Question 4 - Chapter 5 - On the Face of It - Vistas - Chapters (Literature) - English Class 12

Read the extract and answer the following questions.

Extract:

MR LAMB: Ah, but do you care if you never kiss them. 

DERRY: What? MR LAMB: Girls. Pretty girls. Long hair and large eyes. People you love. DERRY: Who’d let me? Not one. 

MR LAMB: Who can tell?

 DERRY: I won’t ever look different. When I’m as old as you, I’ll look the same. I’ll still only have half a face. 

MR LAMB: So you will. But the world won’t. The world’s got a whole face, and the world’s there to be looked at. 

DERRY: Do you think this is the world? This old garden? 

MR LAMB: When I’m here. Not the only one. But the world, as much as anywhere. 

DERRY: Does your leg hurt you? 

MR LAMB: Tin doesn’t hurt, boy! DERRY: When it came off, did it?

(On The Face Of It)

Question (i)

What is the main conflict that Derry faces in the extract?

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 The main conflict that Derry faces in the extract is between his selfpity and Mr Lamb's optimism.

Step-by-step explanation:

• A conflict is a struggle or a problem that a character faces in a story.
• To identify the main conflict that Derry faces in the extract, we need to look for clues that indicate what he is struggling with and who or what is opposing him.
• Some clues that suggest that Derry faces a conflict between his selfpity and Mr Lamb's optimism are:
•    He says that he will never kiss girls, look different, or have people love him, which shows that he feels sorry for himself and his facial deformity.
•    He says that Mr Lamb's garden is not the world, which shows that he does not share Mr Lamb's view of life and nature.
•    He asks Mr Lamb if his leg hurts him, which shows that he is curious about how Mr Lamb copes with his disability.
•    Mr Lamb says that girls, pretty girls, people you love, and the world are there to be looked at, which shows that he is optimistic and hopeful about life and nature.
•    Mr Lamb says that tin does not hurt, which shows that he does not let his disability affect him or his happiness.

Question (ii)

 How does Mr Lamb try to cheer up Derry in the extract?

1. By telling him a joke
2. By giving him a gift
3. By showing him a picture
4. By asking him a question

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

(d) By asking him a question

Step-by-step explanation:

• To answer this question, we need to look for evidence in the extract that supports one of the given options.
• The option that is supported by the extract is D. By asking him a question.
• Some evidence that shows how Mr Lamb tries to cheer up Derry by asking him a question are:
•    He asks him if he cares if he never kisses girls, which shows that he wants to make him think about his future and his desires.
•    He asks him who can tell if anyone will love him, which shows that he wants to make him hopeful and openminded about his possibilities.
•    He asks him who'd let him kiss them, which shows that he wants to make him laugh and lighten up his mood.

Question (iii)

Complete the sentence appropriately.

The extract belongs to the genre of _______________.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

The extract belongs to the genre of realistic fiction.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The genre of a text is the category or type of literature that it belongs to, based on its form, style, content, and theme.
• To identify the genre of the extract, we need to look for clues that indicate its characteristics and features.
• Some clues that suggest that the extract belongs to the genre of realistic fiction are:
•    The use of dialogue and narration , which are common features of fiction texts.
•    The focus on contemporary issues and problems , such as disability, prejudice, loneliness, etc., which are typical of realistic fiction texts.
•    The portrayal of believable characters and situations, such as Mr Lamb and Derry's conversation in the garden, which create a sense of realism and authenticity.

Question (iv)

Give one reason why the extract can be called an insightful introduction to the characters.

Answer:

Answer as written by the student:

 One reason why the extract can be called an insightful introduction to the characters is that it reveals their personalities and backgrounds through their dialogue.

Step-by-step explanation:

• Insightful means having or showing a deep understanding of something or someone.
• To explain why the extract can be called an insightful introduction to the characters, we need to give an example of how it reveals their personalities and backgrounds through their dialogue.
• One example of how the extract does this is:
•    It reveals Mr Lamb's personality and background through his words: he is friendly and cheerful; he likes gardening and making jelly; he has a tin leg; he lost his leg in a bomb blast during a war (this is implied by his name "LameyLamb").
•    It reveals Derry's personality and background through his words: he is bitter and insecure; he hates his burnt face; he has no friends or family; he ran away from home (this is implied by his name "Derry", which sounds like "dare").👂