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A Letter to God
by G. L. Fuentes
Introduction to Chapter
Latin America country man Lencho who was a hardworking farmer, whose crop was near ready to harvest. What happens next is great writing skill of writer G.L. Fuentes.
Enjoy summary first:
While studying you will check for these LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Relative Clauses
- Metaphors
- Using Negatives for Emphasis
- Ironical Situations
Summary In English
In this story, Fuentes’s hero is a hard-working, simple, and God-loving farmer, Lencho. He had
unquestionable faith in God. He lived in the lone house on the top of a low hill from where, he could
see the rivers and his corn fields which wanted rain at least a shower.
Lencho looks toward the
northeast, as he was expecting rain.
His prediction came true when it started raining at dinner time. But his happiness turned to sorrow when
rain turned into a hailstorm. Within an hour, it had destroyed the whole of his crop. Lencho's soul was
filled with sorrow. This year, he thought, he would be without food. He and his family will die of
hunger. But all the residents of that house had firm faith in God. Lencho decided to ask God for help.
Although a simple, strong farmer, he could write. He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos to
sow his fields again since his crop had been destroyed by the hailstorm.
He addressed the letter to
God
and posted it in post box.
One of the employees at the post office saw it and, laughing heartily, took it to the Postmaster. He was
amused but was impressed at such faith in God. To sustain that faith, he decided to answer the letter.
He opened the letter and realised that it needed something more than a paper and ink. He was so
impressed by Lencho’s faith in God that he wanted that this man should not shatter his faith in God,
postmaster arranges money with the help of post office staff. Undeterred, he managed to collect seventy
pesos from employees and friends. He put these pesos in an envelope and signed as 'GOD'. The letter was
handed over to Lencho when he came to collect it.
But as soon as he counted the money, he was
annoyed to
find less money. He thinks God could not have made mistake. He takes paper and pen.
He again writes a letter to God and drops that letter in a box. The postmaster opens then as soon as he
left. The letter read: "God: I asked for hundred pesos, I got only seventy pesos. Please send me the
rest of money since I need it very much.
But don't send it through the mail, because the post office
employees are a bunch of crooks - Lencho."
Summary In Hindi
कहानी में लेखक के हीरो लैंचो हैं जो कि एक मेहनती और सीधे-सादे और भगवान में विश्वास रखने वाले किसान हैं।
जिनकी भगवान ने बहुत आस्था है। लैंचो पहाड़ की चोटी पर एक मात्र घर में रहते हैं। जहां से वह अपने मक्के के
खेतों पर, नदियों पर नजर रख सकता है। अब उसके खेतों को एक हल्की बारिश की फुहार चाहिए होती है। इस उम्मीद से
लैंचो उत्तर-पूर्व दिशा में आसमान की ओर देखता है। उसे प्रतीत होता है कि शीघ्र ही बारिश होगी और उसकी बात
सच होती है और रात्रि के भोजन से पहले बारिश शुरू हो जाती है।
लेकिन उसकी खुशी दुख में बदल जाती
है,
जब यह हल्की फुहार ओलों में बदल जाती है। एक घंटे के अंदर उसकी सारी फसल बर्बाद हो जाती है। लैंचो दुख से
परिपूर्ण हो जाता है। वह सोचता है कि इस साल उनके पास कोई खाना नहीं होगा और उसका परिवार भूखा मरेगा। लेकिन
परिवार के सभी सदस्यों की भगवान में पूर्ण आस्था है। लैंचो यह निर्णय लेता है कि वह भगवान से मदद मांगेगा।
लैंचो जो एक सीधा साधा लेकिन मजबूत शक्तिशाली इरादों वाला किसान है, वह पत्र लिखना जानता है।
वह भगवान को
चिट्ठी लिखता है कि भगवान मुझे अगले वर्ष बीजों के लिए, ताकि मैं फसल उगा सकूं,
एक सौ पैसोज की जरूरत है क्योंकि मेरी फसल ओलों से बर्बाद हो गई है। ऐसा वह पत्र में लिखता है और उस पत्र को
लिफाफे पर भगवान ‘गॉड’ लिखकर उसे पोस्ट कर देता है। डाकघर में जो एंप्लोई है, पोस्टमैन उस पत्र को देखता है।
पहले तो वह बहुत हंसता है। फिर वह पत्र को पोस्ट मास्टर को दे देता है। पोस्ट मास्टर हैरान है कि इस व्यक्ति
की भगवान में इतनी आस्था कि उसने पत्र ही लिख दिया। वह चाहता है कि इस व्यक्ति का भगवान में अधिक विश्वास
है, डगमगाए नहीं। वह जवाब देने की सोचता है। पत्र खोलता है, पत्र पढ़ता है और अब उसे जवाब में कागज और शाही
