A Letter to God Extra Questions and Answers
Very Short Answer Questions
1. Where was the house located?
Answer: The house was on top of a low hill.
2. Why is it called ‘the’ house and not ‘a house’?
Answer: It’s called ‘the house’ because it was the only house in the whole valley.
3. Why did Lencho keep looking at the sky?
Answer: Lencho kept looking at the sky because he hoped for rain.
4. How did Lencho feel when it started raining?
Answer: Lencho felt very happy.
5. What happened to the crops because of the rain?
Answer: The rain and the storm destroyed Lencho’s crops.
6. What was Lencho’s only hope?
Answer: Lencho’s only hope was to receive help from God.
7. Who was Lencho?
Answer: Lencho was a hardworking farmer.
8. What was Lencho doing throughout the morning?
Answer: He spent the morning looking at the clouds in the northeast.
9. What did Lencho’s field need badly?
Answer: His fields badly needed heavy rain.
10. What does Lencho call the raindrops?
Answer: He calls the big raindrops ten cent pesos and the small ones five-cent pesos.
11. How did Lencho’s field look after the hailstorm?
Answer: The field looked as if it were covered with salt.
12. What was the effect of the hailstorm on the valley?
Answer: No crops or vegetation were left in the entire valley.
13. Who did Lencho write a letter to?
Answer: Lencho wrote a letter to God.
14. How much money did Lencho demand from God?
Answer: In his letter, Lencho demanded one hundred pesos from God.
15. How much money did Lencho receive from God?
Answer: He received only seventy pesos from God.
16. Who sent the money to Lencho?
Answer: The postmaster sent the money to Lencho.
17. Why did the postmaster decide to answer Lencho’s letter to God?
Answer: The postmaster wanted to protect Lencho’s faith in God by responding to the letter.
18. How did Lencho feel when he counted the money in the envelope?
Answer: Lencho got angry after counting the money in the envelope.
19. Who does Lencho blame for the loss of thirty pesos in the envelope?
Answer: He blames the post-office employees for this loss.
20. What does Lencho call the post-office employees?
Answer: He calls them “a bunch of crooks.”
21. Who is the author of the story ”A Letter to God”?
Answer: The author of the story,” A Letter to God” is G.L. Fuentes
Short Answer Type Questions
1. What were Lencho’s feelings when he found the letter with money in it? What did he do after opening the letter?
Answer: Lencho was not at all surprised to see the money in the letter, as he was fully confident about it. He knew that God would send money to him. Upon opening the letter, he found seventy pesos instead of a hundred. So, he wrote another letter to God asking for the remaining amount, but now he requested it not to be sent through the mail, as he considered the post office employees to be crooks.
2. Whom did Lencho write a letter to? What did he ask for?
Answer: When Lencho’s annual crop was completely destroyed due to heavy rains and hailstorms, and there was no one to help him during the crisis, he wrote a letter to God. In the letter, he requested God to send 100 pesos so that he could sow his fields again until the next crop.
3. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Answer: The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, and God-fearing man. When he received the letter written to God asking for 100 pesos, he felt sympathetic towards Lencho. Hence, he decided to help Lencho by contributing a part of his salary and collecting money from other employees. He signed the letter ‘God’ to preserve Lencho’s faith in God.
4. How far would you agree that one’s positivity can bring in a spark of brightness even in adverse circumstances?
Answer: It is absolutely true that optimism can bring about a spark of brightness even in adverse situations. Lencho’s innocent optimism played a crucial role in his eventually receiving seventy pesos. His hope and positive outlook, despite the hailstorm, led him to write a letter to God in the first place, and ultimately, his optimism triumphed.
5. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter with money in it? Why/Why not?
Answer: Lencho was not at all surprised to receive an envelope with money in it because he had utter faith in God. His unshakeable faith gave him firm confidence in the arrival of help, making the presence of money in the letter expected and unsurprising.
6. What impression do you form of the postmaster after reading the story ‘A Letter to God’?
Answer: The postmaster was a kind, generous, helpful, amiable, and God-fearing man. He demonstrated his generosity by helping Lencho with 70 pesos and wrote a reply to Lencho’s letter to maintain his faith in God. Despite his good intentions, the postmaster’s act of charity was ironically labeled as Lencho called the post office employees ‘a bunch of crooks.’
