A LETTER TO GOD

G.L. FUENTES

Value Points
 The story highlights Lencho and his family’s unwavering faith in God
 One should not lose hope in adverse situation. It is important to overcome
our problems.
 We should appreciate and be thankful for any help that we receive.
 Faith is invisible and invincible
 Selflessness and generosity should be practiced
 Though the employees in the post office try to do their best to help the
distraught Lencho, still they become the antagonists of the story.
 There are 2 conflicts in this story – First, between man and nature. Nature
plays a spoil sport by destroying Lencho’s harvest. Second, between
humans themselves. Lencho blames the post office employees who actually
tried to help him. This shows man does not have faith in his fellow humans,
giving rise to the conflict.
 The irony in the story is that Lencho instead of being grateful, disregarded
and blamed the very people who had helped him in a crucial time.
 The story also reveals the cruelty of nature and how nature’s fury affects a
man’s life.

1)ERC
A) In the north-east huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching. The air
was fresh and sweet. The man went out for no other reason than to have the
pleasure of feeling the rain on his body, and when he returned he exclaimed,
“These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are
ten cent pieces and the little ones are five.’’ With a satisfied expression he regarded
the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain. But suddenly a
strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large hailstones began to
fall. The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.
i) The man here refers to__________
a) Lomov b) Rajvir
c)Mr Keesing d) Lencho

ii) The comparison in the above given extract refers to the fact that
a) New coins will soon be introduced in the market
 b) Raindrops will fall in the shape of coins
c) Raindrops will yield a better harvest resulting in prosperity
d) Raindrops will bring mirth

iii) The man had a satisfied expression seeing the shower

because____________
a) the dried up river will be filled now
b) he will now get water for irrigation
c) his ripe corns will benefit from the rain
d) his fields will benefit as there was a drought

iv) Which word does ‘exclaimed’ NOT correspond to?

a) Sudden statement b) Spoke with a strong emotion
a) Cried out d) Spoke calmly

v) Choose the option that lists the statements which are NOT true.
i) The rain came unexpectedly.
ii) Boys went out to collect the hailstones.
iii) The little rain drops were compared to five cent pieces.
iv) The man felt contented as the rain came.
v) The weather was sultry.
a) Option i, ii b) Option ii, v
c) Option ii, iii d) Option i, v

2) Short Question (2 marks)

a) Where did Lencho live?
b) Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like new coins?

3) Short Question (3 marks)

Describe the destruction caused by hailstones in Lencho’s fields.

4) Long Question (5 marks)
Give a character sketch of the postmaster. Do you think he would have helped
someone he heard Lencho calling him and his colleagues “a bunch of crooks”? ?
Explain why or why not?
5) Extrapolatory Question (5 marks)
Imagine yourself as Lencho. Write a diary entry expressing your feelings after all
your crops were destroyed.