two
main characters, Derry and
Mr. Lamb.

10. Derry is a fourteen-year-old boy who is
disfigured and ugly because half of his face
was burnt due to spilling of acid on one side of
his face. He is conscious of the fact that his
ugliness is revolting to others and so,
everybody wants to ignore him or pity him. He
suffers from inferiority complex and becomes
too arrogant, usually avoiding any social
interaction. He heard people using nasty
comments about him and so bears a grudge
towards the entire society. He suspects
everyone and lacks trust. It is only when Mr.
Lamb bestowed on his love, trust and
generosity that his mindset started changing.
Due to the wise words of Mr. Lamb, Derry
transformed completely.
Mr. Lamb is an old man who lives alone in a
big house with a big lawn. He is
handicapped, having lost his leg in a bomb
explosion during the war. He is very
optimistic and his openness is reflected
through the open doors and windows of his
house. He makes toffees, jam and jelly to
attract people. He grows crab apples and is
never perturbed at being called ‘Lamey
Lamb’. Mr. Lamb accepted his handicap in a
very matured manner. He is a great
motivator and encourages Derry to look at
everything in a positive way. He is a patient
listener and holds a positive attitude towards
life. He fills Derry with confidence and has a
great love for life.
DERRY Mr. LAMB

11. SUMMARY
“On the Face of It” is a play written by Susan Hill that
tells the story of an unlikely friendship between an old
man and a young boy who is very withdrawn and defiant.
The boy, Derry, has a disfigured face due to an acid burn,
and he is conscious of the fact that his ugliness is revolting
to others. He suffers from an inferiority complex and
becomes too arrogant, usually avoiding any social
interaction. He heard people using nasty comments about
him and so bears a grudge towards the entire society.
Derry starts listening to Mr. Lamb because Mr. Lamb was
also handicapped. It is only when Mr. Lamb bestowed on
his love, trust and generosity that his mindset started
changing. Due to the wise words of Mr. Lamb, Derry
transformed completely.

12. The moral of the play is that scars do not change a person and
handicaps must be accepted by individuals and society. The
moral is very loud and clear that people who are physically
disabled should not be isolated, we should help them expand
their social interactions and help them fight loneliness,
depression and disappointment. Mr. Lamb tells Derry that it all
depends upon people’s individual perceptions. A thing is a
beauty for one while that beauty may be a beast for others.
The play is a beautiful reminder that people should not be
judged based on their physical appearance, but rather on their
character and actions.
MORAL MESSAGE

13. The term “disabled persons” refers to individuals who
have a physical, mental, or sensory impairment that
may hinder their full and effective participation in
society on an equal basis with others. According to the
World Health Organization, an estimated 1.3 billion
people or 16% of the global population experience a
significant disability today. In India, the Department of
Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment facilitates
empowerment of the persons with disabilities, who as
per Census 2011 are 2.68 crore and are 2.21 percent of
the total population of the Country.
PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

14. INCLUSIVITY OF
DIFFERENTLY ABLED
In the context of differently-abled individuals, inclusivity
means creating an environment that is accessible and
accommodating to people with disabilities. This can include
making physical spaces accessible, providing assistive
technology, and offering accommodations such as sign
language interpreters or captioning services. Inclusive
practices can also involve creating policies and procedures
that are designed to be accessible to everyone, regardless of
their abilities.

15. QUESTIONNAIRE
 What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him?
 What did Derry’s mother think of Mr. Lamb?
 What consolation did people give when they saw Derry’s acid burnt face?
 Mr. Lamb told Derry the story of a man who hid himself in his room.
Why did the man do so and with what result?
 Why does Mr. Lamb leave his gate always open?
 How does Mr. Lamb keep himself busy when it is a bit cool?
 What peculiar things does Derry notice about the old man, Lamb?

16. CRÉDITOS: Este modelo foi criado pelo Slidesgo, e inclui ícones do
Flaticon, e infográficos e imagens da Freepik
CONCLUSION
The writer wants to say that we should
never feel shame on our appearance.
Also, we should be positive and optimistic
about ourselves.

17. BIBLOGRAPHY
 www.google.com
 www.bingchat.com
 www.slideshare.net
 www.ncert.nic.in

18. THANKS