के अलावा कुछ और भी चाहिए जिसकी मांग लैंचो ने अपने पत्र में की है। वह उसकी मदद करना चाहता है ताकि उसका
विश्वास भगवान में बना रहे। पोस्ट मास्टर अपने डाकघर के कर्मचारियों और अपने दोस्तों से धन का प्रबंध करता
है और सत्तर पैसोज को वह एक लिफाफे में डालता है और उस लिफाफे पर अपना नाम ना लिखकर भगवान ‘गॉड’ लिखकर उसे
भेज देता है। लैंचो जब पूछने के लिए आता है कि क्या कोई भगवान का पत्र आया है तो पत्र लैंचो को दिया जाता
है। लेकिन जब नोट गिनता है तो बहुत नाराज होता है क्योंकि उसमें पैसे कम होते हैं। वह सोचता है कि भगवान तो
कोई गलती नहीं कर सकता। कहां गड़बड़ हुई है। वह निर्णय लेता है कि फिर से लिखेगा। पेपर लेता है और भगवान को
चिट्ठी दोबारा से लिखता है और उसे पत्र पेटी में डाल देता है और पोस्ट मास्टर उसे उसके पत्र को फिर से खोलता
है, पढ़ता है उसमें लिखा होता है कि भगवान जी मैंने आपको जो एक सौ पैसोज की व्यवस्था करने को कहा था लेकिन
आपने सत्तर पैसोज ही भेजे हैं। बाकी पैसोज भेजने का अनुरोध है।
लेकिन डाक से मत भेजना क्योंकि डाकघर के
यह
कर्मचारी ‘ठगों का टोला’ है: लैंचो
Full Explanation
Introduction:
Do you believe in God you should because it's blessing of God and especially as we are Indian, we
are spiritual and that if any Japanese enters India, he takes his shoes in his hand by saying that I
am in India, The Spiritual land and Chinese views are that we have good Karma in our last life that
we are in India. Not only in India but in all corner of world people have faith in God and this is
the topic of this lesson, essence of this lesson “faith”.
Lesson is rich in learning experiences.
Lots of competencies, outcomes will be there. This is complete package for tenth class students.
First, you will observe metaphors, no separate lesson will be required but this lesson.
What is metaphor: it’s a Greek word means ‘transfer’ where afeature of a thing is transferred to
another one.
For example leg of the table or heart of the city. Heart is part of our body, here city.
So is in hailstorms which means here silver coins and new coins.
You will see while studying this lesson irony is there, writer’s style is rich with ironical
situations. Irony of human and nature. Fourth is using negatives NO, NEVER for Emphasis. We will
discuss I will highlight it as red. So it's a great lesson ‘A Letter to God’ enjoy line to line full
explanation now:
BEFORE YOU READ They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our faith in? This is the
question this story delicately poses. Lencho is a farmer who writes a letter to God when his crops
are ruined, asking for a hundred pesos. Does Lencho’s letter reach God? Does God send him the money?
Think what your answers to these questions would be, and guess how the story continues, before you
begin to read it.
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
north-east.
Very first line of this lesson is having first lesson for you as this lesson is full of. To start with very first line, first lesson is Of Relative Clauses. This ‘dash’ after the house and then a clause - the only house in the entire valley - it is additional information about that house which sat on the crest of a low hill. So, this is Introduction of non -defining relative clause. ‘Which’ is hidden here we can use which but here Dash has been used. This text is your master. We should study text. Once again we can see -who knew his field in intimately - once again relative clause which, who has been used. This is second example to know, to understand relative clauses, where we can use ‘,’ and ‘which’ and who but here ‘dash’ is used. if this clause - who knew his field intimately - is removed, still the sentence will be meaningful. Lencho was living on the crest of a low hill, he was hopeful of a good crop. His crop wanted a drizzle or shower. He was intimate with his fields. He looks at the sky towards the northeast and says and that soon there will be rain.
“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.’’
Now see these are in quotes putting a line in quotes means someone is speaking, who is speaker
here? lencho himself. His wife also says “God willing” means they are God Loving people.
Children are also in fields they are playing and then there is call for dinner by Lencho's wife.
