A Letter to God - Class 10 English UP Board Guide
Are you preparing for your Class 10 English UP Board exams and seeking an in-depth understanding of "A Letter to God"? Written by G.L. Fuentes, this first chapter of the Class 10 English syllabus is pivotal for exam success. The story vividly illustrates the unwavering faith of a farmer named Lencho in divine intervention, teaching valuable lessons about hope, trust, and the unexpected forms that help can take.
In this comprehensive guide, you will find a detailed summary of "A Letter to God" along with carefully curated exam-oriented questions and answers. Whether you are revising for your upcoming exams or aiming to deepen your comprehension of the chapter's themes and characters, this post is your ultimate resource for achieving excellence in your UP Board English exams.
Summary of "A Letter to God"
"A Letter to God" is a moving and thought-provoking short story by G.L. Fuentes. It portrays the deep faith of a simple farmer in God and emphasizes themes of hope, trust, and humanity. Set against the backdrop of a rural village, the story centers on Lencho, a hardworking farmer, his family, and his unshakable belief in divine intervention during a crisis.
The story begins by introducing Lencho, a poor but dedicated farmer, who relies solely on his fields to support his family. He lives in a small house on a low hill, surrounded by fields of ripe corn. His greatest hope for a prosperous harvest lies in the rains. As the story progresses, Lencho eagerly waits for the rain, which is critical for his crops. One day, dark clouds gather in the sky, bringing a sense of joy and hope to Lencho. He remarks that the large drops of rain are like coins falling from the sky, which would ensure a bountiful harvest.
However, the rain quickly turns into a destructive hailstorm. What initially felt like blessings in the form of raindrops soon changes to disaster as the hailstones devastate Lencho’s entire crop. The storm destroys not just the crops but also Lencho’s hope of survival. His fields, which were the source of his livelihood, are reduced to nothing. With no crops to harvest and no money to feed his family, Lencho feels utterly helpless.
Despite the calamity, Lencho is not ready to give up. He has a profound belief in God’s benevolence and justice, and he is convinced that God would help him in this time of need. Lencho decides to write a heartfelt letter to God, requesting 100 pesos to replant his crops and sustain his family through the difficult times ahead. He addresses the letter to "God" and places it in the mailbox with complete faith that his plea will be answered. The local postmaster, moved by Lencho's unwavering faith and sincerity, takes it upon himself and his colleagues to collect funds from their families and friends. They manage to gather 70 pesos and send it to Lencho, explaining that due to various constraints, they couldn't collect the entire amount.
Upon receiving the money, Lencho is overjoyed but soon realizes that the amount is less than what he had requested. Instead of expressing gratitude, his faith wavers slightly as he begins to suspect that the post office employees might have intercepted the letter and taken some money. In his innocence and unwavering trust in God, Lencho refuses to believe that humans could let him down and remains steadfast in his faith.
Lencho, in his unwavering faith, immediately writes a second letter to God. In this letter, he expresses his disappointment and requests the remaining money. He asks God to send the money directly to him, but not through the post office, as he believes the employees are "a bunch of crooks" who have stolen a portion of the money.
Key Themes and Analysis:
- Faith in God: Lencho’s unshakable faith in God showcases the purity and simplicity of rural beliefs. Even in the face of absolute devastation, Lencho does not lose hope.
- Human Goodness: The postmaster and his colleagues exemplify selflessness and compassion by going out of their way to help Lencho.
- Irony: Lencho’s faith in God leads him to mistrust the very people who helped him, highlighting the complexity of human belief systems.
- Hope and Optimism: Lencho’s decision to write a letter to God shows his optimism even after losing everything.
- Naivety vs. Realism: Lencho’s simplistic view of the world contrasts sharply with the actions of the postmaster, emphasizing the differences between faith-based thinking and practical action.
"A Letter to God" serves as a powerful reminder of the strength of faith and the impact of human kindness. It encourages readers to reflect on their beliefs and the importance of helping others in times of need.
Exam-Oriented Questions and Answers
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What are raindrops compared to and why?
Ans: Raindrops are compared to 'new coins' because Lencho's field of ripe corn promised to yield a good harvest, which would result in significant profit. However, it required water, so he likened raindrops to new coins.
2. What promised a good harvest?
Ans: The field of ripe corn dotted with flowers promised a good harvest.
3. How did Lencho’s prediction about rain come true?
Ans: Lencho looked to the northeast and remarked that he might find some water. His prediction came true when raindrops started falling in the evening.
4. Why was Lencho’s soul filled with sorrow?
Ans: Lencho’s soul was filled with sorrow because his crops were totally destroyed by hailstorms. The flowers were gone from the plants.
5. Why was the family not really upset?
Ans: Even though Lencho’s family was facing ruin, they weren’t really upset. This was because, having immense faith in God, they believed that God would help them.
6. Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho’s first letter addressed to God?
Ans: The postman replied to Lencho’s first letter because he did not want the author’s faith in God to be shaken.
7. How was Lencho helped?
Ans: Lencho was helped by the postmaster sending money which he collected from his employees, his friends, and himself gave a part of his salary.
