Mind Map: A Letter to God

 

Key Points of the Story

• The story "A Letter to God" was penned by G.L. Fuentes, a prominent Mexican writer known for his contributions in poetry, novels, and journalism during that era. 
• The narrative unfolds in a Latin American setting, focusing on Lencho, a farmer who faces a crisis when his entire crop is destroyed by a hailstorm. 
• Seeking divine intervention, Lencho writes a letter to God. 
• Although his prayers are partially answered, he remains unappreciative and questions the integrity of the postmasters who anonymously provide financial aid in the name of God.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: What is the main conflict faced by Lencho in the story "A Letter to God"?

A

His house is destroyed by a hailstorm.

CORRECT ANSWER

B

His entire crop is destroyed by a hailstorm.

C

He loses his job and becomes homeless.

D

He falls ill and cannot work on his farm.

Correct Answer: B

- The main conflict faced by Lencho in the story is the destruction of his entire crop by a hailstorm.

- This crisis leaves him in a desperate situation as his livelihood depends on the success of his crop.

- The hailstorm not only causes financial hardship for Lencho but also tests his faith in God.

- It is this conflict that leads Lencho to write a letter to God, seeking divine intervention and assistance.

- Therefore, option B is the correct answer as it accurately represents the main conflict faced by Lencho in the story.

Detailed Summary

Lencho was a dedicated farmer. He was expecting a decent harvest. However, to his grief, a hailstorm came and destroyed his harvest completely. Lencho was very sad. 

However, he had a strong belief in God. He was certain that God would help him. Also, he was an extremely straightforward man. Although working for a long time on the farm, he knew writing. Thus, he composed a letter to God. In the letter, he asked God to send him one hundred pesos. At that point, he went to the post office and put his letter into the post box.

The postman removed the letter from the letterbox. He read the address on it and laughed very much. Also, he rushed to the postmaster and demonstrated to him that strange letter. Moreover, the postmaster also laughed in the same way when he saw the address of God. However, on reading the letter, he got very serious. He lauded this man who had unquestioned faith in God and decided to help him in terms of money. He asked the employees of the post office to give charity. Moreover, he gave a part of his salary too. However, they were able to collect only a little more than half the money as requested by Lencho. The postmaster put the money in an envelope. It was addressed to Lencho.

On Sunday, Lencho once again came to the post office. He asked if there was a letter for him. The postman took out the letter and handed it to Lencho. Lencho was not surprised after seeing the money. But when he counted the money, he became angry with God. He was sure that God could not have made a mistake. He took paper and ink and wrote one more letter to God. Then he put it into the letterbox.

After Lencho had left the place, the postmaster and the employees read the letter. In it, Lencho had complained to God that he had received only seventy pesos. Also, he requested God to send him the rest of the money this time. However, he asked God not to send the money through the mail. He wrote that the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks and thus might have stolen the money.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: What was Lencho's reaction when he received the money from the postmaster?

A

He was grateful and thanked God for the help.

CORRECT ANSWER

B

He was disappointed and felt that God Could not have made a mistake.

C

He was surprised by the money he got and thanked the postmaster.

D

He was indifferent and did not pay much attention to the money.

Correct Answer: B

- Lencho was disappointed and angry when he counted the money and found that he had received only seventy pesos instead of the one hundred pesos he had requested.

- He believed that God could not have made a mistake and questioned the integrity of the postmaster and employees, thinking they might have stolen the rest of the money.

Theme/ Message 

Theme

• The main themes in this story are faith, hope, and the power of nature.
• The story is about a farmer named Lencho who experiences a hailstorm that destroys his crops, leaving him with no hope of feeding his family. Despite this, Lencho remains hopeful that God will help him, and he writes a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to help him plant his fields again.
• The story highlights the power of faith and how it can provide hope in times of adversity. Additionally, the story explores the power of nature, as the hailstorm wreaks havoc on Lencho's crops, highlighting the unpredictability and destructive potential of the natural world.
• Finally, the story touches on themes of charity and the kindness of strangers, as the postmaster and his colleagues come together to help Lencho in his time of need, even though they cannot give him everything he asks for.

Message

• The message of the story is that faith and belief can move mountains. Lencho's faith in God is unshakable, and he believes that God will help him no matter what. 
• The postmaster's act of kindness shows that even in difficult times, people can come together to help each other.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: What is the main message conveyed in the story?

A

The power of nature can be destructive.

CORRECT ANSWER

B

Faith and belief can provide hope in difficult times.

C

Strangers are always willing to help those in need.

D

Lencho's farming techniques were ineffective.

Correct Answer: B

- The story emphasizes the importance of having faith and belief in times of adversity.

- It highlights how Lencho's unwavering faith in God helped him remain hopeful despite facing challenges.

- The message conveyed is that having faith can provide strength and hope even in difficult situations.

