📑 Table of Contents
📘 Chapter Overview
A Letter to God is a story by G. L. Fuentes about Lencho, a poor farmer whose crop is destroyed by a severe hailstorm. Lencho has complete faith in God and believes that God will help him in his difficult situation.
🎯 Learning Objectives
Understand the Story
Understand the events surrounding Lencho and his destroyed crop.
Understand Faith
Explore Lencho's extraordinary faith in God.
Identify Irony
Understand the irony in Lencho's response to the post office employees.
Prepare for Exams
Revise important themes, characters and examination questions.
📖 A Letter to God – Summary
Lencho was a hardworking farmer who lived with his family in a house on the crest of a low hill. His entire livelihood depended on the crops growing in his field. He eagerly waited for rain because his crops needed water.
When the rain finally came, Lencho initially felt happy. However, the rain soon turned into a violent hailstorm. The hailstones destroyed the entire crop. Lencho was deeply worried because the family's survival depended on the harvest.
Despite this disaster, Lencho did not lose faith in God. He believed that God would help him. He decided to write a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos so that he could survive and sow his field again.
The postman and the postmaster read Lencho's letter. The postmaster was impressed by Lencho's faith and decided to help him. He collected money from his employees and friends and sent Lencho seventy pesos in an envelope, signing it as "God."
When Lencho received the money, he was not surprised because he firmly believed that God would answer his request. However, he became angry when he counted only seventy pesos. He assumed that the post office employees must have taken the remaining money.
Lencho wrote another letter to God, asking Him to send the remaining thirty pesos directly because he believed the people working at the post office were dishonest.
👤 Character Sketches
🌾 Lencho
- Hardworking farmer
- Simple and honest in his own understanding
- Extremely strong faith in God
- Optimistic even after losing his crop
- Trusts God completely
- Ironically suspicious of the post office employees
📮 The Postmaster
- Kind and compassionate
- Moved by Lencho's faith
- Wants to prevent Lencho from losing hope
- Collects money to help him
- Represents human kindness
👨👩👦 Lencho's Family
Lencho's family depends on the farm. Their situation shows the importance of the harvest to a farming family.
💡 Major Themes
🙏 Faith
Lencho's complete faith in God is the central idea of the story.
❤️ Human Kindness
The postmaster and his colleagues demonstrate generosity by helping a stranger in need.
🎭 Irony
The people who actually help Lencho are the very people he suspects of stealing his money.
🌱 Hope
Lencho's faith keeps him hopeful even after his crop is destroyed.
📝 Detailed Notes
1. Lencho and His Farm
Lencho was a farmer whose house stood on the crest of a low hill. He depended on his field for his livelihood. The crops needed rain for a good harvest.
2. The Rain
Lencho welcomed the rain because he believed that it would help his crops grow. At first, the rain appeared beneficial.
3. The Hailstorm
The weather suddenly changed. Large hailstones fell and destroyed the crops completely. Lencho compared the destruction to an invasion of locusts.
4. Lencho's Faith
Although the crop was destroyed, Lencho remained confident that God would help him. He believed that God could see everything and would not allow his family to starve.
5. The Letter
Lencho wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos. He needed the money to survive and to sow his field again.
6. The Postmaster's Response
The postmaster was deeply impressed by Lencho's faith. He decided to answer the letter in a way that would protect Lencho's faith. He collected money and sent seventy pesos to Lencho.
7. The Second Letter
Lencho was disappointed when he received only seventy pesos. However, he did not doubt God. Instead, he assumed that the post office employees had taken the remaining money.
📚 Important Vocabulary
| Word | Simple Meaning |
|---|---|
| Intimately | Closely or personally |
| Locusts | Insects that can destroy crops |
| Contentment | A state of satisfaction |
| Hailstones | Small balls or lumps of ice falling from the sky |
| Solitary | Alone or isolated |
| Conscience | A sense of right and wrong |
| Affixed | Attached or fixed to something |
| Faith | Strong belief or trust |
⭐ Important Points for Revision
- Lencho is a poor farmer who depends on his crops.
- He eagerly waits for rain for his crops.
- The rain changes into a destructive hailstorm.
- The hailstorm completely destroys Lencho's crop.
- Lencho has complete faith in God.
- He writes a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos.
- The postmaster is impressed by Lencho's faith.
- The postmaster collects money and sends seventy pesos.
- Lencho believes that God has sent the money.
- He thinks the post office employees have stolen the remaining money.
- The ending creates an important example of irony.
❓ Short Answer Questions
1. Who was Lencho?
Lencho was a hardworking farmer who lived with his family and depended on his crop for his livelihood.
