A Letter to God Class X NCERT First Flight Summary, Explanation and Questions Answers
By Tanmoy Kumar Bhattacharjya
Lencho, a hardworking farmer, placed his unwavering faith in God's providence after witnessing the ruinous effects of the hailstorm on his crops. He wrote a letter beseeching for financial aid to replant his fields, addressing it simply to "God." Astonishingly, the postmaster, moved by Lencho's faith, orchestrated a collection to fulfill the farmer's request. However, upon receiving the partial amount, Lencho remained steadfast in his conviction but questioned the shortfall, accusing the postal employees of dishonesty. In a humorous yet poignant turn of events, Lencho penned another letter to God, expressing his disappointment and suspicion towards the postal service.
A Letter to God Class X NCERT First Flight Summary, Explanation and Questions Answers
Introduction:
In a secluded valley, nestled atop a gentle hill, stood the lone house of Lencho and his family. Their livelihood depended on the success of their cornfield, a precious sight amidst the vast landscape. But fate took a cruel turn when a fierce hailstorm ravaged their crops, leaving behind a scene of devastation. Desperate for help, Lencho turned to a higher power, penning a heartfelt letter to God, unaware of the unexpected twist his plea would take.
A Letter to God Summary Class X NCERT FIRST FLIGHT CHAPTER 1
Lencho, a hardworking farmer, placed his unwavering faith in God's providence after witnessing the ruinous effects of the hailstorm on his crops. He wrote a letter beseeching for financial aid to replant his fields, addressing it simply to "God." Astonishingly, the postmaster, moved by Lencho's faith, orchestrated a collection to fulfill the farmer's request. However, upon receiving the partial amount, Lencho remained steadfast in his conviction but questioned the shortfall, accusing the postal employees of dishonesty. In a humorous yet poignant turn of events, Lencho penned another letter to God, expressing his disappointment and suspicion towards the postal service.
A Letter to God CLASS X NCERT Explanation
Text:THE house — the only one in the entire valley — sat
on the crest of a low hill. From this height one
could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted
with the flowers that always promised a good
harvest. The only thing the earth needed was a
downpour or at least a shower. Throughout the
morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately
— had done nothing else but see the sky towards
the north-east.
“Now we’re really going to get some water, woman.”
The woman who was preparing supper, replied,
“Yes, God willing”. The older boys were working in
the field, while the smaller ones were playing near
the house until the woman called to them all, “Come
for dinner”. It was during the meal that, just as
Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to
fall. 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 fives.’’
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. These truly did resemble new silver coins.
The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out
to collect the frozen pearls.
‘‘It’s really getting bad now,’’ exclaimed the man.
“I hope it passes quickly.” It did not pass quickly.
For an hour the hail rained on the house, the
garden, the hillside, the cornfield, on the whole
valley. The field was white, as if covered with salt.
Not a leaf remained on the trees. The corn was
totally destroyed. The flowers were gone from the
plants. Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness. When
the storm had passed, he stood in the middle of the field and said to his sons, “A plague of locusts would
have left more than this. The hail has left nothing.
This year we will have no corn.’’
That night was a sorrowful one.
“All our work, for nothing.”
‘‘There’s no one who can help us.”
“We’ll all go hungry this year. "
Explanation:The story begins with a picturesque scene of Lencho's house situated atop a hill in a secluded valley, offering a breathtaking view of the surrounding landscape. The narrative paints a vivid picture of the lush cornfield, promising a bountiful harvest with the ripened crops dotted with colorful flowers. However, the tranquility is disrupted when Lencho anxiously observes the sky, hoping for much-needed rainfall to nourish the parched earth.
Word meanings:
Picturesque: (adjective) visually attractive or charming, like a picturesque landscape.
Tranquility: (noun) a state of calmness or peacefulness.
Bountiful: (adjective) plentiful, abundant, or fruitful.
Parched: (adjective) dried out, especially due to lack of moisture.
house in the middle of the valley, there was a single
hope: help from God.
“Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like
a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.”
“That’s what they say: no one dies of hunger.”