Difficult Words

• Crest - top of a hill 
• Downpour - heavy rain 
• Intimately - thoroughly 
• Curtain - covering like a drape
• Expression - an aspect of the face 
• Plague - cause of disaster 
• Predict - say in advance 
• Amiable - kind-hearted 
• Conscience - moral sense of right/wrong
• Charity - benefaction 
• Contentment - satisfaction 
• Comment  - remark 
• Blow - hard stroke with fist 
• Crook - rogue/swindler 

Character Sketch: A Letter to God

Character Sketch of Lencho

Lencho was a hardworking farmer, described as "an ox of a man" due to his strength and determination. A man with minimal resources, he earned his living by cultivating his fields. He had immense faith in God. He thought that God always helped those who had a good conscience. He therefore sought help from God when he and his family reached the point of hunger and he had lost all hope.Even the postmaster was moved by his strong religious convictions and decided to help. Although he was a farmer, Lencho had enough education to compose a letter. He demonstrated his purity by making an effort to communicate with God directly.

He had a firm belief in God, but he had a tendency to doubt people's intentions. He never tried to find out who had sent him those 70 pesos to help him. It was rather ironic that he humiliated his helpers by calling them "a bunch of crooks."

• Devout - Lencho is deeply religious and has a strong faith in God, which is evident in his letter to God for help in the story.
• Honest - Lencho is an honest man who never cheats or lies, as evidenced by his trust in the postman to deliver his letter to God.
• Simple - Lencho is a simple man who leads a simple life and has simple aspirations, which is shown in his letter to God asking for just enough money to survive.
• Determined - Lencho is a determined man who does not give up easily, as seen in his unwavering belief in God's ability to provide him with the help he needs.

Character Sketch of the Postmaster

The postmaster had a very pleasant and humble personality. He read the letter upon discovering that someone had addressed it to God and was greatly affected and impressed by Lencho's trust in God. He was very well aware that God does not have a physical address to which he could deliver Lencho's letter, so he decided to support Lencho and retain his faith in God, by sending financial assistance. He collected 70 pesos from his staff members and also sent Lencho a portion of his pay as a contribution. But the postmaster was saddened after reading Lencho's second letter in which he had complained to God about the people working in the post office. The postmaster's good intention received a setback when Lencho doubts them.

• Dutiful - The postmaster takes his job seriously and is dedicated to his duty.
• Empathetic - Despite being initially surprised by Lencho's letter to God, the postmaster shows kindness towards Lencho's situation and tries to help him.
• Pragmatic - The postmaster understands the limitations of the system and makes a sensible decision to collect money from his mates to help Lencho.
• Helpful - The postmaster goes out of his way to collect money from his mates to help Lencho, even though he is not required to do so.
• God Fearing- He does not want Lencho to lose his Faith in God.

Character Sketch of Post Office Employees

The post-office employees make every effort to help Lencho. They believed that only an innocent and foolish farmer could write a letter to God. They were considerate and full of compassion. They wondered at the faith of the man who wrote that letter. But they contributed something for an 'act of charity'. They couldn't collect the full hundred pesos but managed to send seventy pesos to Lencho. Only a single word was written as a signature: 'God'.

Long Answer Questions: A Letter to God

Q1: Lencho received the money and a letter from God but still, he was not happy. Was it not in his attitude to be happy with what he achieved? Did he not know the pleasure of being grateful to others? Reflecting on the values required to lead a happy life, explain in about 100-120 words.

Ans: Lencho's reaction to the money he received shows a mixture of deep faith and single-mindedness rather than ingratitude. He believed so firmly that God would send exactly 100 pesos that, when he found only 70 pesos, he was angry - not at God, but at the human agency he imagined had interfered. To lead a happy life one needs faith, but also gratitude, openness to others' help, and the ability to accept imperfect outcomes without resentment. Contentment, humility and thankfulness help people appreciate kindness and build lasting relationships. Lencho's innocence and optimism are admirable, but greater gratitude and an awareness of human limitations would have made him happier.

Q2: The postmaster represents such people who still believe in helping others mention those values of the postmaster which you would like to emulate in yourself.

Ans: The postmaster was a kind, helpful, amiable(friendly) and God-fearing man. He received a letter from Lencho which was written to God asking for 100 pesos so that he could sow his fields again. The postman felt sympathetic(liking) towards Lencho. He decided to help Lencho. He gave up a part of his salary and asked all other employees to help. Even friends were made to contribute to the cause of charity(help in the form of money) and he managed to collect 70 pesos. He sent the money to Lencho along with a reply. He did so in order to preserve the man's faith in God. This shows the postmaster was a nice man at heart.

Q3: "If you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year." Lencho had faith in God but he didn't manage to solve the problem by himself. Did he lack the courage to resolve his matter himself? What values did he lack?

Ans: Lencho did not lack courage; he was a hardworking, determined farmer who had no resources left after the crop was ruined. His decision to write to God reflects desperation rather than cowardice. What he lacked were financial means, broader knowledge of human society and perhaps practical problem-solving options. He also showed a limited understanding of human nature: he trusted divine help but did not consider asking neighbours or authorities for practical aid. His simplicity and innocence left him dependent on faith rather than on a wider range of solutions.

Q4: Show Lencho's faith and confidence in God with examples from the lesson.

Ans: Lencho's faith is shown in his single hope: "the help of God," whose eyes, he believed, "see everything." He addressed and posted a letter marked "To God," convinced it would be read and answered. On receiving the money he showed no surprise that God had answered, and when thirty pesos were missing he still did not doubt God; instead, he blamed the post-office employees. These actions demonstrate his unshakeable belief that God watches over and helps those of clear conscience.

