A LETTER TO GOD
Class 10 English – First Flight
NCERT Solutions + CBSE Important Questions
1. Oral Comprehension Check – Answers
Q1. What did Lencho hope for?
Lencho hoped for rain because his ripe cornfield needed water for a good harvest. He had been watching the sky throughout the morning and expected a shower. Initially, the rain made him very happy because he believed it would ensure a good crop.
Q2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins because he considered the rain a blessing. He believed that the rain would help his corn crop grow and bring prosperity to his family. The big drops appeared like ten-cent coins and the smaller ones like five-cent coins.
Q3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
The rain soon changed into a severe hailstorm. Strong winds began to blow and large hailstones started falling. The hail continued for about an hour and completely destroyed Lencho’s cornfield. The flowers disappeared, the trees lost their leaves and the entire field became white with hailstones.
Q4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Lencho was extremely sad and disappointed after the hailstorm. He realised that all his hard work had been destroyed and there would be no corn that year. He felt that even a plague of locusts would have caused less damage than the hailstorm.
2. Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Lencho had complete faith in God. He believed that God could see everything and would help him in his difficult situation. Therefore, he wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos so that he could sow his field again and support his family.
Q2. Who read the letter?
The postman found and read Lencho’s letter. He showed it to the postmaster because he was surprised to see that the letter was addressed to God.
Q3. What did the postmaster do then?
The postmaster was deeply impressed by Lencho’s strong faith in God. He decided not to let Lencho lose his faith. He collected money from his employees, contributed part of his own salary and obtained help from some friends. However, he could collect only a little more than half of the hundred pesos and sent seventy pesos to Lencho, signing the letter as “God”.
3. Thinking About the Text
Q1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Lencho has complete and unquestioning faith in God. He believes that God knows everything and will never let him suffer.
The following ideas show his faith:
He writes a letter directly to God asking for money.
He believes that God will send him the required money.
When he receives only seventy pesos, he does not doubt God.
Instead, he believes that the remaining money has been taken by the post office employees.
Thus, Lencho's faith in God is absolute.
Q2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
The postmaster sends money to Lencho because he is deeply moved by Lencho's strong faith in God. He does not want Lencho to lose his faith.
The postmaster collects money from his employees, contributes some of his own salary and gets help from his friends. Since he wants Lencho to believe that the money has come from God, he signs the letter simply as “God”.
Q3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
No, Lencho did not try to find out who had sent the money. He had complete faith in God and believed that God himself had sent the money. Therefore, he did not question the source of the money.
Q4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?
Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the remaining thirty pesos.
The irony is that the post office employees were actually the people who helped Lencho. The postmaster and his employees collected money and sent him seventy pesos out of kindness. However, Lencho considers them dishonest and calls them “a bunch of crooks”.
Q5. Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you say he is?
Yes, people like Lencho can be found in the real world. Lencho is hardworking, simple, innocent and deeply religious. He has complete faith in God.
However, he is also somewhat naive and ungrateful. He fails to recognise the kindness of the postmaster and the employees who actually help him. His unquestioning faith makes the ending of the story humorous and ironic.
Q6. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?
The conflict between humans and nature is shown through the hailstorm. Lencho depends on his crops for his livelihood, but the hailstorm destroys his entire crop.
The conflict between humans themselves is shown at the end. The post office employees help Lencho by collecting money for him, but Lencho suspects them of stealing the remaining money. Thus, the story presents both the struggle against nature and misunderstanding between people.
4. Important Character Sketch – Lencho
Lencho is the central character of the story. He is a poor farmer who works extremely hard in his field. He has complete faith in God and believes that God can see everything and help him in times of difficulty.
He is also innocent and simple-minded. After receiving seventy pesos, he does not question whether the money really came from God. Instead, he assumes that God sent the full amount and that the post office employees stole the rest.
Therefore, Lencho can be described as hardworking, faithful, innocent, naive and unquestioning. His innocence also creates the irony at the end of the story.
5. Character Sketch – The Postmaster
The postmaster is kind, generous and sympathetic. Initially, he laughs when he sees Lencho's letter addressed to God, but soon he becomes serious after understanding Lencho's faith.
He decides to help Lencho so that his faith in God does not disappear. He contributes part of his salary and asks others to contribute as well.
The postmaster represents human kindness and generosity. Although Lencho misunderstands him, the postmaster performs a genuinely selfless act.
6. Theme of the Story
The main theme of “A Letter to God” is faith and human kindness.
Lencho has complete faith in God. When his crop is destroyed by hail, he believes that God will help him. At the same time, the postmaster and his employees demonstrate human kindness by collecting money for him.
