Question

Read the following extract and solve the following.

Derry:	What they think.
Mr Lamb:	What do they think, then?
Derry:	You think... ‘Here’s a boy.’ You look at me... and then you see my face and you think. ‘That’s bad. That’s a terrible thing. That’s the ugliest thing I ever saw.’ You think, ‘Poor boy.’ But I’m not. Not poor. Underneath, you are afraid. Anybody would be. I am. When I look in the mirror, and see it, I’m afraid of me.
Mr Lamb:	No, Not the whole of you. Not of you.
Derry:	Yes!

I. What does Mr. Lamb mean when he says, “No. Not the whole of you. Not of you”?     (1)

II. What might Derry be thinking during the pause after he insists, “Yes!”?     (1)
Choose the most appropriate option:

1. “Why doesn’t he understand me?”
2. “He’s pretending to care like everyone else.”
3. “Maybe he really sees more than just my face.”
4. “I should leave. He doesn’t get it.”

III. Fill in the blank with a suitable word:     (1)

Mr. Lamb’s response suggests that he sees Derry’s face as only one ______ of who he is.

IV. What does this exchange reveal about the emotional distance Derry feels and Mr. Lamb’s attempt to bridge it?     (1)

Answer 1

1. Mr. Lamb means that Derry’s appearance is not his whole identity. He sees beyond the scarred face to the person within and wants Derry to understand that he is more than what people see on the surface.
2. “Maybe he really sees more than just my face.”
3. Mr. Lamb’s response suggests that he sees Derry’s face as only one aspect of who he is.
4. The exchange reveals that Derry feels deeply misunderstood and defined by his appearance, while Mr. Lamb tries to connect with him on a human level by challenging Derry’s belief that no one can see beyond his scar.