Q5: Give the character sketch of Lencho.

Or

"I wish I had the faith of the man." Describe Lencho's character in light of the above statements.

Ans: Lencho is a simple, hardworking farmer, steady and strong like an ox. He knows farming well and understands the importance of timely rain for a good crop. He is literate enough to write a letter, yet his thoughts are plain and direct. His chief quality is an unshaken faith in God; he believes that God will help those with a pure conscience. He is devoted to his family and deeply anxious when their livelihood is threatened. At the same time, his innocence limits his understanding of people's motives, which leads him to misjudge those who actually helped him.

Q6: Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Who received the letter and what did he do?

Ans: Lencho was a hard-working farmer. He was expecting a good harvest. But unfortunately, a hail storm came and destroyed his crop completely. Now he had nothing to support the family. He had no money to purchase the seed for sowing. But he had a firm faith in God. He believed that God would help him. He was a simple man. He Wrote a letter to God. He asked God to send him a hundred pesos. He wanted this money in order to sow seeds again and to live until the next harvest season.

Lencho went to town and posted the letter. At the post office, a postman took out the letter from the letterbox. He read the address on it and had a good laugh. He showed the letter to the postmaster and was greatly impressed by the faith of Lencho. He did not want to shake Lencho's faith in God. He collected money from his employees. He put this money into an envelope and addressed it to Lencho.

Q7: (i) What did the postmaster need to answer the letter? How did he collect it?

(ii) How did Lencho react to help?

Ans: (i) The postmaster realised that goodwill alone would not help Lencho; what was needed was money. He therefore collected contributions from the post office staff and added a portion of his own salary. Altogether they managed to gather seventy pesos, which the postmaster placed in an envelope addressed to Lencho and mailed with the signature "God."

(ii) When Lencho received the envelope and counted the money, he found only seventy pesos. Certain that God would not make such a mistake, he assumed that the post office employees had taken the remaining thirty pesos. He then wrote another letter to God asking for the rest of the money and warning God not to send it through the post, calling the employees "a bunch of crooks."

Q8: How do you think the postmaster felt when he received Lencho's second letter? What do you think he did?

Ans: The postmaster would most likely have felt a mixture of surprise and hurt on reading Lencho's second letter. He had acted kindly and in secret to protect Lencho's faith, yet was called a crook by the same man. He may have been saddened that his good deed was misunderstood, but he probably accepted it as the price of preserving the farmer's belief. Most likely he continued to regard the episode as evidence of Lencho's innocence rather than as an insult, and he would not have publicised his role in helping him.

Q9: Write the story of Lencho's faith in God.

Or

Write a brief summary of the story 'A Letter to God'.

Ans: Lencho, a simple and hardworking farmer, had his crop destroyed by a sudden hailstorm and feared starvation. Trusting only in God, he wrote a letter asking for one hundred pesos to sow his fields again and survive until the next harvest. The postmaster, moved by Lencho's faith, collected seventy pesos from his staff and sent it, signing the envelope "God." On receiving the money, Lencho was angry because thirty pesos were missing; he blamed the post office employees and wrote again to God requesting the remainder, asking that it not be sent through the mail. The episode highlights Lencho's faith, innocence, and the irony of human kindness being misunderstood.

Q10: Lencho described the post-office employees as a 'bunch of crooks'. Were they really a bunch of crooks? How would you describe them?

Ans: A crook is a person who cheats on others. He earns his living by dishonest means. Lencho requested God for 100 pesos. He received a letter in the mail. When he opened it he found 70 pesos in it. He thought that the post-office employees had taken the rest of the 30 pesos. So he called them a bunch of crooks. But in fact, they were kind and generous people. They did not want to shake Lencho 's faith in God. So they raised money to help him. But they could not raise 100 pesos. So they put 70 pesos in an envelope and addressed it to Lencho. The post-office employees were good people. They did an act of kindness and Charity. It was wrong for Lencho to call them a 'bunch of crooks'.

Q11: Why did Lencho need God's help?

Ans: Lencho was a simple farmer. He was very hard-working. His crops had always been good. One year, he wished that there would be some rain so that his crop would be better. Lencho was sure that the rain would come. In the evening it started raining. But soon the rain changed into a hailstorm. The hail fell on the house, the garden, the hillside and the corn field. The field looked white as if it had been covered with salt. No leaves were left on the trees. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho's crops were completely destroyed. His heart was filled with sorrow. But he had faith in God. He was sure that God would help him. He wanted God's help for sowing seed and for living until the next harvest.

Q12: Describe Lencho as a farmer. How did the rain gladden(filled with happiness) his heart but the heavy hailstones that followed left him a worried man?

Ans: Lencho was a farmer who lived in a house that was on the top of a small hill. From that height, he could see the river and its fields. Lencho was an 'ox' of a man (strong man). He is a strong and hardworking farmer. The only thing the earth and the fields needed was heavy rain. At least, a shower was very necessary. Lencho's older boys were working in the field. He could see huge mountains of clouds in the north-east. It gladdened his heart. As predicted by him, big drops of rain began to fall. The raindrops were like 'new coins'.