As she was calling, just then it was exactly as Lencho had predicted, rain began to fall. It was
a pleasure, he wanted to feel the rain on his body. He goes out, he calls
clouds as mountains.
these are learning outcomes. Here ‘like’ and ‘as’ are not used. It is called mountains of clouds
this is metapher. Earlier we studied relative Clauses now it is
‘metaphor’ which means
‘transfer’ where two ideas are compared and quality of one thing is transferred to another thing
here mountains of Clouds as if not clouds but mountain was coming. He
exclaimed with joy by
saying that these are not big drops these are new coins. this is
another example of ‘metaphor’
new coins here is metaphor. These raindrops are new coins. It is not ‘simile’ because ‘as’ and
‘like’ are not used here. Not raindrops but new coins are falling. Big ones are ten pesos and
little ones are five pesos.
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. ‘‘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.
And now thirdly, comes ‘ironical situation’. He wanted a drizzle only
but that shower had turned
into hailstones. Same raindrops which earlier were new coins, now they are silver coins. once
again ‘Metaphor’ has been used here, now the same raindrops areno more new coins, used but
silver coins ‘Khote Sikkey’. Situation is
ironical here bacause what is happening is opposite
from what was intended, contrary to what was expected.
Children are happy they are running out to collect frozen pearls. Now these ‘frozen pearls’ are
‘silver coins’ metaphor once again is used here. This man is saying is getting bad now he was
hopeful of passing this hailstorm quickly now this hop hope here is
verb we have hope as noun
also. The field was covered with salt. No leaf remained on the trees
using negative for
emphasis. Trees were leafless they are showing absence of something not a leaf remained
on the
trees, absence is shown here.
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.”
‘a plague of locusts’ would have left better than this. He is afraid, this year they will have no corn. here also absence of corn will be at home now. Here we are using negative for emphasis. ‘No one who can help us. All our work for nothing’ these lines are full of negative for emphasis. now he had only one hope(noun) single hope and that hope was help from God. “no one dies of hunger” once again beautiful use of negative is here wife is saying no one dies of hunger.
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. “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.
All through the night, he thought of help from God. As he was an Ox of a man metaphor is used. but I am hard working OX. He starts writing a letter to God. He is so innocent. once again negative for emphasis is used here. It was nothing less than a letter to God He wrote not to any human for help but to God who is creator, ruler, and supreme being. Imagery we can see here this is Latin American country where currency Pesos is used. Fine use of imagery given here. it is giving us picture of where the story belongs, and he writes “to God’ on the envelope and post it in the mailbox.
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 written 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!” 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’. It was impossible for him to gather 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 postman, never in his career again negative for Emphasis never in his career has seen such a letter written to God. The Postmaster dash is used here it is telling us about the Postmaster non defining relative clauses are separated by commas and dash were used here comma is used to separate. So, we can use ‘dash’, ‘comma’ as well in separating. If we remove this relative clause still the sentence is meaningful. This is a fine example of non-defining relative clause. Postmaster was a fine amiable fellow, ready to help others. He is impressed by his faith in God. He did not want that Lencho’s faith in God should shutter. Even he wishes had he had the faith of the man. So, he decides to help him. Now the problem was how to collect money, so he asks for help to his staff and several friends. He puts the money in an envelope and just wrote on that from ‘God’ did not write ‘from Postmaster’ shows that he was fine fellow, helpful to others.
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. 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.”
Lencho was hopeful of answer from God. He comes to postoffice and asks postmaster about the letter and Postmaster gave him that letter and postmaster was contended that he could help that fellow. Lencho was not at all surprised in getting this help. He was so innocent; he had no experience of worldly affairs that no one writes to God like he wrote. He was so naïve, so innocent. He needed experience wisdom and judgement. Rather he became angry on counting the notes that God would not have made mistake. The money was not the same as he asked God for. He again decides to write back to God. He writes again, fixes the stamp, and mail it in the post box and when he goes out the postmaster takes that letter once again and he starts reading and once again situational irony is there. Postmaster might be thinking that Lencho might be writing for thanks for his help. What was in the letter was contrary to his expectation. That was opposite, what was intended by the Postmaster himself. outcome is contrary what was expected by postmaster. Beauty of this lesson is last five lines. That I had asked for hundred pesos but I got only seventy pesos. Asks God to send the rest of the money but not through mail because these post office employees are ‘a bunch of crooks’ situation is ironical at the end.
