CBSE Class 10 English A Letter to God HOTS

A Letter to God Notes Class 10 English

Introduction:- The story, "A Letter to God" by G.L Fuentes revolves around the idea of having unquestionable belief in something. The story is set in a Latin American country. Lencho, the farmer, who is the protagonist of the story, writes a letter to God seeking help from the almighty after discovering his entire crop yield destroyed by a devastating hailstorm. Although, his wishes get fulfilled partially, if not completely, he is ungrateful in the end and questions the honesty and modesty of the post-masters who actually helped him with money in the name of god.

Gist of the Lesson:- This story “A Letter to God” is a story of extreme faith in god. The writer of this story G.L. Fuentes had tried to depict the faith in God of a simple poor farmer. Lencho was a poor farmer. He had the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers. He hoped for a downpour or at least a shower. He was happy to see huge mountains of clouds. But suddenly strong wind began to blow with the large hailstones. The hail rained for an hour and the field was white as it covered with salt. The corn was totally destroyed. The hail has left nothing. He did not understand what to do. But he had a great faith on God. He decided to seek help from God. He wrote a letter to God demanding 100 pesos. When the postman read the letter addressing to God he could not stop himself by laughing. But the post master who was a fat, amiable man decided to help Lencho. He collected 70 pesos from his friends, charity and he himself gave part of his salary. The following Sunday Lencho came to collect the money. But he was disappointed to find only 70 pesos. He was angry and he wrote again a letter to God demanding rest of the money. He also wrote that the God should not send the money through the post office because what he believed that the post office employees are bunch of crooks.

Important Points :-
• Lencho’s crops had failed that year and he had only a single hope i.e. God!
• He wrote a letter to God “God, my crops have failed and my family is going to starve. I need some money- hundred pesos.”
• At the post office, the postmen saw such a queer letter and brought it to the postmaster.
• The postmaster was a man of sympathy and he understand a man like Lencho.
• Postmaster observed that faith of Lencho was strong as a child’s so he decided to send an amount of hundred pesos to the poor farmer.
• Hundred pesos was a huge amount, the postmaster was able to collect only seventy pesos. However, he sent the money to Lencho.
• Lencho received the money with a belief that God had helped him.
• Lencho was sad and angry after counting the money as he received only seventy instead of hundred.
• Lencho wrote another letter to God and dropped the letter in the same postbox and went.
• The postmaster felt the biggest shock and shame in his life after opening Lencho’s second letter to God.
• Lencho had written, “God, of the money that I had 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 post because the post office employees are a bunch of thieves. Lencho.”

Extract-Based Questions

Q. 1. 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.

Question. Based on the details of the house's location, how can it best be described?
(a) majestic
(b) imposing
(c) solitary
(d) unique
Answer : C

Question. Lencho wished for a downpour or a heavy shower. Pick the option that correctly lists the correct match for kinds of rain.

(a) (1)-(ii), (2)-(iv), (3)-(v), (4)-(i), 5-(iii)
(b) (1)-(iv), (2)-(i), (3)-(iii), (4)-(v), 5-(ii)
(c) (1)-(v), (2)-(iii), (3)-(iv), (4)-(ii), 5-(i)
(d) (1)-(iii), (2)-(v), (3)-(i), (4)-(ii), 5-(iv)
Answer : D

Question. The field of corn dotted with flowers means that
(a) not a single flower was bigger than a dot.
(b) the flowers were scattered across.
(c) the flowers were in shaped like dots.
(d) the flowers had shrunk in size.
Answer : B

Question. Which quote supports the idea in the given extract?
(a) "Farming is a profession of hope."
(b) "I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world."
(c) "Farming looks mighty easy when your plough is a pencil, and you're a thousand miles from the corn field."
(d) "Those too lazy to plough in the right season will have no food at the harvest."
Answer : A

Question. Based on the given extract, what is Lencho NOT likely to think while looking at his field?

(a) Option (i)
(b) Option (ii)
(c) Option (iii)
(d) Option (iv)
Answer : D

Q. 2. 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." 

Question. Pick the option that lists the option corresponding to—'with a blow of his fist.'

(a) Option (i)
(b) Option (ii)
(c) Option (iii)
(d) Option (iv)
Answer : D

Question. ...bunch of crooks.' Pick the option that DOES NOT collate with 'bunch of, correctly.

(a) Option (i)
(b) Option (ii)
(c) Option (iii)
(d) Option (iv)
Answer : D

Question. Lencho's letter included
(a) details of his problems.
(b) description of the post office.
(c) belief of being looted.
(d) List of further demands.
Answer : D

Question. What was the most likely response that the postmaster expected in Lencho's second letter?
(i) sorrowful
(ii) gratitude
(iii) disappointment (iv) elation (v) shock
(a) Option (ii) and (v)
(b) Option (i) and (iii)
(c) Option (ii) and (iv)
(d) Option (iii) and (v)
Answer : C

Question. Pick the most suitable quote for this extract.
(a) "It is easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled." - Mark Twain
(b) "Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance."- Confucius
(c) "You see a person's true colours when you are no longer beneficial to their life."- Anonymous
(d) "True generosity means accepting ingratitude." - Coco Channel
Answer : D

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question. What, according to you would have been the likely reaction of Lencho's wife upon knowing about him writing an actual letter to God?
Answer : Lencho’s wife might be surprised for the unshakeable faith upon God of her husband. Later she might have told him that it was a foolish act.