Unfortunately, Lencho's happiness was short-lived. Suddenly a strong wind began to blow. Along with the rain, very large hailstones began to fall. Within an hour the house, the garden, the hillside, and the fields were covered with a white sheet of hailstones. The leaves, trees and the flowers were destroyed. The hail had nothing left. The corn was totally destroyed. That year they would have no corn. They would survive on the mercy of God. All such dismal(depression) prospects worried Lencho.

Q13: What circumstances made Lencho write a letter to God? What does this act show about him?

Ans: The rain did come but came with disastrous(causing great damage) hailstones that ruined(destroyed) everything. The leaves, plants, and flowers were ruined. The corn was totally destroyed. The hail had nothing left. That year Lencho and his family would have no corn. They would be on the verge of starvation. All such dismal(depression) prospects worried Lencho. There was only one hope- help from God.

Lencho and his wife were highly religious and had unshaken faith in God. They believed in God's mercy and also believed that 'no one dies of hunger'. So, Lencho decided to write a letter to God. He wrote that he needed immediate help. He wrote that without God's help, his family would face starvation. He needed a hundred pesos in order to sow his fields and live until the fresh crop came. He wrote the letter and wrote 'To God' on the envelope and dropped it into the mailbox.

Q14: Writing a letter to God for help really shows not only the unshaken faith in God of the writer Lencho but also shows his utter simplicity and innocence. Comment.

Ans: Lencho was a simple and hardworking farmer who worked like an ox in his fields. When the heavy fall of hailstones destroyed his corn totally, he and his family were rather on the verge of starvation. He was left with one hope, help from God. He believed that God was all-merciful and heard the call of those who were of a clear conscience. He requested him to send a hundred pesos immediately to help him to sow his fields. He and his family also needed some money to live on until the fresh crop came.

Writing a letter to God and addressing it `To God' shows the writer's unshaken faith in God. He was a simple man not distrusting that such a letter could reach God. His innocence and firm belief in God's mercy even deeply impressed and influenced the postmaster who decided to answer his letter. He didn't want to shake the writer's faith in God. He collected and sent 70 pesos as help signing the letter with one word, 'God'. Lencho had so much faith in God and his mercy that he didn't show any surprise when he received the money sent to him. He wrote another letter requesting him to send the rest of the money immediately but not through the postal mail as the post office employees were a 'bunch of crooks'.

Q15: Why did the postmaster and his employees decide to help Lencho? Was their effort appreciated by the receiver of that help?

Ans: Lencho was a simple-hearted farmer who had tremendous faith in God. The heavy hailstones destroyed his corn. There was only one hope - help from God. So, Lencho wrote a letter to God describing his and his family's miserable condition. He requested for a hundred pesos to help in sowing the crop and living till the next crop came. The postmaster himself, a generous man, first laughed at the idea of Lencho's having a correspondence with God. However, he soon became serious. He was highly impressed by Lencho's unshaken faith in God. He didn't want to break his faith in God. So he decided to answer the letter and help Lencho. He needed something more than goodwill. He asked his employees to collect money for this cause. He also contributed a part of his salary. All in all, they collected 70 pesos. The postmaster put the money in an envelope and mailed it to Lencho. He wrote a single word as a signature, God. Ironically, this noble act of charity by the postmaster and employees was not appreciated by Lencho. On the contrary, he called them 'a bunch of crooks' who embezzled the remaining 30 pesos. He never knew who the real helpers were . He only wrote God not to send the remaining 30 pesos through the mail as the post office employees were a 'bunch of crooks'.

Q16: Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? Describe the ironic ending of the story.

Ans: Lencho's faith in God was complete and unshaken. When he lost all hopes, he looked towards God for help. And he was sure that God would come to the help of a simple man of clear conscience(values) like him. So, when he saw the money, he was not at all surprised as he had been waiting for it. But when he counted the money, he became angry. He was sure that someone had stolen thirty pesos out of the hundred sent by God. Who could be they except the employees at the post office? Therefore, he wrote a second letter to God to send him the rest of the money immediately. He asked him not to send money through the mail as the post office employees were a 'bunch of crooks.'

The situation at the end becomes quite ironic. It is ironic that men who collected pesos to help Lencho were called `a bunch of crooks, by him. He couldn't know till the end who had really sent that money.

Q17: Draw a character sketch of Lencho, the farmer in about 120-150 words.

Ans: Lencho was a simple man as farmers usually are everywhere. He was a man of limited means and earned his living by farming his fields. His older sons helped him in farming activities. His wife did the same but also managed the kitchen and other household works. Lencho was highly religious. So was his wife. He had unshaken faith in God. He believed that God always helps people with a clear conscience. Therefore, when he lost all hopes and he and his family were on the verge of starvation, he looked towards God for help. His deep faith in God even impressed the postmaster who decided to help him. He was strong and sturdy like an ox. Not only that, he worked day and night in the fields. Being a farmer, he had a deep knowledge about the weather, the winds and the rains of his region.

He was simple-hearted. He was rustic and inhabitable and thought. He was a little educated to write a letter. He shows his innocence by trying to have a correspondence(connection) with God directly. He wrote 'To God' on the top of the envelope and posted the letter into the mail-box.

