A Letter to God: Class 10 English Important Past Years’ Board Exam Questions and Answers

‘A letter to God’ is the first lesson in the CBSE Class 10 NCERT English Book ‘First Flight’. Here we have compiled questions asked in previous Board Exams as well as some quality questions for self-practice along with their answers. So, enjoy learning here! Click here for study materials for class 10 English .

Past Years’ Questions: A Letter to God

Short Answer Type Questions (40-50 words) : 3 Marks

Questions asked in the Year: 2024-25

1. What idea does the Postmaster come up with? What did he do to stick to his resolution?(2024)
2. Why did the night after the rains turn sorrowful for Lencho?(2024)

ANSWERS:

1. The Postmaster comes up with the idea of replying to Lencho’s letter anonymously to preserve his faith in God. He decides to collect money from himself and other employees at the post office to send some financial help to Lencho.
2. The night after the rains turned sorrowful for Lencho because even though the rain initially brought him hope, it turned into a hailstorm that destroyed his crops. He realized the storm had left him with nothing to harvest and feed his family, leading to a night filled with sorrow and despair.

Previous Years’ Other Questions:

1. How was Lencho’s cornfield destroyed? Had he any hope of help? (2020)
2. Did the letter reach God? Why did the postmaster send a reply to Lencho? (2020)
3. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped? (2020)
4. Why did Lencho’s happy mood change into concern? (2020)
5. The postmaster had mixed emotions while opening the letter. Explain. (2023)
6. Why did the night after the rains turn sorrowful for Lencho? (2023)
7. What is ironic about the post office staff helping Lencho? (2021)

ANSWERS:

1. Suddenly, a severe hailstorm accompanied by rain and gusty winds struck, devastating Lencho’s cornfield. In no time, his field lay blanketed with hailstones, leaving no trees or crops standing. For the farmer Lencho, the prospects of a harvest were dashed.
2. The letter never made it to God. When the postman noticed the letter addressed to God with a request for 100 pesos, he brought it to the postmaster’s attention. The postmaster, not wishing to disillusion Lencho’s belief in God, chose to intervene. He contributed a portion of his own salary and solicited contributions from his colleagues. Together, they managed to send Lencho seventy pesos, and the postmaster signed the letter as ‘God’ to sustain Lencho’s faith.
3. 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 for them, but in the heart of Lencho there is only one hope – help from God.
4. Lencho had strong faith in God, for when his crops needed rain, Lencho wished and prayed for the rain to God. Next morning he sat in his house and waited for the rain. As soon as the rain started he became very happy and began calling the raindrops silver coins. But unfortunately the rain was accompanied with hailstorm, it turned into a disaster to the crops, plants and trees, not even a leaf remained on them. The crops were totally destroyed. Seeing this, Lencho’s heart was filled with sadness and thus his mood changed into concern.
5. When the postmaster came across the letter, he broke out laughing, but turned serious immediately. He admired the writer’s faith in God and wished he could have such faith. He decided to answer the letter, but after opening realized that the writer had asked for money, so he decided to collect money and send it on behalf of God.
6. The rain changed into hailstones as a strong wind began to blow and huge hailstones began to fall along with the rain. Lencho was filled with grief after the rain stopped as everything was ruined and there was nothing to feed his family. In this way the night turned into sorrowful for Lencho.
7. The post office workers, moved by his plight, gathered seventy pesos to aid the unfortunate man and sent it to him. However, Lencho’s suspicion arose when he did not receive the full amount he had asked for, leading him to brand the altruistic post office staff as nothing but a group of crooks, thus presenting the story’s poignant irony.

Long Answer Type Questions (100-120 words) : 6 Marks

1. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like new coins? How did the same rain change the face of Lencho’s field? (SQP 2017)
2. Lencho had faith in God but lacked faith in humanity. Elaborate with reference to ‘A letter to God’. (SQP 2020)

ANSWERS:

1. Rain as New Coins: Lencho compared the raindrops to new coins because he believed the rain would nourish his crops and lead to a good harvest. In his mind, the rain signified his future financial gain by producing healthy crops that could be sold for money. It reflects his dependence on a successful harvest for his livelihood.

Devastating Rain: However, the same rain turned into a destructive hailstorm that ravaged Lencho’s field. Instead of bringing prosperity, it destroyed his crops, leaving him with nothing to harvest and sell. The rain, initially a symbol of hope and financial security, became a symbol of devastation and hardship.

