A Letter to God
Chapter 1 - First Flight
CLASS 10 NCERT
3/31/20259 min read
Summary of the Chapter
Introduction:
The story is written by Gregorio López y Fuentes.
The story revolves around Lencho, a hardworking farmer who has deep faith in God.
It highlights human innocence, blind faith, and the irony of life.
Lencho’s Farm and the Rain:
Lencho lives with his family on a low hill.
From his house, he can see the river and the fields of ripe corn.
He eagerly waits for rain to water his crops.
The rain finally comes, and Lencho is overjoyed.
However, soon a hailstorm begins, destroying the entire crop.
Lencho becomes heartbroken, realizing his family will face hunger.
Lencho’s Faith in God:
Despite the disaster, Lencho remains hopeful.
His unshakable faith in God makes him believe that only God can help.
He writes a letter to God, asking for 100 pesos to sow his field again and survive the difficult time.
He posts the letter, addressing it simply to "God."
Post Office Employees' Response:
The postmaster and other employees see the letter.
They are amazed by Lencho’s faith.
The postmaster decides to help Lencho by collecting money from his colleagues.
They manage to gather 70 pesos and place it in an envelope.
They send it to Lencho, signing it as "God."
Lencho’s Innocence and Irony:
Lencho receives the envelope but is disappointed on seeing only 70 pesos.
He believes that God sent the full amount but the post office employees must have stolen the rest.
Innocently, he writes another letter to God, asking for the remaining money.
He also requests God not to send it through the post office, as he considers them "a bunch of crooks."
Themes:
Faith and Innocence: Lencho’s unwavering trust in God.
Irony: Lencho suspects the kind-hearted employees of stealing.
Human Kindness: The postmaster's generosity shows human compassion.
Moral:
The story teaches the power of faith, kindness, and simplicity.
It also reveals the irony of misunderstanding human goodness.
NCERT Questions and Answers
Page 5 – Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. What did Lencho hope for?
Lencho hoped for a downpour or at least a shower for his crops. Since he was a farmer, his entire livelihood depended on a good harvest. He eagerly waited for rainfall, believing it would ensure a healthy crop and provide food and income for his family.
Q2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Lencho compared the raindrops to ‘new coins’ because he believed that the rain would bring him a good harvest. The larger raindrops symbolized ten-cent coins, while the smaller ones were like five-cent coins. To him, the rain was as valuable as money, as it promised a prosperous yield.
Q3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s crops?
Initially, the rain was gentle and beneficial for the crops. However, it soon turned into a violent hailstorm. The hailstones pounded the fields mercilessly, covering the ground in a layer of white ice. The entire crop was destroyed, leaving Lencho and his family with no food or hope for the season.
Q4. What were Lencho’s feelings after the hail stopped?
After the hailstorm, Lencho was filled with despair and sadness. Seeing his fields ruined, he realized that his family would face hunger and financial hardship. Despite his sorrow, he did not lose faith in God. Instead, he turned to Him for help, convinced that God would not let his family suffer.
Page 6 – Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Lencho had absolute faith in God. He believed that only God could save his family from starvation. With complete trust, he wrote a letter to God, asking for one hundred pesos to buy seeds and replant his field. He posted the letter, fully confident that God would respond to his plea.
Q2. Who read the letter?
The letter was read by the postmaster. When one of the employees noticed the unusual address "To God," they laughed and showed it to the postmaster. Intrigued by Lencho’s innocent faith, the postmaster opened the letter and was deeply moved by its content.
Q3. What did the postmaster do after reading the letter?
The postmaster was touched by Lencho’s unwavering faith. To keep his trust in God intact, he decided to help him. He collected money from his colleagues and even contributed a part of his own salary. Although they could only gather seventy pesos, he placed the money in an envelope, signed it as "God," and sent it to Lencho.
Page 7 – Oral Comprehension Check
Q1. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
No, Lencho was not surprised to receive a letter with money. His strong faith in God made him certain that his prayer would be answered. He believed that God would surely send him the money he had requested, so finding the envelope did not surprise him.
Q2. What made Lencho angry?