While he had unshaken faith in God, he mistrusted the motives of men. He could never know and nor did he ever try to know who had sent him those seventy pesos to help him. It is quite ironic that he abused his helpers by calling them 'a bunch of crooks'.

Q18.:Give a character sketch of the Postmaster in your own words. Don't you think that he should have deserved a better recognition and appreciation of his act of charity?

Ans: It takes all kinds of people to make this world. The postmaster has all that is good in human thinking and behaviour. He has a thorough understanding of a sharp, sympathetic and sensitive mind. He knows how the mind of a God-fearing rustic like Lencho works. He is sensitive and sympathetic to human feelings. He doesn't want to break the deep faith of the writer in God. The fat and friendly postmaster had a large heart too. First, he laughed at the man who wanted to have a direct correspondence with God. But he soon became serious. After reading the letter, he was deeply moved and impressed by Lencho's faith in God.

He knew that merely goodwill was not sufficient. The farmer needed financial help. So he collected a sum of 70 pesos from his employees. He also contributed a part of his salary. He did so as to keep Lencho's faith in God. He wrote a single word as a signature: God.

It is ironic that a simpleton(innocent person) like Lencho could never know his real benefactor(supporting financially). Nor did he ever try to know how and from whom he received those seventy pesos. Naturally, his work of charity deserved better recognition and appreciation from the receiver. Ironically, the postmaster and his employees who had sent seventy pesos were called 'a bunch of crooks' by Lencho.

Very Short Questions: A Letter to God

Q1: Who was Lencho? What were his main problems?

Ans: Lencho was a hardworking farmer who lived on the crest of a low hill. Due to the hailstorm, his crops were destroyed, so he needed money to sow his field again and support his family. These were the main problems of Lencho.

Q2: What did Lencho compare the raindrops to and why?

Ans: Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins because the crop needed the rain badly, and it was a sign of a good harvest. A good harvest meant prosperity for Lencho as he needed the money to fulfill his basic needs.

Q3: Give a brief description of the view from Lencho's house.

Ans: Lencho's house was situated on the crest of a low hill and was the only one in the valley. One could easily see the river and the field of ripe corn from here.

Q4: What could be seen from Lencho's house?

Ans: The fields of the ripe corn could be seen from his house.

Q5: What did the earth need?

Ans: The earth needed some rain.

Q6: Why and how did the postmaster help Lencho?

Ans: The postmaster was determined to help Lencho. He did not want Lencho's faith in God to be shaken, so he asked his employees and friends to help Lencho. He also contributed a part of his salary to this act of charity.

Q7: How much money did Lencho need? How much did he get?

Ans: Lencho got seventy pesos. He was angry at the difference as he needed a hundred pesos to sow the crops again and to support his family till the next harvest.

Q8: Why did Lencho not want the money to be sent through mail? 

Ans: Lencho wrote in his second letter that he received only seventy pesos, but he needed a hundred pesos. He requested God not to send the rest of the money by post since the post office employees were a bunch of crooks and would steal the money.

Q9: Do you think that Lencho was right to call the post office employees a bunch of crooks? Why or why not?

Ans: Lencho called the post office employees a bunch of crooks as he did not get the full money that he had demanded. He could not believe that God had sent him any less money, so he doubted these people. But he was not right to call them a bunch of crooks.

Q10: What destroyed the crop?

Ans: The hailstorm, which lasted for an hour, destroyed the crops.

Q11: How did Lencho and his family react to the calamity?

Ans: They were filled with sorrow, but they had faith in God.

Q12: What was the only 'One hope' Lencho bad?

Ans: His only one hope was help from God.

Q13: How did Lencho appeal to God?

Ans: Lencho wrote a letter to God, asking for one hundred pesos.

Q14: How did postmaster react seeing Lencho's letter?

Ans: The postmaster laughed heartily on seeing Lencho's letter.

Q15: What was the reaction of Lencho after receiving lesser amount of money?

Ans: Lencho thought that the post office employees had taken 30 pesos away.

Q16: Do you think the post-office employees were 'a bunch of crooks'?

Ans: No, they were kind, generous, and helpful persons. The postmaster contributed a part of his salary and motivated his friends and colleagues for a charitable cause. So they were not a bunch of crooks.

Q17: How would you describe Lencho?

Ans: Lencho was a simple, naive, and hard-working farmer. He was not only energetic, but he also had full faith in God. He became a victim of natural calamity, but God helped him indirectly.

Q18: Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter "God"?

Ans: The postmaster was a very generous fellow. In order not to shake Lencho's faith in God, he collected money and sent it to Lencho. The postmaster signed the letter "God", lest Lencho should think that the money had not been sent by God.

Q19: What made Lencho angry?

Ans: Lencho was angry about counting the money since it was less than the amount he had asked for. He had deep faith that God could neither make a mistake nor could deny what was requested.

Q20: How did Lencho regard his field? Why?

Ans: When it started raining, Lencho regarded his field with satisfaction. He was happy to see his crop draped in a curtain of rain. He hoped to reap a good harvest.

Oral Comprehension - Page 5

Q1. What did Lencho hope for? 