The story also highlights irony. Lencho receives help from the very people whom he later calls dishonest. Thus, the story shows that faith can be powerful, but blind faith can sometimes prevent a person from recognising the goodness of other human beings.
7. Irony in the Story
The greatest irony occurs at the end.
Lencho asks God for one hundred pesos. The postmaster and his employees collect seventy pesos and send them to him in the name of God.
Lencho believes that God cannot make a mistake, so he assumes that the remaining thirty pesos have been stolen by the post office employees.
The people whom Lencho suspects are actually the people who helped him. This unexpected contrast makes the ending ironic and humorous.
8. Important Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Crest | Top of a hill |
| Downpour | Heavy rainfall |
| Hailstones | Balls of ice falling from the sky |
| Drought | Long period without sufficient rain |
| Locusts | Insects that destroy crops |
| Solitary | Alone or isolated |
| Conscience | Inner sense of right and wrong |
| Amiable | Friendly and pleasant |
| Contentment | Satisfaction |
| Plague | A destructive or widespread occurrence |
| Crooks | Dishonest people |
| Peso | Currency used in several Latin American countries |
9. Grammar – Important CBSE Questions
Relative Clauses
Q1. Join the sentences using “which”.
I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India.
Answer:
I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
Q2. Join using “who”.
My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very well.
Answer:
My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.
Q3. Join using “whose”.
These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance has been excellent.
Answer:
These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.
Q4. Join using “whose”.
Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds.
Answer:
Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.
Q5. Join using “whom”.
This man cheated me. I trusted him.
Answer:
This is the man whom I trusted but who cheated me.
10. CBSE Important Short Answer Questions
Q1. Why was Lencho looking at the sky?
Lencho was looking at the sky because his cornfield needed rain. He expected rainfall to help his crop grow and produce a good harvest.
Q2. Why did Lencho compare raindrops with coins?
He compared raindrops with coins because he considered rain a source of prosperity. Good rainfall would give him a good harvest and financial security.
Q3. What destroyed Lencho's crop?
A severe hailstorm destroyed Lencho's entire crop.
Q4. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Lencho wrote a letter to God because his crop had been destroyed and he needed money to sow his field again and support his family.
Q5. How much money did Lencho ask God for?
Lencho asked God for one hundred pesos.
Q6. How much money did Lencho receive?
Lencho received seventy pesos.
Q7. Why was the postmaster impressed by Lencho?
The postmaster was impressed by Lencho's extraordinary faith in God.
Q8. Why did the postmaster decide to help Lencho?
He wanted to protect Lencho's faith in God and prevent him from becoming hopeless.
Q9. Why did Lencho become angry after receiving the money?
Lencho became angry because he received only seventy pesos instead of the hundred pesos he had requested.
Q10. Why did Lencho call the post office employees “a bunch of crooks”?
He believed that the employees had stolen the thirty pesos that were missing from the amount he had requested.
11. CBSE Long Answer Questions
Q1. Describe Lencho's faith in God.
Lencho had complete and unquestioning faith in God. When his entire crop was destroyed by the hailstorm, he did not lose hope. He believed that God knew about his suffering and would certainly help him. Therefore, he wrote a letter to God asking for one hundred pesos.
When he received seventy pesos, he did not doubt God. Instead, he assumed that God had sent the full amount and that the post office employees had stolen the remaining money. His faith was so strong that he could not imagine God making a mistake.
Thus, Lencho's character represents complete faith, although his blind faith also makes him unable to appreciate the kindness of other people.
Q2. How does the story show the goodness of human beings?
The story shows human goodness through the postmaster and his employees. When the postmaster reads Lencho's letter to God, he is first amused, but later he becomes serious because he is impressed by Lencho's faith.
He decides to help the farmer. He contributes part of his salary and collects money from his employees and friends. They manage to collect seventy pesos and send them to Lencho in the name of God.
Although Lencho misunderstands their action and calls them crooks, their act remains an example of kindness, generosity and compassion.
Q3. Explain the irony in “A Letter to God”.
The irony lies in the fact that Lencho receives help from the people he suspects of stealing from him.
Lencho asks God for one hundred pesos. The postmaster and his employees collect seventy pesos and send it to him. Lencho believes that God sent the money but thinks that the post office employees stole the remaining thirty pesos.
In reality, the post office employees are the very people who made the money reach Lencho. Thus, Lencho's faith in God is preserved, but his faith in human beings becomes negative. This unexpected situation creates the central irony of the story.
12. CBSE Competency-Based Questions
Q1. Assertion: Lencho had complete faith in God.
Reason: He believed that God would help him after the destruction of his crop.
Answer: Both Assertion and Reason are correct, and the Reason correctly explains the Assertion.
Q2. What would have happened if the postmaster had not helped Lencho?
