Class 10 English - WEST-BENGAL
Prose: A Letter to God
A Letter to God by G.L. Fuentes is a touching story included in the WBBSE Class 10 English syllabus. It revolves around a hardworking farmer named Lencho whose crops are completely destroyed by a devastating hailstorm. With unwavering faith in God, Lencho writes a letter asking for a hundred pesos to survive and resow his fields. The postmaster and employees read the letter, and moved by his deep faith, they collect money to help him. This chapter teaches students about blind faith, human kindness, and irony, and frequently appears in board exams through comprehension and character-sketch questions.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Lencho's Character and Faith
Lencho is a simple, hardworking farmer with an unshakable, childlike belief that God listens to and helps those in absolute need.
The Impact of the Hailstorm
A sudden, destructive hailstorm destroys Lencho's entire cornfield, plunging his family into despair and leading him to seek divine intervention.
The Postmaster's Empathy
Touched by Lencho's extraordinary faith, the postmaster decides to play the role of God by anonymously collecting and sending money.
Situational Irony
The climax features dramatic irony where Lencho suspects the postal employees—the very people who helped him—of being a 'bunch of crooks'.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the West Bengal Board of Secondary Education (WBBSE) Class 10 English exams, this chapter typically carries around 6 to 10 marks. Common question types include multiple-choice questions (MCQs), short descriptive questions about Lencho's feelings or the postmaster's actions, and long-answer questions focusing on the central theme or character analysis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Lencho wrote a letter to God because his entire cornfield was destroyed by a hailstorm, and he believed God was his only remaining hope to save his family from starvation.
Who actually sent the money to Lencho?
The postmaster, along with the post office employees and some friends who contributed a part of their salary, collected and sent the money to Lencho.
Why did Lencho call the post office employees a 'bunch of crooks'?
Lencho found only seventy pesos in the envelope instead of the hundred he asked for. Believing God could not make a mistake, he assumed the postal workers had stolen the missing thirty pesos.
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