2. Faith in God vs. Humanity: The story portrays Lencho’s unwavering faith in God. He directly addresses his letter to “God,” expressing his complete belief in God’s ability to help him recover from the hailstorm.

• He writes, “If you don’t help me, my family and I will go hungry this year” (implying his belief that God has the power to help).
• Even after the hailstorm, “Lencho thought only of his one hope: the help of God.”

However, when he receives less money than requested, Lencho suspects the post office employees of stealing some of it. He accuses them of being “a bunch of crooks.” This shows his lack of faith in humanity. He believes a divine being (God) would fulfill his request perfectly, but doubts the honesty of his fellow humans.

This highlights the central conflict of the story: Lencho’s unwavering faith in a divine entity stands in stark contrast to his suspicion and distrust towards other people.

Extra Questions for Practice: A Letter to God

1. How does the story explore the conflict between unwavering faith and the harsh realities of life?
2. Is the postmaster’s act of deception justified in order to preserve Lencho’s faith?
3. Can Lencho’s unwavering faith be seen as a strength or a weakness?
4. How does the story highlight the struggles of farmers facing natural disasters and economic hardship?Does the story offer any solutions to the problems faced by characters like Lencho?
5. What is the significance of the missing thirty pesos?
6. Does it add to the story’s message? How does the story use situational irony to create a deeper meaning?
7. How does the story leave the reader with more questions than answers?

ANSWERS:

1. The story explores this conflict through Lencho’s unwavering faith in God despite the devastating hailstorm. While his faith offers initial comfort, it doesn’t prevent the harsh reality of crop loss. Ultimately, it’s the post office workers, not divine intervention, who provide him with financial aid. This challenges the idea that faith alone can solve everything.
2. The postmaster’s deception is debatable. It protects Lencho’s faith but involves a lie. The story celebrates their act of kindness in helping someone in need. It portrays the post office as a place with compassionate individuals willing to go beyond their duties. However, the deception raises questions about honesty and the best way to help others.
3. Lencho’s faith can be seen as both a strength and a weakness. It provides him with hope and resilience in the face of adversity. However, it also blinds him to the reality of who helped him, leading him to suspect the post office workers.
4. The story highlights the struggles of farmers like Lencho who are at the mercy of nature and have limited resources to recover from disasters. It doesn’t offer concrete solutions but portrays their vulnerability. It can be seen as a critique of social structures that may not adequately support farmers in such situations.
5. The missing thirty pesos add to the story’s message. It shows that even the well-meaning efforts of the post office workers couldn’t fully replace the money Lencho requested. This emphasizes the harshness of his situation.
6. The irony lies in the post office workers, who handle everyday mail, becoming the answer to Lencho’s prayer to God. This highlights the unexpected ways help can arrive.
7. The story leaves the reader with questions about Lencho’s future and the impact of the missing money on his faith. It encourages thoughtful reflection on the characters and themes.

Chracter Sketch Related Questions

1. Give a character sketch of Lencho.
2. Give a charcater sketch of the Post Master.

ANSWERS:

1. Lencho is the protagonist of “A Letter to God” written by Gregorio Lopez y Fuentes. Lencho is a poor peasant farmer who lives in a small village. He is a simple, honest, hardworking man who depends on the rain for his crops to grow. He is a devout believer in God and has a strong faith in Him. This is evident when he writes a letter to God asking for money to help him through a difficult time. Lencho is very confident that God will help him and even criticizes the postmaster and employes for cheating but never doubts God. Despite facing a setback when his letter is not answered in the way he expects, Lencho remains resolute in his faith, believing that God has sent him the money he asked for.
2. The postmaster in “A Letter to God” is a minor character who plays an important role in the story. The postmaster is a kind and compassionate person who wants to help those in need. He is also a practical person who knows how to solve problems and find solutions. He is skeptical of Lencho’s letter to God and finds it amusing. However, he does not want to offend Lencho and decides to help him by collecting money from his colleagues to send Lencho a letter that appears to be from God. Despite his initial skepticism, the postmaster is moved by Lencho’s faith and determination to seek help from God.

Also Read…

• A Letter to God: Summary, Characters, Message
• A Letter to God: Word Meanings
• A Letter to God: Textbook Solutions
• A Letter to God: Explanation and Comprehension
• A Letter to God: Extract Based MCQs & Short Questions