Question:
What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him? (from 'On the Face of It')
What qualities of Mr. Lamb attracted Derry to him? (from 'On the Face of It')
Updated On: Sep 24, 2026
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Solution and Explanation
Step 1: Recalling the Text:
In Susan Hill's 'On the Face of It', Derry, a teenage boy disfigured by acid burns and withdrawn from the world due to others' reactions, meets Mr. Lamb, an elderly man with an artificial leg who lives alone.
Step 2: Explaining the Attraction:
Mr. Lamb's cheerful, open-minded and accepting nature drew Derry in — unlike others, he never stared at or pitied Derry's face, treated him as a normal, capable individual, and shared his philosophy of embracing life fearlessly despite physical difference or others' judgment. His warmth, optimism, and willingness to genuinely listen gave Derry, for the first time, a sense of being accepted and understood.
Final Answer:
Mr. Lamb's positive, unprejudiced acceptance of Derry despite his disfigurement, his own resilience and optimism despite his disability, and his encouragement for Derry to live boldly rather than hide from the world, drew Derry to him and gave him a rare sense of being valued as he was.
In Susan Hill's 'On the Face of It', Derry, a teenage boy disfigured by acid burns and withdrawn from the world due to others' reactions, meets Mr. Lamb, an elderly man with an artificial leg who lives alone.
Step 2: Explaining the Attraction:
Mr. Lamb's cheerful, open-minded and accepting nature drew Derry in — unlike others, he never stared at or pitied Derry's face, treated him as a normal, capable individual, and shared his philosophy of embracing life fearlessly despite physical difference or others' judgment. His warmth, optimism, and willingness to genuinely listen gave Derry, for the first time, a sense of being accepted and understood.
Final Answer:
Mr. Lamb's positive, unprejudiced acceptance of Derry despite his disfigurement, his own resilience and optimism despite his disability, and his encouragement for Derry to live boldly rather than hide from the world, drew Derry to him and gave him a rare sense of being valued as he was.
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