All through the night, Lencho thought only of
his one hope: the help of God, whose eyes, as he
had been instructed, see everything, even what is
deep in one’s conscience. Lencho was an ox of a
man, working like an animal in the fields, but still
he knew how to write. The following Sunday, at
daybreak, he began to write a letter which he
himself would carry to town and place in the mail.
It was nothing less than a letter to God.
“God,” he wrote, “if you don’t help me, my family
and I will go hungry this year. I need a hundred
pesos in order to sow my field again and to live
until the crop comes, because the hailstorm....”
He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope, put the letter
inside and, still troubled, went to town. At the post
office, he placed a stamp on the letter and dropped
it into the mailbox.
One of the employees, who was a postman and
also helped at the post office, went to his boss
laughing heartily and showed him the letter to God.
Never in his career as a postman had he known
that address. The postmaster — a fat, amiable fellow — also broke out laughing, but almost
immediately he turned serious and, tapping the
letter on his desk, commented, “What faith! I wish I
had the faith of the man who wrote this letter.
Starting up a correspondence with God!”
So, in order not to shake the writer’s faith in God,
the postmaster came up with an idea: answer the
letter. But when he opened it, it was evident that to
answer it he needed something more than goodwill,
ink and paper. But he stuck to his resolution: he
asked for money from his employees, he himself gave
part of his salary, and several friends of his were
obliged to give something ‘for an act of charity’.
It was impossible for him to gather together the
hundred pesos, so he was able to send the farmer
only a little more than half. He put the money in an
envelope addressed to Lencho and with it a letter
containing only a single word as a signature: God.
Explanation:As Lencho anticipates the rain, his faith in God's providence is evident through his casual remark to his wife, expressing certainty in divine intervention. His prediction comes true as the rain finally descends from the sky, initially bringing relief and joy to the household. However, the mood shifts abruptly when the gentle rain transforms into a violent hailstorm, wreaking havoc on the fields and shattering Lencho's hopes for a successful harvest.
Word meanings:
Providence: (noun) the protective care of God or of nature as a spiritual power.
Hailstorm: (noun) a weather phenomenon characterized by the falling of hailstones, often accompanied by strong winds.
Havoc: (noun) widespread destruction or chaos.
Text:
The following Sunday Lencho came a bit earlier
than usual to ask if there was a letter for him.
It was the postman himself who handed the letter
to him while the postmaster, experiencing the
contentment of a man who has performed a good
deed, looked on from his office.
Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on
seeing the money; such was his confidence — but
he became angry when he counted the money. God
could not have made a mistake, nor could he have
denied Lencho what he had requested.
Immediately, Lencho went up to the window to
ask for paper and ink. On the public writing-table,
he started to write, with much wrinkling of his brow,
caused by the effort he had to make to express his ideas. When he finished, he went to the window to
buy a stamp which he licked and then affixed to the envelope with a blow of his fist. The moment
the letter fell into the mailbox the postmaster went
to open it. It said: “God: Of the money that I asked
for, only seventy pesos reached me. Send me the
rest, since I need it very much. But don’t send it to
me through the mail because the post office
employees are a bunch of crooks. Lencho.”
Explanation:Amidst the devastation wrought by the hailstorm, Lencho's resilience and determination shine through as he refuses to succumb to despair. Despite facing overwhelming odds, he clings to his belief in divine assistance, exemplifying unwavering faith in the face of adversity.
Word meanings:
Resilience: (noun) the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or toughness.
Adversity: (noun) difficulties or misfortune
Lencho's story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of faith and the human capacity to endure hardships with unwavering hope. It highlights the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity and underscores the importance of maintaining faith in times of despair.
A Letter to God Questions Answers Class X NCERT
Question: What did Lencho hope for?
Answer: Lencho hoped for rain to nourish his fields and ensure a successful harvest for his family. He eagerly awaited the downpour or at least a shower to provide much-needed water for his crops.
Question: Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?
Answer: Lencho likened the raindrops to 'new coins' because he was filled with joy and gratitude upon witnessing the rainfall. To him, the raindrops symbolized prosperity and abundance, akin to precious coins falling from the sky.
Question: How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?