Ans: Lencho was a farmer. He hoped for rain because his field of ripe corn needed only a shower. Without rain, the crops would fail and he would suffer a serious loss.

Q2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like 'new coins'?

Ans: Lencho compared the raindrops to 'new coins' because he believed they would help his crops grow and bring him prosperity. He imagined the big drops as ten-cent pieces and the smaller drops as five-cent pieces, showing his hope that the rain would bring a good harvest.

Q3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho's fields?

Ans: The rain began as a heavy shower but was soon accompanied by very large hailstones. A sudden hailstorm lasting about an hour struck the fields and caused great damage: the hailstones destroyed the corn crop, washed away the flowers, left the fields looking white as if covered with salt, and stripped every leaf from the trees. Lencho was deeply upset when he saw that the harvest had been ruined.

Q4. What were Lencho's feelings when the hail stopped?

Ans: After the hailstorm, Lencho felt an overwhelming sadness. He foresaw a bleak year for his family and feared they would not have enough food. He stood in the field in despair and told his sons that not even locusts would have done so much damage; he said, "A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn." That night he worried aloud that all their hard work had been for nothing and that his family would go hungry.

Lencho After Rain

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Oral Comprehension - Page 6

Q1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Ans: Lencho had strong faith in God. After the hailstorm destroyed his crops, he wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos to replant his field. The postmaster, moved by Lencho's faith, gathered money from his employees and added part of his own salary. He managed to collect just over half the requested amount and sent it to Lencho in an envelope, signing the letter simply as "God". When Lencho counted the money, he found only seventy pesos and accused the post office employees of taking the rest.

Q2. Who read the letter?

Ans: An employee first saw it and showed it to the postmaster, who read it.

Q3. What did the postmaster do then?

Ans: At first the postmaster laughed at what he thought was a foolish request, but on reading the letter he was moved by Lencho's faith and distress. He decided to help: he contributed part of his own salary, collected money from colleagues and friends and sent the collected amount to Lencho, signing the envelope as if it were from "God".

Also read: PPT - A Letter to God

Oral Comprehension - Page 7

Q1. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?

Ans: No. Lencho was not surprised to find the letter and the money because his faith in God was so strong that he expected God to respond to his plea.

Q2. What made him angry?

Ans: Lencho became angry after counting the money and discovering that he had received only seventy pesos instead of the one hundred pesos he had asked for. He was convinced that God would not make a mistake or withhold what he had requested, so he accused the post office employees of stealing the remaining thirty pesos. In his letter to God he stated that only seventy pesos had reached him, asked for the rest because he needed it urgently, and called the post office employees crooks.

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Thinking about the Text

Q1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences show this?

Ans: Lencho had complete faith in God. The sentences that show this are as follows:

(a) But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.

(b) All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one's conscience.

(c) "God," he wrote, "if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry this year."

(d) He wrote 'To God' on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town.

(e) God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

(f) It said: "God: of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much."

Q2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter 'God'?

Ans: The postmaster was deeply touched by Lencho's firm belief in God and wanted to help him. To preserve Lencho's faith and to give him practical assistance, the postmaster contributed some of his own salary and collected money from others. He signed the envelope as 'God' so that Lencho would believe the money had truly come from a divine source and so his faith would remain unshaken.

Q3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?

Ans: No. Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money because his faith in God was so complete that he never suspected anyone else could have sent it. He accepted the money as a reply from God.

Q4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?

Ans: Lencho believed that the post office employees had taken the rest of the money. The irony is that these same employees were the ones who collected and sent the money to him. In other words, he blamed those who had actually helped him, which is the opposite of what one would expect.

Q5. Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.

Ans: Yes, there are people like Lencho. He is simple, sincere and deeply trusting. Although he could read and write, his faith was so strong that he accepted what he could not fully explain and did not question how the letter might reach God.

Q6. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?

Ans: The conflict between humans and nature is shown by the hailstorm that destroyed Lencho's crops; the natural force ruined the harvest on which his family depended. The conflict among humans appears when Lencho suspects the post office employees of stealing the missing money even though those employees had helped him by collecting and sending funds. This shows a lack of trust among people despite acts of kindness.

Also read: PPT - A Letter to God

Thinking about the Language

Q1. There are different names in different parts of the world for storms, depending on their nature. Can you match the names in the box with their descriptions below, and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary to help you.

(a) A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: ____ c _____

(b) An extremely strong wind: _____ a _____

(c) A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: _____ p _____ 

(d) A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: _____ n _____

(e) A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic ocean: _____ r _____

(f) A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: _____ l _____

Ans:

(a) Cyclone

(b) Gale

(c) Typhoon

(d) Tornado

(e) Hurricane

(f) Whirlwind

Q2. Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of 'hope' in Column B.

Ans:

Q3. Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which as suggested.

(a) I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)

(b) My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)

(c) These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent. (whose)

(d) Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)

(e) This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)

Ans:

(a) I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.

(b) My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.

(c) These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.

(d) Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.

(e) This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.

Q4. Find sentences in the extract with negative words, which express the following ideas emphatically.

(a) The trees lost all their leaves.

_________________________________________

(b) The letter was addressed to God himself.

_________________________________________

(c) The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.

_________________________________________

Ans:

(a) Not a leaf remained on the trees.