7. Why was Lencho angry? What did he do?
Answer: Lencho had deep faith in God, and he wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos. When he received only 70 pesos instead, he became angry. In response, he wrote another letter to God, asking for the rest of the money but explicitly stating that it should not be sent through the post office, as he considered the employees there to be ‘a bunch of crooks.’
8. Lencho calls the raindrops ‘new coins.’ Why does he call them so?
Answer: Lencho hoped to get a good harvest and earn money from his crops. When raindrops fell, he associated them with the prospect of a fruitful harvest. He called the raindrops ‘new coins’ because he believed that the rainfall would lead to a prosperous crop, symbolizing wealth and income for him.
9. Why were Lencho and his family in distress? Whom did he ask for help?
Answer: Lencho and his family were in distress because their crops were completely destroyed by hailstones. Faced with the possibility of going hungry, Lencho had no one else to turn to for help. In his desperation, he wrote a letter to God, seeking assistance in the form of a hundred pesos to sow his fields again and survive until the next harvest.
10. “Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.” Is Lencho sure that it is going to rain? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer: Yes, Lencho is sure that it is going to rain. He needs rain for his crops, and he has been observing the sky since morning. Lencho’s confidence in the rain is evident from his statement, and true to his prediction, it starts raining soon after.
11. What are the raindrops compared to, and why?
Answer: Lencho compares the raindrops to coins. He associates the big drops of rain with ten-cent pieces and the little ones with five-cent pieces. This comparison reflects Lencho’s hope that the rainfall will result in a good harvest, which, in turn, will bring him financial prosperity, akin to earning coins from his crops.
12. Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho?
Answer: No, the letter did not reach God. The postman saw the letter addressed to God and brought it to the postmaster’s attention. The postmaster, impressed by Lencho’s unwavering faith in God, decided to respond to the letter. He sent a reply and seventy pesos to Lencho to ensure that his faith in God remained intact, even though the help came from human efforts.
13. Why was Lencho angry when he received the letter?
Answer: Lencho had asked God to send him a hundred pesos, but upon opening the envelope, he found only seventy pesos. This shortfall angered him because he believed that the post office employees had taken the rest of the money. Lencho felt betrayed and cheated, leading to his frustration and anger.
14. Lencho describes the post office employees as “a bunch of crooks.” (i) Were they a bunch of crooks? (ii) How would you describe them?
Answer: (i) No, the post office employees were not a bunch of crooks. They were kind-hearted and genuinely wanted to help Lencho. They collected money from their own resources, including the postmaster’s salary, to assist Lencho in his time of need.
(ii) I would describe them as compassionate and generous individuals who went out of their way to support someone facing adversity. They exhibited qualities of empathy and goodwill, contrary to Lencho’s initial perception.
15. Where was Lencho’s house situated?
Answer: Lencho’s house was situated on the top of a low hill overlooking the valley. It was the only house in the valley, providing Lencho with a vantage point from which he could see the river and his fields of ripe corn dotted with flowers.
16. What did Lencho and the earth need immediately?
Answer: Lencho and the earth needed rain immediately. Lencho, being a farmer, wished for heavy rain to save his crops. The earth needed a downpour to nourish the soil and ensure the survival of the crops, as a lack of rain would lead to complete ruin.
17. How did the rain come as predicted by Lencho, and how did he receive it?
Answer: Lencho’s prediction about the rain came true. During the meal, huge clouds approached from the north-east, and big drops of rain began to fall. Lencho, as predicted, went outside to feel the rain on his body, experiencing joy at the prospect of a good harvest.
18. Why were the raindrops like new coins for Lencho?
Answer: The raindrops were like new coins for Lencho because he associated them with the potential for a good harvest and financial prosperity. Lencho believed that if he had a successful crop, he would earn money, and the raindrops symbolized the beginning of that prosperity, akin to receiving new coins.