Answer: Initially, the rain brought relief and satisfaction to Lencho as he observed the downpour with a sense of contentment. However, the weather took a sudden turn as a strong wind accompanied by large hailstones battered the landscape. The hailstorm wreaked havoc on Lencho's fields, destroying his crops and leaving the land barren and desolate.
Question: What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?
Answer: When the hailstorm finally subsided, Lencho was filled with sadness and despair as he surveyed the devastation wrought upon his fields. His heartache was palpable as he realized the extent of the damage, lamenting the loss of his crops and the bleak outlook for the upcoming harvest season.
Question: Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?
Answer: Lencho had faith in God and believed in divine intervention to alleviate his family's suffering. He wrote a letter addressed to God, expressing his desperation and need for financial assistance to recover from the hailstorm's devastation.
Question: Who read the letter?
Answer: The postmaster read the letter addressed to God.
Question: What did the postmaster do then?
Answer: The postmaster, upon reading the letter and being moved by Lencho's faith, decided to respond to it. He orchestrated a collection to gather funds and provide assistance to Lencho.
Question: Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it?
Answer: Lencho was not surprised to find a letter for him with money in it, as he had unwavering confidence in God's ability to provide for his family's needs.
Question: What made him angry?
Answer: Lencho became angry when he counted the money and realized that only a portion of the requested amount had been received. He believed that God could not have made a mistake or denied him what he had asked for, leading to his frustration and disappointment with the incomplete assistance provided.
Thinking about the Text
1.Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?
Answer: Lencho has complete faith in God. This is evident from the fact that he writes a letter addressed to God, expressing his desperate need for financial assistance after the hailstorm destroyed his crops. The sentences "Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God" and "It was nothing less than a letter to God" indicate his unwavering trust in divine intervention.
2.Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter ‘God’?
Answer: The postmaster sends money to Lencho because he is moved by Lencho's faith and desperation as expressed in the letter. He signs the letter 'God' to maintain Lencho's faith and belief that the assistance is coming from a higher power. The postmaster's intention is to uphold Lencho's trust in divine help and prevent him from losing faith in God's providence.
3.Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?
Answer: No, Lencho does not try to find out who sent the money to him. This is because he believes the money came directly from God in response to his letter. He has unwavering faith in God's ability to provide for him and his family, so he does not question the source of the assistance.
4.Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation?
Answer: Lencho thinks that the rest of the money has been taken by the post office employees, whom he refers to as "a bunch of crooks." The irony in the situation lies in the fact that Lencho believes God sent him the money, yet he accuses the post office employees of dishonesty. Despite his strong faith in God, Lencho's trust is misplaced as the money was actually collected by the postmaster and his colleagues out of goodwill. The irony highlights the discrepancy between Lencho's perception and reality.
5.Are there people like Lencho in the real world? What kind of a person would you
say he is? You may select appropriate words from the box to answer the question.
greedy naive stupid ungrateful
selfish comical unquestioning
Yes, there are people like Lencho in the real world who exhibit unwavering faith and trust in a higher power, often attributing events or assistance to divine intervention. Lencho can be described as unquestioning and naive due to his absolute belief that God will provide for him and his family without questioning the source or validity of the assistance he receives. However, his accusation towards the post office employees of stealing the money showcases a level of ungratefulness and perhaps a hint of selfishness, as he fails to acknowledge the goodwill behind the gesture.
In the story, the conflict between humans and nature is illustrated through the devastating hailstorm that destroys Lencho's crops, causing him and his family significant hardship. This conflict demonstrates the vulnerability of humans in the face of natural disasters and their struggle to survive in harsh environmental conditions. On the other hand, the conflict between humans themselves is depicted in Lencho's suspicion and accusation towards the post office employees, highlighting the tension and mistrust that can arise within communities, even in times of crisis.
Thinking About Language
I. Look at the following sentence from the story.
Suddenly a strong wind began to blow and along with the rain very large
hailstones began to fall.
‘Hailstones’ are small balls of ice that fall like rain. A storm in which
hailstones fall is a ‘hailstorm’. You know that a storm is bad weather with
strong winds, rain, thunder and lightning.