(b) It was nothing less than a letter to God.

(c) Never in his career as a postman had he seen that address.

Q5. In pairs, find metaphors from the extract to complete the table below. Try to say what qualities are being compared. One has been done for you. 

Ans:

Although the postmaster and his colleagues performed a kind and generous act, Lencho wrongly blamed them for taking some of the money.

Question: In the class 10 story ‘A Letter to God’, why was Lencho looking at the sky in the north-east?

Passage: The house – the only one in the entire valley – sat on the crest of a low hill. From this height, one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the morning Lencho – who knew his fields intimately – had done nothing else but see the sky towards the northeast.

Word Meanings

crest: Top of a hill

dotted: Full Of

downpour: Heavy Rain

intimately: Closely

Explanation / Answer: Lencho, the farmer, lived on the only house that was there on the top of a hill. The hill was low-heighted. From there, a river and a ready-to-harvest corn field were visible. The field belonged to Lencho and he had the utmost confidence that the harvest would reap great profits. The only thing that he awaited was rainfall. In this hope, he spent an entire morning gazing at the sky in the north-east direction from where a drizzle was expected to shower on his field.

Question: What is the significance of Lencho’s statement “Now we’re really going to get some water”?

Passage: “Now we’re really going to get some water, woman. The woman who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all, “Come for dinner. It was during the meal that, just as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed, “These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten cent pieces and the little ones are fives.”

Word Meanings

exclaimed– cry out suddenly in surprise, strong emotion, or pain.

Explanation / Answer :  The man, while looking at the sky, confidently tells his wife that they are going to have a rain-shower to which the lady replies by saying, only if everything happens as they hope and expect. Their elder children were working at the field and the younger ones were playing near the house when Lencho’s wife calls everyone for dinner. It is during that time, drops of rain begin to fall, hereby proving the farmer’s prediction to be true. The wind was pleasant and clouds could be seen approaching from the north-east sky. Lencho goes out of the house to take pleasure in feeling the droplets on his body. He refers to the drizzle as coins, large droplets being equivalent to ten cents and the smaller ones, five cents. He says so because these raindrops would ensure a good crop which would eventually get them a lot of money.

Question: In the story ‘A Letter to God’, what does “he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers draped in a curtain of rain” mean?

Passage: With a satisfied expression he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall. These truly did resemble new silver coins. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.

Word Meanings

regarded– Consider Or Think Of In A Specified Way

draped – Adorn, Cover, Or Wrap (Someone Or Something)

hailstones – A Pellet Of Hail

resemble– Have A Similar Appearance To Or Qualities In Common With (Someone Or Something); Look Or Seem Like.

exposing – make (something) visible by uncovering it.; reveal

Explanation / Answer: On seeing everything go as expected, Lencho reflected upon the field and the flowers covered with droplets which seemed as if they were wrapped in a curtain. Unexpectedly, strong wind started blowing, leading to a hailstorm. Satirically, the writer refers to these pellets of frozen rain as “new silver coins. The innocent boys became playful and went out in the rain to play and collect these hailstones which looked like “frozen pearls”.

Question: How do you explain the description of the devastation caused by the hailstorm reflects the sadness within Lencho with the reference to a letter to God?

Passage: “It’s really getting bad now,” exclaimed the man. “I hope it passes quickly. It did not pass quickly. For an hour the hail rained on the house, the garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole valley. The field was white as if covered with salt.

Explanation / Answer: The farmer now starts worrying and hopes that the storm gets over quickly, which, to his utmost disappointment, didn’t. The hailstones covered the entire valley including the house, garden, hillside, and cornfield. It made everything look so white that it seemed as if it was covered in salt.

Question: In the lesson ‘A Letter to God’, why did not a leaf remain on the trees?

Passage: Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would have left more than this. The hail has left nothing. This year we will have no corn.” That night was a sorrowful one. “All our work, for nothing. There’s no one who can help us”.”We’ll all go hungry this year.”

Word Meanings

plague– a destructively numerous inflow or multiplication of a harmful animal, infestation

locusts- Insects which fly in big groups and destroy crops

Explanation / Answer: Lencho became stressed and disappointed as everything went against the plan. The trees had shed their leaves, corns were smashed and the flowers had also fallen from their plants. While standing in the withered fields, he conveyed his dismay and sorrow to his sons by commenting that the effect of the storm proved to be worse than that of crop-destroying insects. All their hard work had gone in vain.  He felt helpless as no corn had been left and feared, that they might have to starve this time.

Question: Why was Lencho called an ox of a man?

Passage: But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God. “Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.”

“That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger. ” All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he had been instructed, see everything, even what is deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at daybreak, he began to write a letter which he himself would carry to town and place in the mail. It was nothing less than a letter to God.

Word Meanings

solitary:  Existing alone; lonely.

conscience– an inner sense of right and wrong.

ox of a man– hardworking

daybreak– The time in the morning when daylight first appears

Explanation / Answer: Even after everything had gone southwards (gone wrong), the family still had hope in their hearts of hearts. They had faith in the almighty even after nothing was left. They gave each other support and recalled a saying which assures that no one ever dies of starvation.