19. Why did Lencho’s happiness change into deep concern?
Answer: Lencho’s happiness changed into deep concern when a strong wind suddenly started blowing after the rain began. The rain turned into big hailstones, causing extensive damage. The hailstones destroyed everything, including leaves, trees, and the standing crops, leading to a heavy loss for Lencho and putting him into a state of deep concern.
20. Describe the loss caused by the heavy fall of hailstones in general and to Lencho in particular.
Answer: The heavy fall of hailstones covered the entire valley for an hour, destroying everything in their path. Leaves, flowers, and the standing crops were all wiped out. Lencho’s fields were left with a white layer, signifying the devastation caused by the hailstones. The loss was extensive, with no chance of any corn that year for Lencho.
21. In the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house…, there was a single hope….’ What was that?
Answer: The single hope in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house was for help from God. The hailstones had left practically nothing, and Lencho and his family were facing the prospect of no corn that year. With human help seeming unlikely, their only hope was divine intervention to rescue them from the dire situation.
22. Why did Lencho think of writing a letter to God? What did he write in the letter?
Answer: Lencho thought of writing a letter to God because his crops were completely destroyed by hailstones, and he saw no other source of help. In the letter, he requested God to send him a hundred pesos, explaining that he needed the money to sow his fields again and to survive until the new crops came.
23. What was the address written, and how was the letter sent to God?
Answer: Lencho wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope as the address for the letter. He then went to the post office, placed a stamp on the letter, and dropped it into the mailbox. Lencho believed in the power of divine intervention and trusted that God would receive and respond to his letter.
24. How did the postmaster react when a postman showed him the letter to God?
Answer: When a postman showed the letter to God to the postmaster, both of them initially laughed heartily at the unusual nature of the letter. However, the postmaster’s laughter turned into a more serious reflection as he considered the profound faith that Lencho had in God. He was impressed with Lencho’s unwavering belief.
25. Why did the postmaster decide to answer Lencho’s letter?
Answer: The postmaster, impressed by Lencho’s deep faith in God, decided to answer the letter to avoid shaking Lencho’s belief. He wanted to support Lencho in his time of need, even if the assistance came from human efforts. The postmaster recognized the sincerity of Lencho’s plea and wanted to preserve his faith in divine help.
26. How did the postmaster answer Lencho’s letter by sending him the money?
Answer: The postmaster, along with other employees, collected money amounting to seventy pesos. He contributed a part of his salary to the cause. The postmaster then placed the money into an envelope and signed it with a single word, ‘God.’ The letter was sent to Lencho, providing the financial assistance he had requested.
27. Why did Lencho go a bit earlier than usual to the post office the following Sunday?
Answer: Lencho went to the post office a bit earlier than usual on the following Sunday because he expected a reply from God. His deep faith in divine intervention led him to believe that the response to his letter would arrive promptly. Lencho eagerly awaited the resolution to his plea for help.
28. Why did Lencho show no surprise on seeing the money?
Answer: Lencho showed no surprise upon seeing the money because he had unwavering faith that God would respond to his letter. He believed in the mercy of God and expected definite help. Seeing the money in the envelope aligned with his confidence in divine assistance, making the sight of the funds expected and not surprising.
29. Why was Lencho angry after he counted the money?
Answer: Lencho became angry after counting the money because he had requested a sum of a hundred pesos from God, but the envelope contained only seventy pesos. The shortfall of 30 pesos led him to believe that the post office employees had taken the rest of the money. Lencho felt betrayed and cheated, leading to his anger.
30. Why did Lencho ask for help from God? Did he receive it?
Answer: Lencho asked for help from God because his crops were destroyed, and he faced the threat of starvation. In his letter, he requested a hundred pesos to sow his fields again and survive until the new crops came. Lencho did receive help in the form of seventy pesos, although it was not directly from God but from the kind-hearted postmaster and other employees.
32. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God? Why did he ask Him not to send the rest of the money by post mail?
Answer: In his second letter to God, Lencho wrote that he had received only 70 pesos instead of the 100 he had requested. He asked God to send him the rest of the money, expressing his urgent need for it. Lencho specifically requested God not to send the money through the postal mail, as he considered the post office employees to be dishonest and ‘a bunch of crooks.’