Lencho became angry when he counted the money and found only seventy pesos instead of the one hundred he had asked for. He was convinced that God had sent the full amount but assumed that the post office employees had stolen the remaining thirty pesos. His innocent faith made him suspect the very people who had helped him.
Thinking About the Text
Q1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? What sentences in the story show this?
Lencho has complete faith in God. His trust is evident when he writes a letter directly to God, convinced that his prayer will be answered. The sentences that reflect his faith include:
"God: of the money that I asked for, only seventy pesos reached me; send me the rest, since I need it very much."
This line shows that Lencho is certain that God had sent the money and that it was only the post office employees who had taken the rest.
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 moved by the farmer’s strong faith in God. He wants to preserve Lencho’s belief in divine kindness. By signing the letter as "God," he hopes to make Lencho think that God had indeed answered his prayer. The postmaster’s gesture reflects human compassion and kindness.
Q3. Did Lencho try to find out who sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
No, Lencho did not try to find out who sent the money. His blind faith in God made him believe that it had come directly from Him. He was so convinced of God’s intervention that he never questioned the source. Lencho’s innocence and trust prevented him from suspecting that humans were involved in the act of generosity.
Q4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?
Lencho believes that the post office employees have stolen the remaining thirty pesos. The irony lies in the fact that it was the same employees who had collected and donated the money out of kindness. Instead of being grateful, Lencho distrusts them, calling them "a bunch of crooks." This reflects the dramatic irony of the story, where kindness is mistaken for dishonesty.
Q5. What kind of a man is Lencho? What qualities does he display?
Lencho is a simple, hardworking, and religious man. He displays unwavering faith in God, even in the face of hardship. His innocence is evident in the way he assumes that God will respond directly to his plea. However, he is also naïve and mistrustful of humans. Despite receiving help from the post office employees, he accuses them of stealing, unaware of their kindness. Lencho’s character reflects sincerity, simplicity, and unquestioning devotion.
Previous Year Questions And Answers
3-Mark Questions (50-60 words each)
Q1. Why did Lencho write a letter to God? (CBSE 2017)
Value Points:
· Lencho’s crops were destroyed by a hailstorm.
· He had deep faith in God.
· Wrote a letter requesting 100 pesos for survival.
Answer:
Lencho, a hardworking farmer, wrote a letter to God after a hailstorm ruined his crops, leaving his family in distress. He had strong faith in God’s help and requested 100 pesos to buy food and sow seeds again. His firm belief made him seek divine assistance without any hesitation.
Q2. How did the postmaster react to Lencho’s letter? (CBSE 2020)
Value Points:
· Laughed at first but was touched by Lencho’s faith.
· Wanted to keep Lencho’s trust in God intact.
· Collected money from colleagues and sent it to Lencho.
Answer:
Initially, the postmaster laughed upon reading Lencho’s letter. However, he was moved by Lencho’s unwavering faith in God. To ensure Lencho’s belief remained strong, he and his colleagues collected 70 pesos and sent it to him, signing it as ‘God.’ This act of kindness showed humanity’s goodness.
Q3. Why did Lencho call the post office employees ‘a bunch of crooks’? (CBSE 2018)
Value Points:
· Expected 100 pesos but received only 70.
· Believed God couldn’t make a mistake.
· Thought the post office employees had stolen the remaining 30 pesos.
Answer:
Lencho had asked for 100 pesos from God but received only 70. He was sure that God had sent the full amount, so he concluded that the post office employees had stolen 30 pesos. Due to this misunderstanding, he angrily called them ‘a bunch of crooks’ in his second letter to God.
Q4. How did the rain change? What happened to the crops? (CBSE 2016)
Value Points:
· Initially, gentle raindrops fell, which made Lencho happy.
· Soon, hailstones started falling.
· The hailstorm continued for hours, destroying the crops completely.
Answer:
At first, the rain was light and gentle, bringing happiness to Lencho, as his crops needed water. However, soon, the rain turned into a heavy hailstorm. The hail fell for hours, completely destroying Lencho’s crops. His fields were covered with ice, leaving him and his family devastated.
