A Letter To God Chapter Overview Table
| Chapter Name | A Letter To God |
| Author | G.L. Fuentes |
| Book | Chapter 1 from NCERT First Flight textbook (Class 10 English) |
| Theme | Faith and hope, Trust in God, Human optimism |
Table of Contents
Introduction
A Letter to God summary class 10 is the opening chapter of the First Flight textbook that tells us about the power of faith and hope. This beautiful story by G.L. Fuentes shows us how a simple farmer named Lencho believes so strongly in God that he decides to write him a letter asking for help.
For Class 10 English students, this story is not just about reading and understanding the plot. It teaches us valuable lessons about faith, human nature, and how people can be both kind and judgmental at the same time.
Story Summary of A Letter to God
The summary of A Letter to God is a touching story that takes place in a village where a poor but faithful farmer named Lencho lives with his family in a small house on the crest (top) of a low hill. The story begins with Lencho looking at his corn fields with great hope and excitement, as his crops badly need rain for a good harvest.
The Beginning – Hope and Waiting
Lencho is a hardworking farmer who has been waiting for rain. His corn fields are fully grown and ready, but they need water to make sure he gets a good harvest. When he sees clouds coming in the sky, his heart fills with joy and happiness. He calls his wife and children to see the rain coming, telling them with full confidence that they will have a wonderful harvest this year.
Lencho describes the raindrops as “new coins” falling from the sky, showing his happiness and how much he values this gift from nature. The bigger drops are like “ten centavo pieces” (ten centavo = a type of coin) and the smaller ones like “fives” – this comparison shows how precious each drop of rain is to him.
The Disaster – When Nature Becomes Cruel
What begins as a gentle, welcome rain soon changes into a terrible disaster. The pleasant rain slowly becomes heavier, and suddenly, large hailstones (balls of ice) start falling from the sky. The hailstorm destroys crop completely and without mercy. The hailstones, which Lencho had earlier compared to “new silver coins,” now become tools of destruction.
The hailstorm lasts for about an hour, but in that short time, it destroys everything Lencho has worked for throughout the year. His corn fields, which were ready for harvest, are completely ruined. The plants are beaten down, the leaves are torn away, and what was once a promising crop becomes a field of complete destruction. Not a single plant survives the anger of the hailstorm.
After the storm passes, Lencho walks through his destroyed fields with his family. His children are crying, and his wife is worried about their future. The family realizes they will have nothing to eat for the coming year. The situation is so bad that they face the possibility of starvation (having no food to eat).
The Letter – Faith in Action
Despite this huge disaster, Lencho does not lose hope or blame God. Instead, his faith becomes even stronger. He believes that God knows everything and that this disaster is just a test of his faith. Lencho writes letter to God because he truly believes that God will help him in this time of need.
Being an educated farmer who knows how to read and write, Lencho sits down at his table and begins writing a letter to God. In his letter, he explains his situation honestly and clearly. He tells God about the hailstorm that destroyed his crops and how his family is now facing starvation. He asks God to send him one hundred pesos (pesos = Mexican money) so that he can sow (plant) his fields again and provide for his family until the next harvest.
Lencho writes the letter with complete honesty and faith. He addresses it simply “To God” and walks to the town to post it. He places a stamp on the letter and drops it in the mailbox, fully confident that God will receive it and respond to his request.
The Postmaster’s Problem and Decision
When the letter reaches the post office, the postmaster is first amused (finds it funny) when he sees the address “To God.” However, when he reads the contents of the letter, he becomes serious and deeply moved by Lencho’s strong faith. The postmaster realizes that this simple farmer has such strong belief in God that he expects a direct response to his letter.
Not wanting to shake Lencho’s faith, the postmaster helps Lencho by deciding to answer the letter himself. He discusses the situation with his colleagues (fellow workers) and other postal employees. Together, they decide to collect money to help Lencho. However, they cannot gather the full amount of one hundred pesos that Lencho has requested.
The postmaster and his colleagues contribute (give) whatever they can from their own pockets. They manage to collect seventy pesos, which is less than what Lencho asked for, but it’s still a good amount given their own limited resources (money). The postmaster puts the money in an envelope and signs it simply “God,” then sends it to Lencho’s address.
The Ironic Ending – Misunderstanding and Second Letter
When Lencho receives the letter, he is not at all surprised. His faith is so strong that he expected God to respond to his request. However, when he counts the money, he discovers that there are only seventy pesos instead of the hundred he had asked for.
Instead of being grateful for what he has received, Lencho becomes angry and disappointed. He believes that God could never make a mistake or send him less money than he requested. In his simple mind, he concludes that the postal workers must have stolen thirty pesos from his letter.
Lencho’s misunderstanding leads him to write a second letter to God. In this letter, he thanks God for the money but asks Him not to send future help through the postal system because, according to Lencho, “they are a bunch of crooks” (thieves) who cannot be trusted. He requests that the remaining thirty pesos be sent through some other means.
When the postmaster reads this second letter, he is shocked and deeply hurt. The very people who helped Lencho out of kindness and generosity (being generous) are now being called thieves by the man they tried to help. This creates a powerful irony (opposite of what is expected) that forms the climax (most important part) of the story.
The Message Behind the Story
This detailed summary of A Letter to God reveals the complex nature of human faith, kindness, and misunderstanding. Lencho’s strong faith in God is admirable (worth praising), but his quick judgment of the postal workers shows how people can sometimes misunderstand the very individuals who are trying to help them. The story teaches us that while faith is important, we should also be careful not to judge others without knowing the complete truth.
A Letter To God Characters
Lencho – The Faithful Farmer
Lencho is the main character who shows us what true faith looks like. He’s a simple farmer who works hard to feed his family. Even when disaster strikes, he never loses hope in God.
