Chapter on-the-face-of-it: On The Face Of It | Summary

On the Face of It by Susan Hill is a deeply moving play that explores the themes of isolation, physical impairment, and the transformative power of human connection. The story revolves around two main characters: Derry, a defiant and withdrawn fourteen-year-old boy, and Mr. Lamb, an eccentric but optimistic old man. Derry suffers from a severe inferiority complex because one side of his face is heavily scarred by acid. He believes people are repulsed by his appearance, either pitying him or fearing him, which leads him to isolate himself from the world. One day, seeking solitude, Derry climbs over the wall into Mr. Lamb's garden, assuming it to be empty. However, he is surprised to find Mr. Lamb sitting there. Unlike the rest of the world, Mr. Lamb does not react with horror or unnatural pity to Derry's face. Instead, he engages the boy in a normal, welcoming conversation. Mr. Lamb reveals that he, too, has a physical disability; he lost a leg in a war and now uses a tin leg. He shares that neighborhood children sometimes tease him, calling him Lamey-Lamb, but he does not let it bother him. Through their interaction, Mr. Lamb imparts profound life lessons to Derry. He teaches the young boy to look at the world from a different perspective, emphasizing that everything God created has value. For instance, he points out that a weed and a flower are both living, growing plants, challenging the societal labels of beauty and ugliness. Mr. Lamb encourages Derry to stop dwelling on his burnt face and start living his life to the fullest, opening his eyes and ears to the beauty of the world, like the humming of bees or the falling of apples. He explains that keeping oneself locked away out of fear is worse than any physical injury, as it burns a person away from the inside. Slowly, Derry begins to shed his defensive shell and feels a sense of belonging in the garden. Despite his mother's strict warnings and fears about the old man, Derry decides to return to the garden to help Mr. Lamb pick crab apples. This decision marks a significant shift in his attitude, showing his newfound courage and desire to embrace life. Tragically, upon his return, Derry finds that Mr. Lamb has fallen from his ladder and passed away. Although the play ends on a poignant note, Mr. Lamb's brief association successfully brings about a permanent, positive change in Derry, leaving him ready to face the world.