Enjoy Full Explanation on Youtube
Exercises
Thinking About The Text:
Q. 1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
A: As we saw in the story Lencho had complete faith in God. He and his family are God-loving. We
came to know of this fact from these lines in the lesson:
He said to his of family members. (i) "Don't be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss.
Remember no one dies of hunger."
(ii) “All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God.
Q:2 Why does the postmaster send the money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter
‘God’?
A: Lencho writes a letter to God for help, the postmaster reads the letter. He is impressed by
Lencho’s faith in God. He does not want Lencho’s faith in God is shaken. So, he sends money to
Lencho and signs as God so that Lencho can think that money is actually been sent by God.
Q: 3 Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why
not?
A: No, Lencho did not try to find this fact who had sent the money to him. His complete faith in God
was allowing him to think of this. He was sure that God had sent the money. Finding the money not
the same he asked for, he writes again to God. This proves that he has no doubt who had sent the
money. Therefore, he didn't try to find out who had sent the money.
Q:4 Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony
in the situation?
(Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is
strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)
A: Lesson is full of such ironic situations. Postmaster was in the hope of getting a thanks from
Lencho but what he read in the letter was opposite of his expectation. Lencho had blamed bunch of
crooks in this post office might have taken rest of the money.
Q:5 Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of person would
you say he is?
You may
select appropriate words from the box to answer the question. Greedy selfish naive Comical
stupid
unquestioning ungrateful
A: There are people who have complete faith in God but not like Lencho. Lencho is simple, innocent,
and unaware of worldly affairs. From these words I can say he is naïve.
Q:6. There are two kinds of conflict in the story between humans and nature and
between humans
themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
A: Two conflict between human and nature are illustrated as situational irony in the lesson. First
is when shower turns into hailstorm and thus new coins turn into silver coins. Second, we find with
postmaster where Lencho questions the honesty of postmaster who helped him. These are two fine
examples of conflict between humans and nature.
Thinking About The language:
I. Look at the following sentence from the story:
Suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to fall.
‘Hailstones’ are small balls of ice that fall like rain. A storm in which hailstones fall is a
‘hailstorm’. You know that a storm is bad weather with strong winds, rain, thunder, and lightning.
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.
- gale,
- whirlwind,
- cyclone,
- hurricane,
- tornado,
- typhoon
1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle:
A: CYCLONE
2. An extremely strong wind:
A: GALE
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds:
A: TYPOON
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel:
A: TORNADO
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean:
A: HURRICANE
6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage:
A: WHIRLWIND
II. Notice how the word ‘hope’ is used in these sentences from the story:
(a) I hope it (the hailstorm) passes quickly.
(b) There was a single hope: help from God.
In the first example, ‘hope’ is a verb which means you wish for something to happen. In the second
example it is a noun meaning a chance for something to happen.
Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of ‘hope’ in Column B.
1. Will you get the subjects you want to study in college? I hope so.
A: a feeling that something good will probably happen
2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but I don’t like the way you are arguing.
A: thinking that this would happen (It may or may not have happened.)
3. This discovery will give new hope to HIV/ AIDS sufferers.
A: showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person: a way of being
polite
4. We were hoping against hope that the judges would not notice our mistakes.
A: wishing for something to happen, although this is very unlikely
5. I called early in the hope of speaking to her before she went to school.
A: wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite possible)
6. Just when everybody had given up hope, the fishermen came back, seven days after the
cyclone.
A: stopped believing that this good thing would happen
III. Relative Clauses
]Look at these sentences
(a) All morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — looked at the sky.
(b) The woman, who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing.’’
The italicised parts of the sentences give us more information about Lencho and the woman. We call them relative clauses. Notice that they begin with a relative pronoun who. Other common relative pronouns are whom, whose, and which.
The relative clauses in (a) and (b) above are called non-defining, because we already know the identity of the person they describe. Lencho is a particular person, and there is a particular woman he speaks to. We don’t need the information in the relative clause to pick these people out from a larger set.
A non-defining relative clause usually has a comma in front of it and a comma after it (some writers use a dash (—) instead, as in the story). If the relative clause comes at the end, we just put a full stop.
Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as
suggested.
1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
Solution: I often go to Mumbai which is the commercial capital of
India.
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well. (who)
Solution: My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show
on cooking
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent.
(whose)
Solution: These sportspersons whose performance has been excellent are
going to meet the President.
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
Solution: Lencho prayed to God whose eyes see into our minds
5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)
Solution: This man whom I trusted cheated me. Sometimes the relative
pronoun in a relative clause
remains ‘hidden’.