33. Lencho has great faith in God. Does he have the same kind of faith in man? Taking examples from the story describes his attitude towards God and man.
Answer: Lencho indeed has great faith in God, as demonstrated by his letter seeking divine assistance. However, his faith in man, specifically the post office employees, is lacking. Despite the genuine efforts of the postmaster and other employees to help him by collecting money, Lencho perceives them as dishonest and labels them ‘a bunch of crooks.’ This contrast in attitudes highlights Lencho’s unwavering trust in divine intervention but a lack of faith in human goodness.
34. What is ironic about the ending of the story?
Answer: The irony in the ending of the story lies in the fact that the postmaster’s generous act of helping Lencho, inspired by the man’s faith in God, goes unacknowledged and unappreciated. Lencho, instead of recognizing the kindness of the postmaster and the employees, ironically labels them ‘a bunch of crooks.’ The intended act of charity, meant to support Lencho and preserve his faith, is met with skepticism and ingratitude.
Long Answer Type Questions
1. Despite receiving money and a letter from God, Lencho remained unhappy. Was his discontent a result of his inherent inability to appreciate his accomplishments? Did he lack an understanding of the joy that comes from gratitude towards others? Reflect on the values essential for a happy life, elucidating in approximately 100-120 words.
Answer: Lencho, with unwavering faith in God, had requested 100 pesos in a letter. However, upon receiving 70 pesos and a letter from God, happiness eluded him. His dissatisfaction did not arise from ingratitude but from expecting the full amount. Rather than being ungrateful, Lencho expressed his trust in God by writing another letter, seeking the remaining sum. Lencho’s innocent optimism played a crucial role in ultimately attaining the desired seventy pesos. This narrative underscores that Lencho’s demeanor wasn’t inclined toward immediate happiness but rather toward steadfast belief in divine fulfillment. It emphasizes the importance of optimism and faith as integral elements for leading a content and joyful life, demonstrating that genuine happiness often resides in unwavering trust and hopeful expectations.
2. What values of the postmaster do you admire and wish to adopt in yourself? Write in 100-120 words.
Answer: The postmaster demonstrated admirable qualities that I aspire to emulate. He was kind, generous, friendly, and held a deep sense of responsibility towards others. When he received Lencho’s letter to God seeking 100 pesos for his fields, the postmaster felt compassion and decided to help. Despite limited means, he sacrificed a portion of his salary and rallied his colleagues and friends to contribute. Ultimately, they collected 70 pesos, which the postmaster sent to Lencho along with a supportive reply. This act of kindness aimed to preserve Lencho’s faith in God. The postmaster’s actions showcase a compassionate and generous nature, qualities that I value and strive to incorporate into my own character.
3. “If you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year.” Lencho had faith in God but he didn’t manage to solve the problem by himself. Did he lack the courage to resolve his matter himself? What values did he lack? Explain it in 100-120 words.
Answer: Lencho was a farmer who worked hard, relying on the crops he grew. Unfortunately, heavy rains and hailstorms destroyed all his crops one year. In his village, there was no one to help him out financially. Despite facing this tough situation, Lencho believed in God. So, he wrote a letter to God asking for 100 pesos to help him plant new crops. This wasn’t a sign of him lacking courage, but rather that he felt he had no other options. Despite being a strong and hardworking man, Lencho needed money to recover from his losses.
4. Show Lencho’s faith and confidence in God with examples from the lesson.
Answer: Lencho really believed that God would help him. The story shows this when it says, “Lencho thought only about one thing: ‘God’s help.’ He was told that God sees everything, even what’s deep inside people’s hearts.
“Lencho wasn’t surprised when he saw money in the envelope; he was so sure God would help. But he got upset when he counted the money. He thought God wouldn’t make a mistake or say no to what he asked for. These parts of the story clearly show how much Lencho trusted and believed in God.
5. Give the character-sketch of Lencho.
Or
“I wish I had the faith of the man.” Describe Lencho’s character in light of the above statements.