Q5. What kind of a person was Lencho? (CBSE 2019)
Value Points:
· Hardworking and simple farmer.
· Had unshakable faith in God.
· Innocent and unaware of human generosity.
Answer:
Lencho was a hardworking farmer who depended entirely on his crops. He had deep faith in God and firmly believed that He would provide financial help. However, he was innocent and unaware of human kindness, as he thought the post office employees had stolen his money instead of realizing they had helped him.
6-Mark Questions (100-120 words each)
Q6. Describe Lencho’s faith in God. How did it inspire the postmaster? (CBSE 2020)
Value Points:
· Lencho believed God would help him after the hailstorm.
· Wrote a letter asking for 100 pesos with complete trust.
· The postmaster was amazed by Lencho’s faith.
· To keep his faith intact, he collected money and sent it.
Answer:
Lencho was a poor farmer who had absolute faith in God. When a hailstorm destroyed his crops, he firmly believed that God would send him financial help. Without any hesitation, he wrote a letter requesting 100 pesos. The postmaster, deeply moved by Lencho’s faith, decided to help him. He collected 70 pesos from his colleagues and sent it to Lencho in the name of God. This act of kindness showed the power of faith and the generosity of human beings. However, Lencho misunderstood the situation and blamed the post office employees, proving how strong yet naive his belief in God was.
Q7. What is the irony in the story ‘A Letter to God’? How does it make the story interesting? (CBSE 2017)
Value Points:
· Lencho’s faith in God vs. human help.
· He believed only God could send money.
· He accused his helpers of being thieves.
· Reader knows the truth, but Lencho doesn’t (dramatic irony).
Answer:
The irony in A Letter to God lies in the fact that Lencho, who had strong faith in divine help, actually received aid from the post office employees. Instead of realizing human generosity, he accused them of stealing his money. He was convinced that only God could send him money and was unaware of reality. The story is interesting because of its dramatic irony—while the reader knows the truth, Lencho remains unaware. This contrast between faith and reality adds humor and depth to the story, highlighting both human kindness and the simplicity of faith.
Q8. Why did Lencho become angry after receiving the money? What did he do next? (CBSE 2018)
Value Points:
· Asked for 100 pesos but received only 70.
· Believed God had sent the full amount.
· Thought post office employees had stolen 30 pesos.
· Wrote another letter asking for the rest.
Answer:
Lencho became angry when he received only 70 pesos instead of 100. Since he firmly believed that God had sent him the full amount, he assumed the post office employees had stolen 30 pesos. In frustration, he wrote another letter to God, requesting the remaining amount and warning Him not to send it through the post office, as he believed they were thieves. His anger showed both his innocence and his deep, unquestioning faith in God’s power.
Q9. What lesson does ‘A Letter to God’ teach us? (CBSE 2021)
Value Points:
· Teaches faith and belief in a higher power.
· Highlights human kindness and generosity.
· Shows irony—people help but are misunderstood.
Answer:
A Letter to God teaches us the importance of faith and trust. Lencho’s strong belief in God’s help shows how faith can keep a person hopeful even in difficult times. The story also highlights human kindness, as the postmaster and his employees selflessly helped Lencho. However, irony plays a big role—Lencho, instead of being grateful, misunderstood their generosity and doubted their honesty. The story teaches us that faith and kindness should go hand in hand and that sometimes, help comes in unexpected ways.
Q10. What role does nature play in Lencho’s life? (CBSE 2016)
Value Points:
· Lencho depended on nature for his livelihood.
· Initially, he was happy about the rain.
· The sudden hailstorm destroyed his crops, causing misery.
· Nature is both a provider and a destroyer.
Answer:
Nature played a crucial role in Lencho’s life as he completely depended on it for his survival. At first, he was overjoyed when it started raining, as it would help his crops grow. However, his happiness was short-lived when the rain turned into a destructive hailstorm, ruining his entire harvest. This dual nature of the environment—both nourishing and destructive—deeply impacted Lencho’s life. His belief in divine power was a result of his helplessness against nature’s unpredictability.