For example, look at the first sentence of the story:
(a) The house — the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a low hill.
We can rewrite this sentence as:
(b) The house — which was the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a low hill.
In (a), the relative pronoun which and the verb was are not present.
IV. Using Negatives for Emphasis:
We know that sentences with words such as no, not or nothing show the absence of something, or
contradict something. For example:
(a) This year we will have no corn. (Corn will be absent)
(b) The hail has left nothing. (Absence of a crop)
(c) These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. (Contradicts the common idea of
what the drops of water falling from the sky are)
But sometims negative words are used just to emphasise an idea. Look at these sentences from the story:
(d) Lencho…had done nothing else but see the sky towards the northeast. (He had done only this)
(e) The man went out for no other reason than to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body. (He
had only this reason)
(f) Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money. (He showed no surprise at all)
Now look back at example (c). Notice that the contradiction in fact serves to emphasise the value or
usefulness of the rain to the farmer
Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following
ideas emphatically.
1. The trees lost all their leaves.
Solution: Not a leaf remained on the trees.
2. The letter was addressed to God himself.
Solution: It was nothing less than a letter to God.
3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.
Solution: Never in his career as a postman had he known that address.
V. Metaphors
The word metaphor comes from a Greek word meaning ‘transfer’. Metaphors compare two things or ideas: a
quality or feature of one thing is transferred to another thing. Some common metaphors are
- the leg of the table: The leg supports our body. So, the object that supports a table is described as a leg.
- the heart of the city: The heart is an important organ in the centre of our body. So this word is used to describe the central area of a city.
In pairs, find metaphors from the story to complete the table below. Try to say what qualities are
being
compared. One has been done for you.
Cloud Huge mountains of clouds The mass or ‘hugeness’ of mountains
Raindrops Coins, new silver coins Crop and its being very good
Hailstones frozen pearls destruction of the crop
Locusts A plague ... . An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead
his
strength and hardworking nature
Lencho An ox of a man Working hard in fields.
Frequently Asked Questions in Board Exams:
Q:1 Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Who received the letter and what did he
do?
A: Hailstorm destroyed his crop totally. He had nothing with him now. He had deep faith in God. He wrote
a
letter to God for help. The letter was received by postmaster who read the letter. He was impressed by
Lencho’s faith in God, he wanted to help him, and he did not want to shake Lencho’s faith in God. So,
with
the help of his employees he collected seventy pesos and sent it to Lencho.
Video on Important Questions from chapter:
Q:2 How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
A: His crop needed rain and he was hopeful seeing the clouds. Suddenly a strong wind began to blow, and
the
rain turned into hailstorm. His corn crop was totally destroyed.
Q:3 Write the story of Lencho’s faith in God?
Or
Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Or
Write a brief summary of the story ‘A Letter to God’.
Enjoy this Lencho’s faith in God on YouTube
A: Lencho is a poor, simple and hardworking farmer. He has deep faith in God. He was sure of God’s help
when
his corn crop was destroyed in hailstorm. He writes a letter to God for help. When the postmaster reads
that
letter, he wished he had the same faith in God. He sends Lencho some money. Lencho is not surprised to
receive the money. But when he counts the money, he becomes angry. The money was less than what he had
asked
God for. He was sure that God could not make a mistake. Such is his faith in God. He thinks that post
office
employees have stolen the money. He again writes the letter to God to send him rest of money. But this
time
he requested God not to send him money by post.
Q:4 Write character sketch of Lencho.
Or
Do you think Lencho was an innocent person? Give reason to support your answer.
Enjoy Lencho on YouTube
A: 1. Hardworking farmer: He knows his fields intimately like when do his crops need shower and
when was
it
turning bad. He is an ox of a man. He predicts rightly of rain by observing clouds/North-East sky. He
likes
to have the pleasure of feeling the rain on his body.
2. God Loving Person: He and his wife are God loving persons. He has deep faith in God. When he
said to
his
wife that they are going to get some rain, his wife replies by saying “Yes, God willing” proves this
fact.
When his crop is ruined totally, he decides to write a letter to God for help. Even he writes again when
he
finds the money less of what he sought from God. Postmaster is impressed by his faith in God.
3. Naïve: He is so innocent and unknown to worldly affairs, manners. He lacks wisdom and
judgement. He
does
not question if the money is really sent by God. He is not even thankful to postmaster. Even he writes
again
so as to seek rest of the money. This time urges God not to send money by post.