Answer: Lencho, a diligent farmer known for his tireless work ethic, possessed extensive knowledge of agriculture and understood the vital role that rainfall played in ensuring a bountiful harvest. His unwavering faith in God prompted him to compose a letter seeking divine assistance when his crops fell victim to a destructive hailstorm.
Despite his simplicity and innocence, Lencho was not one to analyze situations critically. When faced with the loss of his crops, he attributed blame to the post-office employees, branding them as ‘A bunch of crooks’ for allegedly swindling him of 30 pesos. However, beneath this frustration, Lencho’s caring nature as the family’s provider shone through. He harbored genuine concern for the well-being of his loved ones, fearing the looming threat of starvation due to the devastation wreaked upon their crops.
6. Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Who received the letter and what did he do?
Answer: Lencho wrote a letter to God because a hailstorm had devastated his entire crop, leaving him with no means to support his family. Faced with the dire situation and lacking funds to purchase seeds for the next sowing season, Lencho turned to his unwavering faith in God for assistance. In his letter, he requested a hundred pesos from God to enable him to sow seeds and sustain his family until the next harvest.
Upon posting the letter at the town’s post office, it caught the attention of a postman who retrieved it from the letterbox. Amused by the content, he shared the letter with the postmaster. Recognizing Lencho’s profound faith, the postmaster was moved and determined to preserve that faith. To support Lencho, the postmaster gathered funds from his employees, placed the money in an envelope, and addressed it to Lencho, ensuring that the farmer’s belief in divine assistance remained intact.
7. What did the postmaster need to answer the letter? How did he collect it?
Answer: The postmaster needed to respond to Lencho’s letter because Lencho’s crops had been destroyed, and he sought God’s help. Lencho wrote a letter to God, which he then posted. At the post-office, a postman retrieved the letter from the letterbox, and upon reading the address, he found it amusing. The postman shared the letter with the postmaster, who also chuckled but admired Lencho’s unwavering faith in God. Rather than undermining Lencho’s faith, the postmaster decided to support him. He demonstrated kindness by contributing some money, and together with other post-office employees, they collected funds. The postmaster even contributed a portion of his salary. The collected money was placed in an envelope and addressed to Lencho.
8. How did Lencho react to help?
Answer: The following Sunday, Lencho visited the post-office to inquire if there was any letter for him. The postman handed him the envelope. Upon opening the letter, Lencho discovered that the amount of money inside was less than what he had originally requested. Believing that God couldn’t have made a mistake, Lencho wrote another letter to God. In this letter, he asked God to send him the remaining amount. However, he requested that God not use the mail for delivery, expressing distrust in the post-office employees, whom he referred to as a ‘bunch of crooks.’
9. How do you think the postmaster felt when he received Lencho’s second letter? What do you think he did?
Answer: Upon receiving Lencho’s second letter, where Lencho expressed suspicion that the post office employees were cheating him, the postmaster might have felt surprised or even shocked. It’s likely that he realized Lencho’s misunderstanding and that good intentions were being misconstrued. In response to the situation, the postmaster probably took the initiative to meet with Lencho. During their meeting, he likely explained the true intentions behind the collected money, emphasizing that the post-office employees were not a “bunch of crooks.” Instead, they were genuinely kind and helpful, having gathered the funds to assist Lencho in his time of need.
10. Write a brief summary of the story ‘A Letter to God’.
Answer: Lencho, a diligent farmer, faced a devastating hailstorm that destroyed his entire harvest. With unwavering faith in God, he wrote a letter seeking a hundred pesos to recover. The compassionate postmaster, upon reading the letter, decided to help Lencho. Collecting money from his employees and contributing a portion of his salary, the postmaster sent Lencho an envelope with the gathered funds. However, Lencho found the amount insufficient and, in frustration, wrote another letter to God. In this letter, he requested the remaining money but cautioned against sending it through the mail, expressing distrust in the post-office employees as a ‘bunch of crooks.’
11. Lencho described the post-office employees as a ‘bunch of crooks’. Were they really a bunch of crooks? How would you describe them?
