10 Unit-1 A Letter to God Notes

The theme of the story ‘A Letter to God’ is about faith, human nature, and the belief in divine intervention. It explores how people cope with adversity and how their faith shapes their actions and perceptions. The story highlights that faith and belief in a higher power or almighty can sometimes provide hope and comfort, even in the face of disappointment or hardship.

Summary 'A Letter to God'

‘A Letter to God’ is a story about a man named Lencho who lives in a valley with his family. They depend on their cornfield for food and income. One day, a big hailstorm hits their valley, destroying all their crops. Lencho is worried that they will go hungry because of this loss.

In a desperate attempt to seek help, Lencho decides to write a letter to God. He asks for a hundred pesos (money) to sow his field again and survive until the next harvest. Lencho believes that God will help him if he asks sincerely.

Lencho writes the letter, puts it in an envelope, and sends it to the post office. When the postmaster receives the letter, he is surprised but decides to help. He collects money from his colleagues and friends to send to Lencho.

However, the postmaster can only gather a little more than half of the amount Lencho requested. He sends this money to Lencho with a letter signed "God." When Lencho receives the money, he is disappointed and thinks there has been a mistake. He writes another letter to God, asking for the rest of the money.

In this letter, Lencho accuses the post office employees of being dishonest. Despite this, Lencho's faith in God remains strong, and he continues to believe that he will receive the help he needs from God.

Irony 'A Letter to God'

The irony of the story is that Lencho asks God for help, but when he receives help from the postmaster and others, he doesn't recognize it because it's not exactly what he asked for. He believes there has been a mistake and doesn't appreciate the kindness he has been shown.

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**2**

Listen to the Summary of 'A Letter to God'

**3**

Listen to the Complete Audio Lesson of 'A Letter to God'

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**4**

Glossary

Sl. No.	Word / phrase	Meaning in English	Meaning in Telugu
1	Crest (n)	Top of a hill	శిఖరం
2	Harvest (n) /ˈhɑr·vəst/	Crop that is gathered	పంట
3	Downpour (n)	A lot of rain in a short time	ఎక్కువ వర్షం
4	Intimately (adv) /ˈɪn.tɪ.mət.li/	Very closely	చాలా దగ్గరగా
5	Approaching (v)	To come near	సమీపించుట
6	Draped (v)	Covered	మూసి వేయుట
7	Hailstones (n)	a small, hard ball of ice that falls from the sky like rain	వడగండ్లు
8	Resemble (v)	To look like someone or something	పోలి వుండుట
9	A plague of locusts (phr)	a group of locusts that can destroy crops	మిడతల దండు / గుంపు
10	Solitary (adj)	Single	వొకేవొక
11	Conscience (n)	An inner sense of right and wrong	వివేకము
12	Peso (n) /ˈpeɪ.səʊ/	Currency of several Latin American countries	మెక్సికన్ కరెన్సీ
13	Sow (v) /səʊ/ (n) /saʊ/	(v) To put seeds in the soil	విత్తనాలు నాటుట
14	Amiable (adj) /ˈeɪ.mi.ə.bəl/	Friendly and pleasant	స్నేహపూర్వకముగా
15	Tap (v)	To hit something gently	వొకదానికివేసి నెమ్మదిగా కొట్టుట
16	Contentment (n)	Satisfaction	సంతృప్తి
17	Denied (v)	To refuse	తిరస్కరించుట
18	Wrinkling of brow (phr)	a facial expression that involves pulling your eyebrows together to create wrinkles on the forehead	మొహం చిట్లించుట
19	Envelope (n)	a flat paper container with a sealable flap	ఉత్తరం కవర్
20	Crook(n) /krʊk/	A dishonest person, especially a thief	మోసగాడు

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**5 **

A Letter to God-Oral Comprehension Check

Oral Comprehension Check-1:

1. What did Lencho hope for?

Lencho hoped that the hailstorm would pass away quickly and heavy rain followed it.