If the postmaster had not helped Lencho, Lencho might have lost hope because his entire crop had been destroyed. The story would also have shown less evidence of human kindness.
Q3. Why is Lencho's reaction to the seventy pesos unexpected?
Lencho should have been grateful because he received financial help. Instead, he became angry because he believed that the remaining thirty pesos had been stolen. This unexpected reaction creates irony.
Q4. What does the story teach us about blind faith?
The story suggests that faith can provide hope and strength during difficult times. However, blind faith can also prevent a person from seeing reality clearly. Lencho's faith is admirable, but his inability to recognise human kindness shows the limitation of unquestioning faith.
Q5. If you were the postmaster, how would you feel after reading Lencho's second letter?
I would probably feel disappointed because, despite helping Lencho, he considered the post office employees dishonest. However, I would also understand that Lencho's reaction came from his deep and unquestioning faith in God.
13. CBSE Extract-Based Practice
Extract-Based Question 1
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
Questions:
Who said these words?
Why was the speaker happy?
What did he expect from the rain?
What happened later to his crop?
Answers:
Lencho said these words.
He was happy because he expected rainfall.
He expected the rain to provide enough water for his cornfield and produce a good harvest.
A severe hailstorm destroyed the entire crop.
Extract-Based Question 2
“These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins.”
Questions:
Who said this?
Why did he call raindrops coins?
What did the rain initially promise?
What changed the situation?
Answers:
Lencho said this.
He considered rain a source of prosperity and compared the drops with coins.
It promised a good harvest.
The rain changed into a destructive hailstorm.
Extract-Based Question 3
“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year.”
Questions:
Who wrote these words?
Why did he write the letter?
How much money did he request?
What does this letter reveal about his character?
Answers:
Lencho wrote these words.
His crop had been destroyed by hail and he needed money to sow his field again.
He requested one hundred pesos.
It reveals his strong and unquestioning faith in God.
14. CBSE Exam-Focused Questions
Very Short Answer Questions
Who was Lencho?
What was Lencho's occupation?
What crop did Lencho grow?
What did Lencho need for a good harvest?
What destroyed his crop?
How long did the hailstorm continue?
How much money did Lencho ask for?
How much money did he receive?
Who helped Lencho?
What did Lencho call the post office employees?
Short Answer Questions
Describe Lencho's house and surroundings.
Why was Lencho happy when the rain began?
Why did Lencho become sad after the hailstorm?
Describe Lencho's letter to God.
What impressed the postmaster?
How did the postmaster collect money?
Why did Lencho not doubt the source of the money?
Explain the significance of the title “A Letter to God”.
What kind of person was Lencho?
How does the story combine faith and irony?
Long Answer Questions
“Faith can move mountains, but blind faith can also create misunderstanding.” Discuss with reference to Lencho.
Describe the postmaster as a symbol of human kindness.
Discuss the theme of faith and human generosity in “A Letter to God”.
Explain how nature becomes an enemy of Lencho.
Why is the ending of the story both humorous and ironic?
Compare Lencho's faith in God with his opinion of human beings.
“The story is a fine example of irony.” Explain.
How does the story teach us to appreciate human kindness?
15. Most Important CBSE Questions – Priority List
For board examination, prepare these questions especially well:
1. Describe Lencho's faith in God.
2. Why did the postmaster decide to help Lencho?
3. Explain the irony in the ending of the story.
4. Describe the character of Lencho.
5. Describe the character of the postmaster.
6. How does the story present the conflict between humans and nature?
7. How does the story show human kindness and generosity?
8. Explain the significance of the title “A Letter to God”.
9. “Lencho had faith in God but no faith in human beings.” Discuss.
10. “The postmaster was a kind and generous person.” Justify the statement.
16. One-Paragraph Chapter Summary
“A Letter to God” is the story of Lencho, a poor farmer who depends on his corn crop for his family's survival. He expects rain because his field needs water, but the rain soon turns into a destructive hailstorm and completely destroys his crop. Lencho has complete faith in God and writes a letter asking for one hundred pesos. The postmaster is impressed by his faith and collects money from his employees and friends. He sends seventy pesos to Lencho, signing the letter as “God”. Lencho is not surprised to receive the money, but he becomes angry because it is less than the amount he requested. He believes that God sent the complete amount and that the post office employees stole the remaining money. The story therefore presents faith, hope, kindness and irony. Its ending is especially ironic because the people whom Lencho suspects are actually the people who helped him.
17. Central Message
The story teaches us that faith gives people hope during difficult situations. It also shows that human beings can demonstrate great kindness and generosity. At the same time, the story warns us about the limitations of blind faith and shows how misunderstanding can prevent us from recognising the goodness of others.