Question. Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still he knew how to write.' What does this line tell us about the norm amongst such farmers, then?
Answer : Lencho was a hard working farmer. He worked hard in the field like an Ox. But unlike farmers, he was also a literate person.

Question. Lencho waited eagerly for a reply to his letter to God. Do you think the postmaster was also very keen to know Lencho's reaction upon receiving the 'reply'?
Answer : Yes, the postmaster was also very keen to know Lencho’s reaction because he had done act of charity just to bring smile and contentment on Lencho’s face.

Question. People get support from family and friends during bad times. How does Lencho's family behave after the harvest is ruined?
Answer : After the entire crop was ruined in the hailstorm, Lencho’s family members solaced him and asked him not to lose hope. They reminded him that in God’s world no one died of hunger.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. 'The field was white, as if covered with salt.' This is how the field is described after the hailstorm. The pelting hailstones could have been easily seen as sugar cubes. Do you think comparing it with sugar would have been more appropriate? Why/ Why not?
Answer : According to me, comparing it to the hailstones is more appropriate because the hailstorm destroyed Lencho’s fields. Comparing the hailstones with sugar would mean that it benefitted him. On the contrary, the hailstorm caused a lot of damage and all his harvest was destroyed.

Question. Lencho did not bother exploring any other means to resolve his situation but just turned to God. Do you feel that his approach was justified? Why/Why not?
Answer : Lencho did not bother exploring any other means to resolve his situation because he had a deep faith in God. He believed that only God could help him to come out of this disaster .He was the only one whom he could trust. All others were a bunch of crooks and they would take undue advantage of his situation. Hence his approach was justified.

Question. Lencho and his family knew the implications the hailstorm would have on their lives. Write a conversation between Lencho and his wife as they watched the downpour turn to a hailstorm.
Answer : Lencho : The weather is getting worst now. I have an intuition something bad is going to happen.
Wife : Yes, it has been raining hard for quite a long time. It will destroy our crop.
Lencho : Look! Good Lord! It is hailing now. God save my corns!
Wife : Don’t worry. God won’t let his children starve.
Lencho : I see no hope! We are ruined!

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. The people at the post-office contribute to put together whatever they can manage, for Lencho.
(a) What do you think was the main reason behind their help? Would you have done the same if you were one of the employees?
(b) As an employee, write about your perspective and reason(s) for contributing to the fund. The fact that you don't want to say 'no' to a cause initiated by your boss, can also be an equally compelling reason!
Answer : (a) The main reason behind their help was to keep Lencho’s faith in God intact. Yes, I would also like to help someone who has such an immense faith in Almighty God by giving a part of my earning just like the postmaster and the post office employees did.
(b) Exactly, saying ‘no’ to a cause initiated by my boss won’t be a wise decision. Lencho, who was a poor farmer, was in a fear of going hungry this year. His ripe corn got destroyed due to an unexpected hailstorm. Lending a helping hand is a true spirit of a true human being. I, too, won’t hesitate while helping Lencho. Moreover, to find people like Lencho is very rare in this materialistic world. He was true gem of his own type. And helping such a man was infact, just like helping God himself.

Question. The postmaster was a representative of God. Evaluate this statement in the context of your understanding of 'A Letter to God'.
Answer : Yes, the postmaster was a representative of God for at least three reasons. First, he was the one who actually read the letter, on behalf of God. Also, he made effort to fulfill Lencho's prayers, which were addressed to God. So, the postmaster acted in God’s place and tried to collect funds for the poor farmer. Thirdly, Lencho himself believed that God had answered his prayers and sent him the money. The postmaster represents a bunch of people like Lencho who have faith in God. There are people like the Postmaster and the Post Office employees, who help others without any self interest. To keep Lencho's faith in God intact, the postmaster cooperated with his employees and collected the amount. He had love and empathy towards Lencho when he knew about his situation. He was a compassionate man and even hid his identity in helping Lencho. He sent the amount to Lencho in the name of God. Even though none of the Post Office employees or Post Master were related to Lencho in any manner, yet it was a pure act of humanity, kindness and selflessness on their part. Thus, the postmaster was a follow human being and not God, but his actions were very kind. It can be concluded that he was indeed a representative of God.

Question. Read the given anecdote and analyse the similarities and differences with reference to 'A Letter to God'.
A very poor woman called-in a radio station asking for help from God. A non-believer, also listening to this radio program, decided to make fun of the woman. He got her address, called his secretary and ordered her to buy food and take it to the woman.
However, the instruction was: "When the woman asks who sent the food, tell her that it's from the devil."
When the secretary arrived at the woman's house, the woman was very happy and grateful for the help. The Secretary then asked her, "Don't you want to know who sent the food?"
The woman replied, "No, I don't even care because when God orders, even the devil obeys!
Answer : There are many similarities in the anecdote like:
The poor woman too had immense faith in God just like Lencho. She too asked help from God, Himself instead of asking aid from people around her . Just like Lencho she too believed the devils bunch of crooks excited in this world . The man made fun of her in the same ways as the post office employees laughed on Lencho when they read his first letter. But both the non-believers the post office employees rendered a helping hand to the needy.
The differences are as follows:
The poor woman considered a devil as help from god. She became happy when she saw the food. On the contrary, Lencho became angry because the amount of money was less than desired one. The man who helped the old woman called himself as a devil whereas the postmaster himself signed as the ‘God’.