2. Why did Lencho say the raindrops were like ‘new coins’?

Lencho said the raindrops were like new coins because the raindrops would fetch him a nice harvest and this harvest would give him new coins (money).

3. How did the rain change? What happened to Lencho’s fields?

The rain changed into a hailstorm. Then the field became white as if covered with salt. It destroyed Lencho’s cornfield.

4. What were Lencho’s feelings when the hail stopped?

When the hail stopped, Lencho’s soul was filled with sadness.

Oral Comprehension Check-2:

1. Who or what did Lencho have faith in? What did he do?

Lencho had faith in God. So, he wrote a letter to God requesting him to send him a hundred pesos.

2. Who read the letter?

The postmaster read the letter.

3. What did the postmaster do then?

The postmaster then collected money from his employees and friends, he added some part of his salary. He put the money in an envelope and sent it to Lench as if God sent him.

Oral Comprehension Check-3:

1. Was Lencho surprised to find a letter for him with money in it? (pg.6 para.5)

No, Lencho was not at all surprised to find a letter for him with money in it since he was confident enough that he would get money from God.

2. What made him angry? (pg.7 para.1)

Lencho became angry because he received only seventy pesos out of one hundred, for what he had requested through a letter to God.

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**6 **

A Letter to God-Thinking About the Text

1. Who does Lencho have complete faith in? Which sentences in the story tell you this?

Lencho has complete faith in God. The following sentences in the story tell us this.

a) ‘But in the hearts of all who lived in that solitary house in the middle of the valley, there was a single hope: help from God.’

b) ‘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.’

c) He wrote ‘To God’ on the envelope.

2. Why does the postmaster send money to Lencho? Why does he sign the letter God’?

The postmaster sends money to Lencho in order not to shake the faith of Lencho in God.

The postmaster sings the letter ‘God’ to create the impression that God has directly answered his letter.

3. Did Lencho try to find out who had sent the money to him? Why/Why not?

No, Lencho did not find out who actually had sent the money because he was quite sure that God would read the letter and send the money without fail.

4. Who does Lencho think has taken the rest of the money? What is the irony in the situation? (Remember that the irony of a situation is an unexpected aspect of it. An ironic situation is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected.)

Lencho thinks that the post office employees have taken the rest of the money. The irony in the situation is that Lencho, who has such strong faith in God, ends up accusing the very people he believed would be delivering God's help.

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

There are people like Lencho in the real world, though perhaps not exactly in the same circumstances. Lencho can be described as naive and unquestioning. Despite his hard work and faith, he seems to have a simplistic view of the world, believing that God would directly intervene in his situation. He also appears to lack understanding of how the postal system works, leading him to accuse the employees of theft without considering other possibilities.

6. There are two kinds of conflict in the story: between humans and nature, and between humans themselves. How are these conflicts illustrated?

The conflicts between humans and nature are shown through Lencho's reliance on rain for his crops and the destructive hailstorm. The conflict between humans is seen in Lencho's misunderstanding of the post office employees and his accusations of theft.

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**7 **

A Letter to God-Thinking About the Language

**7.1 **

Vocabulary

I) Different names in different parts of the world for ‘storms’:

1. A violent tropical storm in which strong winds move in a circle: cyclone

2. An extremely strong wind: gale

3. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds: typhoon

4. A violent storm whose centre is a cloud in the shape of a funnel: tornado

5. A violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the western Atlantic Ocean: hurricane

6. A very strong wind that moves very fast in a spinning movement and causes a lot of damage: whirlwind

II) Different shades of meanings of ‘hope’:

Match the sentences in Column A with the meanings of ‘hope’ in Column B.