The character of farmer Lencho teaches us that faith can give people strength during tough times. He believes that God knows everything and will help those who ask for help with a pure heart.
The Postmaster – A Kind Helper
The postmaster plays an important role in the story. When he reads Lencho’s letter to God, he doesn’t laugh or make fun of it. Instead, he feels touched by Lencho’s faith and decides to help him.
The postmaster collects money from his colleagues and other people to help Lencho. He gives 70 pesos (not the full 100 pesos that Lencho asked for) and sends it in a letter signed “God.”
A Letter To God Theme
Faith and Hope
The biggest theme in this story is faith and hope. Lencho’s complete trust in God shows us that faith can help people stay strong even when everything goes wrong. His hope never dies, even after losing everything.
Human Nature – The Good and the Complicated
The story shows us different sides of human nature. The postmaster and his friends show kindness by helping Lencho. But the story also shows us how people can misunderstand each other’s actions.
Conflict with Nature
The conflict with nature is shown through the hailstorm that destroys Lencho’s crops. This reminds us that farmers and other people who depend on nature face constant challenges from weather and natural disasters.
Key Points and Important Events from A Letter To God Summary
1. The Hailstorm Destroys Crop
The most dramatic moment comes when the hailstorm destroys crop that Lencho had been growing with so much care. The hailstones are described as “new coins” and “new silver coins,” showing how they looked beautiful but caused terrible damage.
2. Lencho Writes Letter to God
After the disaster, Lencho writes letter to God asking for help. This shows his simple faith – he believes that God has an address and will read his letter just like any other person would.
3. Postmaster Helps Lencho
The kind postmaster helps Lencho by collecting money and sending it to him. This shows how one person’s act of kindness can make a real difference in someone’s life.
4. Lencho’s Misunderstanding
The story ends with Lencho’s misunderstanding – he thinks the postal workers stole some of his money because he received only 70 pesos instead of 100. This creates irony in the story.
A Letter To God Literary Devices
Irony in A Letter to God
The main irony in A Letter to God is that the people who helped Lencho are the same ones he suspects of stealing from him. The postmaster and his colleagues acted with kindness, but Lencho thinks they took his money.
Symbolism
The letter as symbol represents faith and communication with the divine. It shows how people try to connect with God in their own simple ways.
Metaphor and Imagery
The story uses metaphor & imagery to describe the hailstorm. The hailstones are compared to “new coins” and “new silver coins,” which creates a vivid picture in our minds.
Simile “New Coins”
The simile “new coins” helps us understand how the hailstones looked. This comparison makes the description more powerful and helps readers imagine the scene better.
Word Meanings and Difficult Words
Some difficult words in the story include:
| Page Number (NCERT) | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| PAGE 3 | crest | top of a mountain or hill |
| downpour | a heavy fall of rain | |
| shone | drizzle | |
| intimately | very well | |
| supper | an evening meal, typically a light or informal one | |
| PAGE 4 | God willing | by grace of God |
| regard | consider | |
| draped | covered | |
| plague | an unusually large number | |
| PAGE 5 | solitary | single |
| instructed | taught | |
| conscience | an inner sense of right and wrong | |
| daybreak | dawn | |
| peso | unit of currency | |
| sow | planting the seeds of a crop | |
| heartily | loudly | |
| amiable | friendly | |
| PAGE 6 | correspondence | letters sent or received |
| PAGE 7 | resolution | firm decision |
| charity | help or money given to those in need | |
| contentment | a state of happiness and satisfaction | |
| deed | a brave or noble act | |
| wrinkling | a slight line or fold in the skin of the face | |
| lick | to strike with tongue gently | |
| affixed | attached | |
| blow | hard hit | |
| bunch | group | |
| crooks | dishonest people |
Source – A Letter To God, NCERT First Flight Book (DOWNLOAD PDF)
Conclusion
The A Letter to God Class 10 story from the First Flight textbook remains one of the most touching stories in English literature. It shows us how faith can help people survive tough times, but also reminds us that life is full of misunderstandings.
Through Lencho’s simple faith and the postmaster’s kindness, we learn that both divine faith and human compassion are important in our lives. The story’s ending, with its touch of irony, makes us think about how we judge others and how complex human relationships can be.
For Class 10 students, this story is perfect for understanding how literature can teach us about life, faith, and the many sides of human nature. Whether you’re preparing for exams or just want to understand the story better, remember that A Letter to God is ultimately about hope, faith, and the power of human kindness.
This summary covers all important aspects of A Letter to God for Class 10 students, including character analysis, themes, plot summary, and exam preparation tips. Use these NCERT revision notes to better understand this beautiful story about faith and human nature.
Frequently Asked Questions for A Letter To God Summary
Q1. What is the short summary of A Letter to God?
A Letter to God tells the story of Lencho, a poor but hopeful farmer whose crops are destroyed by a hailstorm. Believing deeply in God, he writes a letter asking for money to survive. Moved by his faith, the postmaster and other employees collect money and send it to him, though less than he asked. Lencho, unaware of their kindness, assumes God sent only part of the money and blames the post office for “stealing” the rest.
Q2. What is the central idea of A Letter to God?
The central idea is the power of unshakable faith. The story shows how strong belief in something—like Lencho’s belief in God—can inspire hope, action, and even compassion from others.
Q3. What is the moral story of Lencho?
The story teaches us that faith can move mountains, but blind faith without understanding reality can lead to misunderstandings. It also reminds us that kindness and generosity often go unrecognized—but they matter deeply.
Q4. What is the theme of A Letter to God in short?
The main theme is faith and hope. It also touches on human kindness, irony, and how people respond to hardship—with belief, compassion, or misunderstanding.