Answer: No, the post-office employees were not a bunch of crooks. Lencho misunderstood their intentions. The employees, including the postmaster, were actually kind and generous individuals. Instead of cheating Lencho, they empathized with his situation and collected money to help him, even contributing from their own salaries. They aimed to support Lencho in his time of need and did not want to undermine his faith in God. Despite their good intentions, they could not raise the full amount of 100 pesos, so they sent the 70 pesos they had collected in an envelope addressed to Lencho. Therefore, it was inaccurate for Lencho to label them as ‘crooks’ because their actions were rooted in kindness and charity.
12. Why did Lencho need God’s help?
Answer: Lencho needed God’s help because his crops, which had always been successful due to his hard work, were completely destroyed by a hailstorm. Initially hoping for rain to benefit his crops, Lencho’s optimism turned into despair as the rain transformed into a destructive hailstorm. The hail damaged his house, garden, hillside, and cornfield, leaving everything in ruins. Witnessing the devastation, Lencho felt profound sorrow. However, despite the hardships, Lencho maintained his faith in God and believed that God could provide the help he needed. Lencho sought God’s assistance for sowing seeds and sustaining himself until the next harvest, demonstrating his reliance on divine intervention in the face of a significant agricultural setback.
13. Describe Lencho as a farmer. How did the rain gladden(filled with happiness) his heart but the heavy hailstones that followed left him a worried man?
Answer: Lencho was a robust and hardworking farmer, residing in a house situated atop a small hill that provided him a view of the river and the surrounding fields. Described as an ‘ox’ of a man, Lencho’s strength and diligence were evident in his work as a farmer. His house overlooked the fertile land, and Lencho was acutely aware of the vital need for heavy rain to nourish the earth and his fields.
Observing his older boys toiling away in the fields, Lencho’s heart filled with happiness as he noticed the arrival of huge mountains of clouds in the north-east. He eagerly anticipated the much-needed rain, believing it to be essential for the well-being of the earth and crops. As the raindrops began to fall, Lencho described them as resembling ‘new coins,’ symbolizing the potential prosperity and abundance that the rainfall could bring to his fields.
However, the joyous anticipation soon turned into worry and distress as the rain took an unexpected turn. The downpour transformed into a hailstorm, and heavy hailstones descended upon Lencho’s property, causing extensive damage to his house, garden, hillside, and cornfield. This sudden change in weather left Lencho, initially filled with happiness, now a worried man, as the destructive hailstones jeopardized his hard work and livelihood.
14. What circumstances made Lencho write a letter to God? What does this act show about him.
Answer: Lencho found himself in dire circumstances when a hailstorm, following the much-anticipated rain, wreaked havoc on his crops. The destructive hailstones ruined everything in his fields, leaving no leaves on the trees, destroying the plants and flowers, and completely obliterating the corn. The devastation meant that Lencho and his family would have no corn that year, putting them on the brink of starvation.
Faced with such grim prospects, Lencho’s worry deepened. However, his strong religious beliefs and unshaken faith in God became the foundation for his response to the crisis. Lencho, along with his wife, believed in God’s mercy and the conviction that ‘no one dies of hunger’ with God’s assistance. In light of this, Lencho decided to take action and wrote a letter to God, expressing the urgent need for help. The letter conveyed the desperate situation, emphasizing that without God’s intervention, his family would face starvation. Lencho requested a hundred pesos to sow his fields and sustain his family until the fresh crop could be harvested. This act of writing a letter to God reflects Lencho’s faith, resilience, and proactive approach in seeking divine assistance during a time of great adversity.
15. Writing a letter to God for help really shows not only the unshaken faith in God of the writer Lencho but also shows his utter simplicity and innocence. Comment.
Answer: Lencho’s act of writing a letter to God for help not only reflects his unshaken faith in the divine but also underscores his profound simplicity and innocence. As a hardworking farmer, Lencho faced dire circumstances when a heavy hailstorm devastated his crops, pushing his family to the brink of starvation. In his simplicity, he saw God as the ultimate source of mercy and aid.
Addressing the letter directly to God, Lencho’s innocence shines through, as he trusts in the possibility of divine intervention through a written appeal. This act of reaching out to God reveals his childlike belief that God would hear and respond to the plea of someone with a clear conscience. The simplicity of this gesture deeply impresses and influences even the postmaster, who, despite initial amusement, is moved by Lencho’s faith.