There are different names in different parts of the world for storms,
depending on their nature. Can you match the names in the box with
their descriptions below, and fill in the blanks? You may use a dictionary
to help you.
gale, whirlwind, cyclone,
hurricane, tornado, typhoon
1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle:
__ __ c __ __ __ __
2. An extremely strong wind : __ a __ __
3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds : __ __ p __ __ __ __
4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel:
__ __ __ n __ __ __
5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic
Ocean: __ __ r __ __ __ __ __ __
6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and
causes a lot of damage: __ __ __ __ l __ __ __ __
II. Notice how the word ‘hope’ is used in these sentences from the story:
(a) I hope it (the hailstorm) passes quickly.
(b) There was a single hope: help from God.
Answer:In the first example, ‘hope’ is a verb which means you wish for something to happen. In the second example it is a noun meaning a chance for something to happen.
A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: cyclone
An extremely strong wind: gale
A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: hurricane
A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: tornado
A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: typhoon
A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: whirlwind
II. Examples of the word 'hope' used as a verb and a noun:
(a) In "I hope it (the hailstorm) passes quickly," 'hope' is used as a verb, indicating a wish or desire for something to happen.
(b) In "There was a single hope: help from God," 'hope' is used as a noun, representing a chance or possibility for something to happen.
III. Relative Clauses
Look at these sentences
(a) All morning Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — looked at
the sky.
(b) The woman, who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing.’’
The italicised parts of the sentences give us more information about Lencho
and the woman. We call them relative clauses. Notice that they begin with
a relative pronoun who. Other common relative pronouns are whom, whose,
and which.
The relative clauses in (a) and (b) above are called non-defining, because
we already know the identity of the person they describe. Lencho is a
particular person, and there is a particular woman he speaks to. We don’t
need the information in the relative clause to pick these people out from a
larger set.
A non-defining relative clause usually has a comma in front of it and a
comma after it (some writers use a dash (—) instead, as in the story). If the
relative clause comes at the end, we just put a full stop.
Join the sentences given below using who, whom, whose, which, as
suggested.
1. I often go to Mumbai. Mumbai is the commercial capital of India. (which)
2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking. She cooks very
well. (who)
3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President. Their performance
has been excellent. (whose)
4. Lencho prayed to God. His eyes see into our minds. (whose)
5. This man cheated me. I trusted him. (whom)
Sometimes the relative pronoun in a relative clause remains ‘hidden’. For
example, look at the first sentence of the story:
(a) The house — the only one in the entire valley — sat on the crest of a
low hill.
We can rewrite this sentence as:
(b) The house — which was the only one in the entire valley — sat on
the crest of a low hill.
In (a), the relative pronoun which and the verb was are not present.
Answer: I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.
These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.
Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.
This man, whom I trusted, cheated me.
Extra Questions Answers:
1.Why does Lencho believe that the raindrops are like new coins?
Lencho believes the raindrops are like new coins because of their size and appearance. He perceives the raindrops as large ten cent and five cent coins, expressing his joy at the prospect of receiving much-needed water for his crops.
2.How does Lencho react when the hailstorm destroys his crops?
Lencho feels immense sadness and despair when the hailstorm destroys his crops. He realizes that his entire year's work has been ruined, leaving him and his family facing the prospect of hunger. Despite his efforts, Lencho believes there is no one who can help them except for divine intervention.
3.Why does Lencho decide to write a letter to God?
Lencho decides to write a letter to God because he sees no other option for securing the financial assistance he needs to replant his crops and support his family. He believes in the power of prayer and hopes that God will provide the help they desperately need.
4.How does the postmaster react upon receiving Lencho's letter?
Initially, the postmaster finds humor in Lencho's letter, laughing at the idea of someone writing to God for assistance. However, he quickly becomes serious and admires Lencho's unwavering faith, wishing he had the same level of conviction.
5.What does Lencho's reaction to receiving the money reveal about his character?
Lencho's reaction to receiving the money demonstrates his strong sense of trust and confidence in God. While he is not surprised by the arrival of the money, he becomes angry upon counting it and realizing that he did not receive the full amount he requested. This anger stems from his belief that God could not have made a mistake or denied him what he asked for.
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