1. ALetter to God /G.L.

Fuentes
Summary: Lencho, a simple-minded farmer whose harvest was destroyed by a hailstorm. He had infinite faith
in God. He wrote a letter to God for financial assistance. He thought only God could help him in such diro
circumstance. He delivered the letter at the post office. The post master read it. He was deeply moved by
Lencho's faith in God. He collected some money from his colleagues and friends. He put together seventy
pesos accompanied by a letter with a single word signature- 'God'. After receiving the money, Lencho
immediately penned another letter to God. On opening the letter the postmaster found that Lencho had
written to God accusing the postmen of robbing him of thirty pesos as he had asked hundred pesos and
received only seventy. He requested God to send him the rest of the money in some way other than through
the post office.
Word meaning: crest- top of a hill, downpour- a heavy shower, predicted- foresaid, draped- covered, locusts
insets that fly in big swarm and destroy crops, solitary- lonely, peso- a kind of currency in Latin American
countries, amiable- friendly, resolution- determination, charity- generosity, contentment- satisfaction,
affixed- fixed, bunch- group, crooks- dishonest people /swindler/ faker
Use of Metaphors: "huge Mountains of cloud', 'a curtain of rain', 'the frozen pearls', 'a plague of locusts. ar
ox of a man' etc.
NCERT Exercise Questions:
1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
A Lencho has complete faith in the Almighty God. The sentences are
me "..there was a single hope; help from God."
All through the night, Lencho thought only of his one hope; the help of God, whose eyes, as he had
Gven instructed, see everything, eveii hat is deep in one's conscience".
"God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied ..."
2. ghy does the posimaet send money to Lencho ? Why does he sig1: the letter 'God?
He wishes to help the
Ans. The postmaster becomes stunned knowing the infinite faith of Lencho in God.
ne dy person. !ie raisas a fund and sends the collected money for Lrncho.
He won't break his trust in God. So he signs the letter with the signature God'.

to him? Why / Why not?

3. C:d Lencho try to tind out the person who had actually sent the money se he
actualiy sent the money to himn. It was
Ans No, Lecho did not try to find out the person who i:ad conviction that God Himself had
behind it. He had a deep
had written the letter to God. He wou!d not think
mark in his mind about the sender.
sent the money. There was no question
money? What is the irony in the situation?
4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of veople who send
have taken the money. It is the post sffice
Ans. Lencho thinks that the post off1ce peop!e stolen his money. He calls them 'a bunch of crooks'
But, on the other hand, they have
the money to Lencho.
situation.
Thus there is an element of irony in this
raindrops were like 'new coins'?
5. Why did Lencho say the Lencho compared the raindrops with new
coins as
farmer. He depends on rain for farming
Ans. Lencho is a
which results in more prosperity. A good harvest wil! bring him a lot
harvest
they were promising him a good
of money.
when the hail stopped? Ans. When the rain began, Lericho was very happy
6. What were Lencho's feelings his soul was filled with sadness. He looked around at
his fields
hailstones destroyed his crops,
But, when the circurnstance.
thought onty God could help him in such dire
He
 A Letter to God (Page l0)

Value based Questions: 1. Are there people like Lencho in the real worid? What kind of a person would
you say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the questions.
Greedy, naive, stupid, ungrateful, selfish, comical, unquestioning
Ans. Ibelieve that in this real world there are a few persons like Lencho who have infinite faith in God.
Lencho is a naive. He is as simple as a simpleton. He feels for his family members. He prays to God for their
survival also. He is stupid also as he has no knowledge about God. Even he ignores the heartyletter
approach of
without
the postmaster. In this respect he is ungrateful. He is rather impractical. He sends the
proper address.
Important Long Questions ( word limit 100-120 words)
1. There are tWo kinds of conflict in the story A Letter to God': between humans and nature and
between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
prominent when we see the
Ans. The story opens with the conflict between man and nature. It becomes
face of natural
damage of Lencho's crops due to harsh natural calamity. Our strength is insignificant in the
for restoring water. Hence it
forces. We can't resist the natural forces. The soil in the foothills is incapable
on rain water.
is difficult for the farmers to resume their activities in the field for cultivation. They depend
lencho is unlucky as his land is massacred by hailstone.
Lencho's faith in God unshaken, the
o other conflict is also visible at the end of the story. In order to keep
financial assistance. He persuades his
O stmaster decides to reply to Lencho's letter and provide him some
But Lencho
3ff as well as friends to donate money for a charitable act. He is able to collect seventy pesos. the staff
amount. He falsely accuses
mands hundred pesos. Lencho becomes angry when he counts the
this artificial conflict.
of the post office of theft. It shows his limited knowledge. The story ends with

Give a character sketch of Lencho.

the central character. He lives in a
4ns. In the story 'A letter to God' written by G.L. Fuentes, Lencho is
features of Lencho are prominent in
house on the top of a hill with his family. The following characteristic
"e story. works in his field like an ox.
Lencho is a hard working farmer. His (and is in the foothills. He always
Lencho is as simple as a simpleton. Hence, he wrote letters to God.
to God for His assistance.
Lencho is pious. He has infinite faith in God. In his crisis time he prays
he dreams for future. Thus he
Lencho is optimist (hopeful). When his land is covered with hailstone,
sends letter to God. He has the ability to face his problems.
members. He wrote in
Lencho is not a self-centric person. He thinks about the suffering of his family
consoles his family that
his letter "If you don't help me, my family and Iwill go hungry this year." He
for his family.
none on the earth dies of hunger. It shows his caring attitude
is needed to sow his field
Lencho is not a greedy person. He calculates his loss. Only hundred pesos
again and to run his family till the next crops come.
Lencho is an emotional figure. When he saw the clouds in the north
eastern corner, he became
he compared
excited. He exoressed his rapture before his wife. When he got te touch of rain droups,
these as ten and five cents.
as 'a bunch of crooks
Finally, Lencho is a poor judge of man. He ascribes the staff of the post office
his limitation and
He doesn't feel the noble initiative taken by the postmaster. It highlights
immaturity
 Marks - -----/10

Give a tick mark on the right options:

1 where did the Lencho's house situated?
a. bottom of the hill . top of the hill
c. in a city d. in a remote village
2. What was the only thing that the earth needed according to Lencho?
a. a snowfall o. a shower
C. strong wind d. sunlight
3. What did Lencho compare the large raindrops with?
gold coins o silver coins
c. diamonds d. new coins
4. What destroyed Lencho's fields?
a. heavy rainfall b. hailstorm
c. landslide d. flood
'ow much monev didLencho ask for?
D 20 pesos b. 100 pesos
3 pesos d. 150 pesos
the meaning of 'amiabie ?
he postmaster was a fat, amiable man. What is
a!ude b elpful
d. enthusiastic
ufriendly
to arrange?
7. How much money was the post master able
a, 100 pesos b. 75 pesos
d. 120 pesos
:70 pesos
money?
8. How did he feel when Lencho counted the
¿. grateful b. joyful
. relieved d. angry
S. Why did Lencho need money?
a. to buy a tractor bto save his family frem hunger
d. none of these
C. to buy a buffalo
lesson?
10. What was the irony in this
a. Lencho was sad after the hailstorm
money for him
b. postmaster laughed at him, still arranged
helped him
wlencho blamed the post master and his staff who in fact
d. there is no irony

AAAAAnNAAAAAAAAAAA