(turn your phone 'HORIZONTAL' for a better view)

1. Will you get the subjects you want to study in college? I hope so.	[ b ]	a. a feeling that something good will probably happen
2. I hope you don’t mind my saying this, but I don’t like the way you are arguing.	[ e ]	b. thinking that this would happen (It may or may not have happened.)
3. This discovery will give new hope to HIV/AIDS sufferers.	[ a ]	c. stopped believing that this good thing would happen
4. We were hoping against hope that the judges would not notice our mistakes.	[ f ]	d. wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite possible)
5. I called early in the hope of speaking to her before she went to school.	[ d ]	e. showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person: a way of being polite
6. Just when everybody had given up hope, the fishermen came back, seven days after the cyclone.	[ c ]	f. wishing for something to happen, although this is very unlikely

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**7.2 **

Grammar

III) Relative Clauses

Textual exercises

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)

Ans: I often go to Mumbai which is the commercial capital of India.

2. My mother is going to host a TV show on cooking.

She cooks very well. (who)

Ans: My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking.

3. These sportspersons are going to meet the President.

Their performance has been excellent. (whose)

Ans: These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President.

4. Lencho prayed to God.

His eyes see into our minds. (whose)

Ans: Lencho prayed to God whose eyes see into our minds,

5. This man cheated me.

I trusted him. (whom)

Ans: This man whom I trusted cheated me.

Exercise:

Combine the following sentence with the given relative pronoun.

1. a) Our gardener loves to talk about them. (who)

b) He knows a lot about plans.

Ans: Our gardener who knows a lot about plants loves to talk about them.

2. a) Meena is always first in class. (who)

b) She is a very clever girl.

Ans: Meena, who is a very clever girl, is always first in class.

3. a) Lencho was filled with sadness. (whose)

b) His corn was totally destroyed.

Ans: Lencho, whose corn was totally destroyed, was filled with sadness.

4. a) Very large hailstones began to fall. (which)

b) They resemble new silver coins.

Ans: Very large hailstones, which resemble new silver coins, began to fall.

5. a) The postmaster asked for money from his employees. (who)

b) He gave part of his salary.

Ans: The postmaster, who gave part of his salary, asked for money from his employees.

6. a) One of the employees went to his boss laughing heartily. (who)

b) He was a postman.

Ans: One of the employees who was a postman went to his boss laughing heartily.

7. a) Throughout the morning Lench had done nothing. (who)

b) He knew his fields intimately.

Ans: Throughout the morning Lencho, who knew his fields intimately, had done nothing.

8. a) The woman replied, “Yes, God willing.” (who)

b) She was preparing supper.

Ans: The woman, who was preparing supper, replied, “Yes, God willing.”

9. a) The house sat on the crest of a low hill.

b) It was the only one in the entire valley. (which)

Ans: The house, which was the only one in the entire valley, sat on the crest of a low hill.

IV) Using Negatives for emphasis:

Find sentences in the story with negative words, which express the following ideas emphatically.

1. The trees lost all their leaves.

Not a leaf remained on the leaves.

2. Not a leaf remained on the leaves

It was nothing less than a letter of God.

3. The postman saw this address for the first time in his career.

Never in his career as a postman had he seen that address.

V) Metaphors

Definition: A metaphor is an expression, often found in literature, that describes a person or object by referring to something that is considered to have similar characteristics to that person or object.

Metaphors are a strong tool for writers. They help create vivid and imaginative descriptions that grab the reader’s attention. Whether used in poetry or stories, they add depth and meaning, making the writing more engaging and memorable.

Example 1:

Example	The leg of the table
Object	Table
Quality or feature compared	The support given

Example 2:

Example	The heart of the city
Object	City
Quality or feature compared	The central area or the important area

Exercise:

In pairs, find metaphors from the story to complete the table below. Try to say what qualities are being compared. One has been done for you.

Object	Metaphor	Quality or Feature Compared
Clouds	Huge mountains of clouds	The ‘mass’ or ‘hugeness’ of mountains
Raindrops	Coins	Money that his corn brings
Hailstones	Frozen pearls	The glossy and white shining pearls
Locusts	A plague of locusts	An epidemic (a disease) that spreads very rapidly and leaves many people dead
Lencho	An ox of a man	Strength

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**8 **

Speaking

Have you ever been in great difficulty, and felt that only a miracle could help you? How was your problem solved? Speak about this in class with your teacher.