8. Why was Lencho angry when he received the letter?
Ans: Lencho was angry when he received the letter because when he counted the money, he found only 70 pesos, not 100.
9. Do you think the post-office employees were a bunch of crooks?
Ans: The post-office employees were not a bunch of crooks. In fact, they had collected money to give Lencho and help him.
10. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Ans: No, Lencho was not surprised at all to see that there was money in God’s letter. Such was his faith in God that he expected that answer from God.
11. Why did the postman laugh heartily?
Ans: The postman went to his boss laughing heartily because he had seen a letter addressed to God for the first time in his career.
12. What was Lencho's remark for the post office employees?
Ans: Lencho’s immense faith in God made him angry because when he found only seventy pesos in the envelope, he thought they stole 30 pesos, so he called the post office employees a 'bunch of crooks'.
13. Who made Lencho angry?
Ans: There were only seventy pesos in the envelope whereas Lencho had demanded a hundred pesos. The difference in the amount made him angry.
14. What was the single hope for the family of Lencho?
Ans: Lencho and his family's single hope was help from God.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. What was Lencho's pride and possession?
Ans: Lencho's pride and possession were his farm, which was his primary source of livelihood. He worked hard on his farm, tending to his crops with care and dedication. The farm was like his treasure because it provided food and income for them. Lencho loved his farm and took great pride in it.
2. Bring out Lencho's immense faith in God?
Ans: Lencho had immense faith in God as he believed that he was the only one who would help him in this difficult situation as the hailstorm had completely ruined his crop. He had prayed to God for a little shower but instead, he got hailstorm, yet Lencho had so much faith in God that he wrote a letter to God asking for help. This act of Lencho shows that Lencho had immense faith in God.
3. How did the hailstones affect Lencho’s field? What was Lencho’s only hope?
Ans: Lencho's crops were almost about to ready. The only thing the crops needed was a downpour or at least a shower. Seeing in the sky towards the northeast, Lencho predicted that he is really going to get some water. As he had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall. But suddenly along with the rain, a large hailstorm began to fall. For an hour, the hail rained on the cornfield. The field had turned white as if covered with salt. Not a leaf remained on the trees. The flowers were gone from the plants. The corn was totally destroyed. Thus the hailstones affected Lencho’s field. Lencho’s only hope was help from God.
4. How did post office employees help Lencho? How did Lencho react to their help?
Ans: After receiving a letter to God written by Lencho, the postmaster wanted to reply to the letter. But he needed some money to answer the letter because Lencho had asked God for a hundred pesos in that letter. So to answer this letter, the postmaster collected money from all the post office employees, his friends, and himself gave a part of his salary. But it was impossible for them to collect a sum of one hundred pesos even among themselves. So they were able to send only a little more than half the money to that farmer. This is how the post office employees helped Lencho. Lencho had so much faith in God that he was not surprised seeing the money in the letter. Rather, when he counted the money, he got angry because he had received less money with the letter.
5. Sketch the character of Lencho and The Postmaster.
Ans: (i) Lencho: Lencho is a hardworking farmer who deeply values his land and livelihood. He is portrayed as a man of simple needs and strong faith. Despite facing adversity, such as the destruction of his crops by a hailstorm, Lencho remains resilient and determined to provide for his family. His unwavering belief in God is evident in his letter seeking assistance during difficult times. Lencho's character reflects dedication, perseverance, and a deep sense of responsibility towards his loved ones.
(ii) The Postmaster: The Postmaster is depicted as a kind and humble individual. He is deeply touched by Lencho's faith and decides to help him by gathering financial assistance. However, his good intentions are shattered when Lencho expresses disappointment in the post office workers. This saddens the Postmaster, who genuinely wanted to support Lencho. Overall, the Postmaster's character reflects kindness, empathy, and a desire to help others, despite facing setbacks.
6. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Ans: Lencho wrote a letter to God because he had firm belief in God. Whenever he was in difficulty he prayed to God, so when his crop was totally destroyed by hailstorm, there was no one to help him in this difficult situation. He tried to seek help from God by writing a letter expressing his need for a hundred pesos so that he could sow his field again and live until the crop grew again.
Or
Lencho wrote a letter to God because he believed in God's help and had faith that God could assist him in his time of need. He was facing a difficult situation after his crop was destroyed by a hailstorm, and he sought assistance from God by writing a letter expressing his need for financial help to sow his field again. Lencho's action reflects his strong faith and trust in God's ability to provide for him in times of hardship.
Mastering "A Letter to God" requires a thorough understanding of its themes and characters, as well as practicing with exam-oriented questions. By utilizing the detailed summary and QnA provided in this guide, Class 10 UP Board students can enhance their comprehension and boost their confidence for the upcoming English exams.
Don't stop here—explore our other Class 10 English literature and grammar resources to ensure comprehensive exam preparation. Dive into additional study materials, tips, and guides available on this platform to further solidify your knowledge and achieve academic excellence.
Prepare confidently, and remember, just like Lencho’s unwavering faith, your belief in your abilities is the key to success!