2. Why did Lencho need rain?
Lencho needed rain because his crops required water for a good harvest.
3. What destroyed Lencho's crop?
A severe hailstorm destroyed Lencho's crop completely.
4. Why did Lencho write to God?
He wrote to God because he needed money after losing his crop. He asked for one hundred pesos.
5. Why did the postmaster decide to help Lencho?
The postmaster was moved by Lencho's strong faith in God and wanted to keep that faith alive.
6. How much money did Lencho receive?
Lencho received seventy pesos from the postmaster and the post office employees.
7. Why was Lencho angry after receiving the money?
He had asked for one hundred pesos but received only seventy. He believed that the remaining money had been taken by the post office employees.
8. What is ironic about the ending?
The people Lencho suspects of stealing his money are actually the people who collected money and helped him.
✍️ Important Long Answer Questions
1. Describe Lencho's faith in God.
Lencho has complete and unquestioning faith in God. When the hailstorm destroys his crop, he does not lose hope. Instead, he believes that God will help him and writes a letter asking for one hundred pesos. Even after receiving less money than he requested, he does not doubt God. His faith is so strong that he blames the post office employees rather than questioning God's response.
2. Describe the role of the postmaster in the story.
The postmaster plays an important role in preserving Lencho's faith. He is impressed by Lencho's belief in God and decides to help him. He collects money from his employees and friends and sends it to Lencho. His actions show kindness, generosity and sympathy.
3. Explain the irony in A Letter to God.
The main irony is that Lencho believes the post office employees have taken the money that is missing from his payment. In reality, the postmaster and his colleagues are the people who collected the money and sent it to him. Thus, the people Lencho distrusts are actually the people who helped him.
4. What message does the story convey?
The story highlights the power of faith, hope and human kindness. It shows how deeply a person can depend on faith during difficult times. At the same time, it shows that human beings can also demonstrate generosity and compassion by helping others.
5. Is Lencho's faith admirable? Explain.
Lencho's strong faith is admirable because he does not lose hope after facing a devastating loss. However, his complete suspicion of the post office employees creates an ironic contrast. His faith in God is strong, but he fails to recognise the kindness shown by the people around him.
🎯 Important MCQs
1. Who is the main character?
A. Lencho
B. The postmaster
C. A farmer's neighbour
D. A shopkeeper
✅ Answer: A. Lencho
2. What destroyed Lencho's crop?
A. Flood
B. Drought
C. Hailstorm
D. Fire
✅ Answer: C. Hailstorm
3. How much money did Lencho request?
A. 50 pesos
B. 70 pesos
C. 100 pesos
D. 150 pesos
✅ Answer: C. 100 pesos
4. How much money did Lencho receive?
A. 30 pesos
B. 50 pesos
C. 70 pesos
D. 100 pesos
✅ Answer: C. 70 pesos
5. Who collected money for Lencho?
A. His neighbours
B. The postmaster and employees
C. His family
D. A bank
✅ Answer: B. The postmaster and employees
6. What is a central theme?
A. Competition
B. Faith
C. Adventure
D. Education
✅ Answer: B. Faith
7. What does the ending mainly create?
A. Suspense
B. Irony
C. Horror
D. Mystery
✅ Answer: B. Irony
8. Lencho depended mainly on his:
A. Shop
B. Job
C. Farm
D. Business
✅ Answer: C. Farm
9. What did Lencho ask God for?
A. Food only
B. Seeds only
C. Money
D. A new house
✅ Answer: C. Money
10. What quality does the postmaster show?
A. Cruelty
B. Generosity
C. Jealousy
D. Anger
✅ Answer: B. Generosity
🧠 Interactive Revision Quiz
❔ Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote A Letter to God?
A Letter to God was written by G. L. Fuentes.
Who was Lencho?
Lencho was a hardworking farmer whose livelihood depended on his crop.
Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
He wrote to God because his crop had been destroyed and he needed money to survive and sow his field again.
Why did the postmaster help Lencho?
The postmaster was moved by Lencho's faith and wanted to help preserve his belief in God.
What is the central theme of the story?
The story explores faith, hope, human kindness and irony.
Why is the ending ironic?
Lencho suspects the post office employees of taking part of the money, even though they were actually the people who helped him.
🚀 Quick Revision
👨🌾 Main Character
Lencho — a hardworking farmer with strong faith in God.
⛈️ Main Problem
A hailstorm destroys Lencho's crop.
💰 Request
Lencho asks God for one hundred pesos.
📮 Help
The postmaster and his colleagues send seventy pesos.
🎭 Key Device
Irony is central to the ending.
⭐ Main Themes
Faith, hope, kindness and irony.