Lencho spent his entire night thinking of the only option left and that was to seek the help of God, who, he had been informed, has its eyes and ears everywhere. He thought of writing a letter to God conveying his grievances. Despite spending all these years working at the farm, he still knew how to write. He started writing on the Sunday morning and thought of mailing it himself by going to the town.

Question: What did Lencho do after his crops were destroyed and why was he so confident?

Passage: “God, he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred pesos in order to sow my field again and to live until the crop comes, because the hailstorm….” He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped it into the mailbox.

Word Meanings

Pesos– the basic monetary unit of Mexico, several other Latin American countries, and the Philippines

Explanation / Answer: In his letter to god, he communicated his poverty-stricken situation and mentioned that he needed 100 pesos to regenerate the crops along with surviving until they are ready to harvest. On the envelope, He wrote, “To God, Then, at the post office, placed stamp on the letter and dropped it in the mailbox.

Question: In the class 10 lesson ‘A Letter to God’, how did the employees at the post office react when they saw the letter addressed to God?

Passage: One of the employees, who was a postman and also helped at the post office, went to his boss laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God. Never in his career as a postman had he known that address. The postmaster – a fat, amiable fellow – also broke out laughing, but almost immediately he turned serious and, tapping the letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter. Starting up a correspondence with God!”

Word Meanings

amiable- Friendly And Pleasant

correspondence– Communication by exchanging letters with someone.

Explanation / Answer: A postman, who was also an employee of the post office, noticed Lencho’s letter and showed it to the postmaster. They both felt amused, but the postmaster, fat and friendly, immediately developed a sense of seriousness. He was astounded at the amount of faith Lencho has in God and wished he had the same.

Question: What did the postmaster do in order not to shake Lencho’s faith in God?

Passage: So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God, the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to answer it he needed something more than goodwill, ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he asked for money from his employees, he himself gave part of his salary, and several friends of his were obliged to give something’ for an act of charity’.

Word Meanings

goodwill- friendly, helpful, or cooperative feelings or attitude

resolution– a firm decision to do or not to do something.

obliged– grateful

Explanation / Answer: With good intentions, the postmaster read the letter and thought of replying to it so as to keep the writer’s belief intact. But the writer expected the reply in a different way that could not be fulfilled with pen, paper and morals. The farmer had demanded for 100 pesos. The postmaster along with his colleagues and a few friends, who were more than willing to donate for a good cause, collected a pool of money to help Lencho.

Question: Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the money?

Passage: It was impossible for him to gather together the hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer only a little more than half. He put the money in an envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter containing only a single word as a signature: God

The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier than usual to ask if there was a letter for him. It was the postman himself who handed the letter to him while the postmaster, experiencing the contentment of a man who has performed a good deed, looked on from his office. Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money; such was his confidence but he became angry when he counted the money. God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested.

Word Meanings

contentment– Satisfaction

Explanation / Answer: Despite his best efforts, he was only able to collect an amount not more than half of what was required. He then addressed it to Lencho along with a letter which was undersigned by God.

Next Sunday, Lencho came looking for the reply a bit earlier than expected. The postman handed him the letter waiting to see him joyful and surprised while the postmaster, feeling satisfied, oversaw it from his office. On the contrary, the farmer got disheartened on seeing that the money was less than what he asked for. His faith is still undeterred and he believed that God cannot make such a mistake.

Question: Highlight the irony in the class 10 story ‘A Letter to God’.

Passage: Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to ask for paper and ink. On the public writing table, he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow, caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to me through the mail because the post office employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”

Explanation /Answer:  On being disappointed, he started looking for ink and paper to write to God again. While writing, his eyebrows got curled out of the concentration with which he was drafting a new request. On completing, he affixed it with a stamp. As soon as he dropped it into the mailbox, the postmaster took it out to read it. Lencho complained that he had only received 70 pesos and he is really in need of the remaining amount. He doubted the integrity and honesty of the post office employees and suggested that the money should not be sent via post because he doubted that the staff at the post office must have stolen the missing amount.

 

FAQs

Question: Who is the narrator of A Letter to God?

Ans. The story A Letter to God is narrated by the writer G.L. Fuentes.

Question: What is the theme of the class 10 story A Letter to God?

Ans. The central message of the story A Letter to God is that blind faith can make a man impractical. The farmer, Lencho does not realize that the post office staff is the messenger of God who have helped him. He accuses them and thinks that they have stolen the money that god had sent him. Lencho does not realize that God cannot send money, instead he will send some messengers to help him.

Question: Who is the postmaster in the lesson A Letter to God?

Ans. In the story A Letter to God, the postmaster is a fat and amiable person. When he sees Lencho’s letter addressed to God, he is surprised by the poor farmer’s immense faith. He decides to retain the faith and thus, collects money to give to Lencho, on God’s behalf. Thus, the postmaster acts as a messenger of God.

Question: What does Lencho wish to happen?

Ans. When Lencho sees the crop of corn in the field, he prays for a light shower of rain which will help the crop ripe and become good.

Question: What is the story A Letter to God about?

Ans. The story ‘A Letter to God’ is about a farmer’s immense faith in God which makes him impractical. The farmer believes that God will send him money and in such a belief, he mistakes his helpers to be crooks.