Answer:

A speech on ‘Overcoming Adversity’

During my 9^th standard final exams, I faced a difficult situation when I fell ill. I couldn't study for several days. I felt like only a miracle could help me pass the exams.

Despite feeling worried, I tried to stay positive and make the best of the situation. I asked my friends to help me by sharing their notes, and I studied as much as I could, even when I wasn't feeling well.

Surprisingly, I ended up doing better than I had expected. It felt like a miracle to me because I had been so worried about failing.

This experience taught me the importance of hard work and determination. I learned that even when things seem impossible, hard work and a positive attitude can lead to success.

**9 **

Listening

Listen to the letter (given ‘In This Lesson’) read out by your teacher/on the audio tape. As you listen fill in the table given below.

Press the Audio Button to Listen to ‘The Content of a Letter.’

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**9.1**

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	Answers
The writer apologises (says sorry) because	She hasn’t written any letter to her friend Arti for a very long time.
The writer has sent this to the reader	A birthday card
The writer sent it in the month of	September, 2005
The reason for not writing earlier	Because she (Jaya) moved to a new house
Sarah goes to	‘Little Feet’ school
Who is writing to whom?	Jaya is writing to Arti.
Where and when were they last together?	They were together in Bangalore last year.

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**10 **

Writing

Lencho suffered first due to drought and then by floods. Our country is also facing such situations in the recent years. There is flood and there is drought. There is a need to save water through water harvesting. Design a poster for your area on how to save water during summer and when it is available in excess.

Answer:

A Poster on the Conservation of Water

Poster-1

Poster-2

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**11 **

తెలుగులో వివరణ

A Letter to God Lesson Explanation Video Part-1

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తెలుగులో వివరణ

A Letter to God Lesson Explanation Video Part-2

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A Letter to God Lesson Summary Video

**14**

Thinking about the Poem

1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?

A "dust of snow" means tiny flakes of snow that fell from a tree when a crow shook its branches. This small event changed the poet's mood from sad to happy. The falling snow made him feel better and brightened his day, showing how little things in nature can cheer us up.

2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.

(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?

Birds commonly mentioned in poems are nightingales, doves, and peacocks. They are known for their beauty and grace. Crows are rarely mentioned because they are usually seen as dark and unpleasant. When I think of a crow, I picture black feathers and hear harsh cawing sounds.

(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?

A hemlock tree is a type of evergreen tree. The poet chose it instead of a more beautiful tree like maple, oak, or pine to show that even things seen as less beautiful can bring happiness. This choice shows that joy can come from unexpected places.

(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

The ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ usually mean sadness or something negative. But the dust of snow that the crow shakes off the hemlock tree stands for a small, happy moment that can cheer up a sad day.

3. Have there been times when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?

Yes, there have been times when I felt really down. But sometimes, little things like a nice message or a beautiful sunset made me feel better and turned my day around. It shows me that even when things seem tough, there can be moments of happiness.

Thinking about the Poem

1. There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world will end some day? Have you ever thought what would happen if the sun got so hot that it ‘burst’, or grew colder and colder?

Thinking about how the world might end can be both scary and interesting. Scientists have different ideas like the sun getting too hot or too cold. It's hard to know what will happen, but it's important to think about how we can take care of our planet.

2. For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for? Here are some ideas

For Frost, 'fire' represents desire, conflict, and fury, while 'ice' symbolises coldness, indifference, and hatred.

3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the contrasting ideas in the poem?

The poem follows the rhyme scheme ABAA-BCBCB. This pattern helps to emphasise the contrasting ideas between "fire" and "ice" by giving them equal emphasis and creating a balanced flow to the poem.

**15**

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10 Unit-1 A Letter to God Notes

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