4. Loves his family: When his whole crop is destroyed, he is much worried about his family dying
of
starvation. He is busy with his family members in fields as well.
5. Simple: He is so simple as to unable to judge a person. He never thinks of postmaster sending
him the
money. Rather he takes post office staff as bunch of crooks, who had helped Lencho. He even gets angry
on
God also for not sending him the same money as he sought.
Q:5. Write the character sketch of Postmaster.
Or
Draw a pen portrait of Postmaster.
1. Fat & Amiable: Fat in looks, he is amiable fellow. He is friendly with staff and pleasant in
dealing
with
friends. He greets them and asks for their wellbeing. Had he not been like that, it would have difficult
for
him to get financial help from staff and friends.
Enjoy Character Sketch of Postmaster on YouTube
2. Generous & Helpful: He feels happy to help others in need. Though he does not have enough
money with him,
but he wants to help Lencho. He arranges from staff and friends as he is generous and helpful in
nature.
3. Compassionate and Kind: He is understanding and pity for somebody who is suffering. Reading
Lencho’s
letter to God, he gets emotional. He is kind enough to help others in need.
4. Humble & Egoless: He manages to help Lencho financially, not in his own name but with the name
of God. He
does not go for vainglory or boastful vanity. He is modest.
Character Sketch of Postmaster DRAMATIZED
5. Pious & Godly: He is impressed by Lencho’s faith in God. He wishes, he had same faith in God
as
Lencho
was having. But he has faith in God, he wants Lencho’s faith in God intact. He does not want that
Lencho’s
faith in God should be shattered anyhow.
Frequently Asked Questions in Board Exams:
Passage: 1
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!"
Questions
Q:1 Name the lesson from this passage has been taken.
Answer: This passage has been taken from the lesson “A Letter to God”
Q:2. Whose address is being talked about in the opening sentence?
Answer: The address of God is being taken in the opening sentence.
Q:3. The postmaster laughed at first and then turned serious. What made him feel
serious?
Answer: The postmaster became serious on seeing Lencho's indomitable faith in God
Q:4. What kind of a fellow was the postmaster?
Answer: The postmaster was a fat and amiable fellow. He was charitable too.
Q:5. What do we know about the writer's trait, from this passage?
Answer: We understand that he has deep faith in God.
Multiple Choice Questions
Q:1. Who is the writer of the lesson “A Letter to God?”
(A) Nelson Mandela
(B) G.L. Fuentes
(C) El Bsor Ester
(D) Anne Frank
Q:2. Lencho was a …………..
(A) Shopkeeper
(B) Farmer
(C) Doctor
(D) Postmaster
Q:3 Lencho’s house was situated …………..
(A) on a valley
(B) on the hill
(C) near the river
(D) in the city
Q:4. What did Lencho call the small rain drops?
(A) ten-cent pieces
(B) two-cent pieces
(C) five-cent pieces
(D) none of the above
Q:5. Who read the letter?
(A) Lencho
(B) Postmaster
(C) God
(D) None of these
Q:6. What was the effect of the hailstorm?
(A) the field was destroyed
(B) Crop was destroyed completely
(C) everyone was happy
(D) none of the above
Q:7. What address did he write on letter?
(A) he wrote 'God'
(B) by the name of postmaster
(C) Lencho
(D) all of the above
Q:8. The postmaster was ......
(A) he was amiable person
(B) a fat man
(C) he had faith in God
(D) all of the above
Q:9. Lencho had complete faith in ...............
(A) God
(B) Postman
(C) Postmaster
(D) None of the above
Q:10. What did Lencho call the big rain drops?
(A) ten-cent pieces
(B) twenty-cent pieces
(C) five-cent pieces
(D) all of the above
Q:11. How much money did Lencho asked God for in his first letter?
(A) 100 pesos
(B) 30 pesos
(C) 70 pesos
(D) 86 pesos
Q:12. How much pesos did Lencho find with the letter?
(A) thirty pesos
(B) seventy pesos
(C) eight pesos
(D) hundred pesos
Q:13. What is the meaning of the expression 'an ox of a man'?
(A) a bad person
(B) animal like an ox
(C) hard-working person
(D) all the above
Q:14. Who was preparing supper in the lesson ‘A Letter to God?’
(A) Lencho’s sister
(B) Lencho’s wife
(C) Lencho’s mother
(D) None of these
Q:15. What kind of a man was Lencho?
(A) Hard-working
(B) Cruel
(C) Lazy
(D) Rich
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