Class 10 English - BIHAR
Prose: A Letter to God
A Letter to God by G.L. Fuentes is the first prose piece in the Class 10 Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) English curriculum. The story revolves around Lencho, a hardworking and poor farmer whose crops are completely destroyed by a devastating hailstorm. With unwavering faith in God, Lencho writes a letter addressed directly to God, asking for a hundred pesos to survive and resow his fields. The postmaster and postal workers read the letter and, moved by his deep faith, collect money to help him. This chapter teaches students about profound faith, human kindness, and the irony of human nature, frequently appearing in board exams.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Lencho's Unshakable Faith
Lencho possesses a deep, childlike belief that God sees everything and will surely help him in his time of despair, reflecting pure religious faith.
The Role of the Postmaster
The postmaster represents empathy and human kindness; he decides to answer Lencho's letter to prevent his faith from shaking.
Irony in the Story
The climax is deeply ironic: Lencho suspects the honest post office employees of stealing part of the money, calling them a 'bunch of crooks', even though they were the ones who helped him.
Destruction by Hailstorm
The natural calamity serves as the inciting incident, turning Lencho's hopeful outlook toward a bountiful harvest into immediate financial ruin.
Significance of Pesos
Pesos are the currency mentioned in the story, representing the exact amount Lencho needed to sustain his family and farm until the next harvest.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Bihar (BSEB) Class 10 English board examination, 'A Letter to God' typically carries around 5 to 8 marks. Questions usually include objective/MCQ questions, short-answer questions testing comprehension of Lencho's character and faith, and long-answer questions focusing on the central theme or the irony at the end of the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Lencho wrote a letter to God because his entire corn crop was destroyed by a severe hailstorm, and he believed God was his only remaining hope to save his family from starvation.
Who actually sent the money to Lencho?
The money was actually collected and sent by the postmaster, who contributed a part of his salary along with donations from his employees and friends to help Lencho.
Why did Lencho call the post office employees a 'bunch of crooks'?
Lencho called them a bunch of crooks because he received only seventy pesos instead of the hundred he asked for, and he wrongly assumed that God had sent the full amount and the postal employees had stolen the remaining thirty pesos.
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