Lencho’s unwavering trust in God is further demonstrated when he receives the money without surprise, attributing it to God’s mercy. However, the irony lies in his subsequent letter, where he requests the remaining funds but mistrusts the postal system, labeling the post office employees as ‘a bunch of crooks.’ This paradox adds a layer to Lencho’s character, showcasing the contrast between his profound faith in God and his distrust of his fellow human beings.
16. Why did the postmaster and his employees decide to help Lencho? Was their effort appreciated by the receiver of that help?
Answer: The postmaster and his employees decided to help Lencho because they were moved by his letter to God, describing the desperate situation caused by the hailstones destroying his crops. Despite initially finding amusement in the idea of Lencho corresponding with God, the postmaster, being a generous man, was deeply impressed by Lencho’s unwavering faith. Rather than breaking Lencho’s faith, the postmaster chose to respond to the letter and provide assistance.
Recognizing that goodwill alone was insufficient, the postmaster and his employees collected money, contributing from their own salaries. In total, they gathered 70 pesos, which was sent to Lencho in an envelope with the signature “God.” However, the irony lies in the fact that Lencho, the recipient of this charitable act, failed to appreciate their efforts. Instead, he accused the post office employees of being ‘a bunch of crooks,’ suspecting them of embezzling the remaining 30 pesos. The true identity of the benevolent helpers remained unknown to Lencho, highlighting the ironic and unappreciated nature of their charitable gesture.
17. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? Describe the ironic ending of the story.
Answer: Lencho, unwavering in his faith in God, anticipated divine assistance when faced with desperation. However, upon receiving only seventy pesos out of the hundred he expected, he became angry and accused someone of theft. Lencho, in a twist of irony, suspected that the missing thirty pesos were stolen by the very employees of the post office who had, in reality, contributed to his financial aid.
In a second letter to God, Lencho implored for the remaining money but cautioned against using the mail, denouncing the post office employees as a ‘bunch of crooks.’ The irony deepens as the individuals who had selflessly gathered funds for Lencho’s relief were unjustly maligned by him. The story concludes on a note of dramatic irony, as Lencho remains oblivious to the true identity of his benefactors, perpetuating the misunderstanding and mistrust he held toward those who had genuinely tried to help him.
18. Draw a character sketch of Lencho, the farmer in about 120-150 words.
Answer: Lencho, the farmer, embodied simplicity and rural life. Earning his living through farming, Lencho had modest means, relying on the assistance of his older sons and wife in both agricultural work and household management. Deeply religious, he possessed unwavering faith in God, believing that a clear conscience would attract divine assistance during desperate times. Despite facing hardship and the brink of starvation, Lencho turned to God for help, a gesture that impressed the postmaster, leading to a charitable response.
Physically robust like an ox, Lencho toiled tirelessly in the fields, demonstrating a profound understanding of the region’s weather patterns. Despite his simplicity, he displayed a level of education enabling him to write a letter. His innocence was evident in attempting direct correspondence with God, inscribing ‘To God’ on the envelope and sending it through the mail. Paradoxically, while trusting in God, Lencho harbored mistrust towards fellow humans, exemplified when he labeled those who financially supported him as ‘a bunch of crooks,’ remaining oblivious to their identity.
19. Give a character sketch of the Postmaster in your own words. Don’t you think that he should have deserved a better recognition and appreciation of his act of charity?
Answer: The postmaster is depicted as a kind, sympathetic, and understanding individual with a sharp mind. He recognizes the deep faith of Lencho and is sensitive to his feelings. Despite initially finding humor in Lencho’s desire for direct correspondence with God, the postmaster becomes serious and is moved by Lencho’s faith.
In an act of charity, the postmaster collects 70 pesos from his employees, contributing a portion of his salary as well, to support Lencho. He signs the letter with a single word: God. However, it is ironic that Lencho, the recipient, never discovers the true identity of his benefactors, and instead, ironically labels them “a bunch of crooks.” Despite the postmaster’s genuine and generous efforts, he doesn’t receive the recognition and appreciation he might have deserved from Lencho.