Q.What does Mr. Lamb mean by 'They might, they might not'? (On the Face of It)

The question asks you to infer — to read between the lines of the extract, not just look at surface details. In Susan Hill’s play On the Face of It, Mr. Lamb is a character who lives alone with a leg and face scarred from burns. The key to answering lies in how he treats others, especially the bitter young boy Derry.

Let’s examine what the extract (and the play’s broader context) tells us.

1. Mr. Lamb’s immediate response to a stranger.

   When Derry first enters his garden, Mr. Lamb doesn’t shout or chase him away. Instead, he calls out cheerfully, “Hello. I’m Mr. Lamb.” He offers apples and starts a conversation. This is not the behaviour of a suspicious or unfriendly person — it’s open and welcoming.

2. He never judges or pities.

   Derry expects people to stare at his burnt face or make cruel remarks. Mr. Lamb does neither. He says, “I’m not interested in what you look like. I’m interested in what you are.” This shows he looks past appearances — a hallmark of genuine compassion.

3. He shares his own vulnerability without self-pity.

   Mr. Lamb shows Derry his own scars and says, “I’ve got a tin leg. And a face that’s not much to look at.” He doesn’t hide his disfigurement or use it to gain sympathy. Instead, he uses it to connect with Derry, showing that suffering can be faced with courage and openness.

4. He encourages Derry to change his outlook.

   Rather than offering empty comfort, Mr. Lamb challenges Derry’s bitterness. He says, “You can’t shut yourself away from the world because of a burnt face.” This is tough love — compassionate, not indulgent. He wants Derry to live fully, not hide.

In Susan Hill's play On the Face of It, Mr. Lamb is an old man who lost a leg in the war and now wears a tin leg; the local children nickname him 'Lamey-Lamb' and jeer at his limp. Their teasing is the casual cruelty children often show towards anyone who looks or moves differently — it is unthinking rather than deeply malicious.

Yet the same children come again and again into his garden, and the reason lies in what the garden gives them. It is full of crab apples they can pick and a large, open space where they can run and play. More importantly, Mr. Lamb deliberately keeps his gate open because he likes people to come in; he never chases the children away, never lectures them, and refuses to be wounded by their names, holding that words cannot really hurt him. An adult who welcomes them without conditions and lets them be themselves is a rare thing, and it draws them back despite the teasing.

In Susan Hill's On the Face of It, Derry is convinced that everyone who sees his acid-scarred face will be disgusted and turn away from him. He has built his whole outlook on the certainty of rejection. When he voices this fear, Mr. Lamb answers, calmly and more than once, 'They might, they might not.'

The phrase is a gentle challenge to Derry's fixed, hopeless thinking. Mr. Lamb does not deny that some people may indeed react with cruelty; he simply points out that Derry cannot know this for sure about everyone. For every person who stares, there may be another who does not care at all. By treating rejection as a possibility rather than a certainty, Mr. Lamb reopens a door that Derry has slammed shut. …

Mr. Lamb, in the chapter "On the Face of It," embodies a remarkable spirit of resilience and an inclusive philosophy towards life, despite his physical disability and the isolation it often brings. His character is defined by his ability to find beauty and purpose in everything around him, refusing to be limited by societal judgments or his own circumstances. This outlook is vividly illustrated through his attitude towards the "weeds" in his garden.

When Derry questions him about the weeds, Mr. Lamb doesn't dismiss them as unwanted nuisances. Instead, he offers a profound perspective that challenges the very notion of what constitutes a "weed" versus a "flower." He explains that the distinction is arbitrary, a human construct based on preference rather than inherent value. For him, a weed is simply a plant, just like a flower, and both are manifestations of life growing.

His garden itself serves as a metaphor for his worldview:

• Inclusivity: His garden is not meticulously manicured to exclude "weeds." Instead, it allows all forms of plant life to coexist and flourish, reflecting his open-door policy towards people and his acceptance of all aspects of existence.
• Rejection of Labels: Mr. Lamb consistently rejects superficial labels. Just as he doesn't differentiate between a "weed" and a "flower," he doesn't judge people based on their appearance or perceived flaws. He sees the inherent life and potential in everyone, including Derry, who feels disfigured.
• Celebration of Growth: For Mr. Lamb, the act of growing, in any form, is a celebration of life itself. Whether it's a cultivated rose or a wild nettle, each plant contributes to the vibrant tapestry of nature. He sees the same life force animating all of them.

In Susan Hill's play On the Face of It, Mr. Lamb is a character who has learned to live joyfully despite his own severe disability — a leg lost to a bomb blast. He meets Derry, a boy hideously scarred by acid, who has retreated into bitterness and self-pity. Derry sees himself as a 'monster' and believes the world sees him the same way. Mr. Lamb's entire approach is to shake Derry out of this fixed, negative view of himself.

When Mr. Lamb talks about flowers and weeds, he is not giving a gardening lesson. He is offering a metaphor for how we judge people — and ourselves. Derry has labelled himself a 'weed' — something ugly, unwanted, and worthless. Mr. Lamb refuses to accept that label. He points out that what one person calls a weed, another calls a flower. A dandelion is a weed to a gardener who wants a perfect lawn, but a child might see it as a beautiful yellow flower. A plant that is 'useless' in one context is 'valuable' in another.

The key point Mr. Lamb makes is that the distinction between flower and weed is not inherent in the plant itself — it is a human invention, based on what we want or expect. Similarly, the distinction between a 'normal' person and a 'disabled' person is not a fixed truth. It is a label we impose. Derry's scar is real, but the meaning he gives it — 'I am a monster' — is a choice, not a fact.

So when we look at the options given in the question: …