Class 10 English Prose 1 A Letter to God

May 2, 2025

Have you ever written a letter hoping for a miracle? Can faith really move mountains? What happens when life tests your patience and belief? These are some of the powerful questions that come to mind when reading A Letter to God, the first chapter in the Class 10 CBSE English textbook.

This heart-touching short story by Gregorio López y Fuentes explores the life of a poor farmer named Lencho, who faces a devastating loss after a hailstorm destroys his entire crop. Left with nothing, Lencho does something extraordinary—he writes a letter to God asking for help. Through this simple yet moving story, students are introduced to important themes like faith, hope, human kindness, and the irony of life.

In this blog, we’ll explore the important highlights of the chapter, including a brief summary, important questions, and valuable takeaways to help you understand the story better. Whether you're preparing for exams or simply trying to grasp the meaning behind Lencho’s actions, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know.

CBSE Class 10 A Letter to God Notes

The letter to god class 10 notes will provide a summary and topic-wise details to help students understand what the story is about. In the table given below, we have provided the links to downloadable PDFs of chapter-wise Notes for class 10 English and that too for different categories of marks.

<cta2>Notes<cta2>

S.No. Table Of Content
1 Chapter 1 A Letter to God: Important Notes
2 Chapter 1 A Letter to God Summary
3 Chapter 1 A Letter to God: Themes and Literary Devices
4 Why Download These Chapter-wise PDFs?
5 How Can This Chapter-wise Material Help Students?
6 Common Mistakes Students Make in Chapter 1 A Letter to God
7 Conclusion

Chapter 1 A Letter to God: Important Notes

Struggling to revise quickly for your Class 10 English exam? Looking for clear and simple notes for A Letter to God? You’re in the right place. Below is a complete breakdown of Important points, themes, and character insights to help you understand the story easily and score better in your exams.

About the Author

  • Gregorio López y Fuentes was a Mexican writer.
  • He was known for writing about the lives of poor farmers and rural communities.
  • A Letter to God is one of his most famous stories, highlighting themes of faith, simplicity, and human nature.

Main Characters

  • Lencho: A poor farmer who has deep faith in God. He is hardworking, honest, and innocent.
  • The Postmaster: A kind and generous man who is moved by Lencho’s belief in God. He secretly helps collect money for Lencho.
  • Post Office Employees: Help the postmaster in raising money for Lencho out of goodwill.

Setting

  • The story takes place in a rural area where Lencho’s house is located on a hill.
  • The area is dependent on farming, and rain is crucial for crops to grow.

Plot Summary

  • Lencho hopes for rain to help his crops grow.
  • A storm comes, but it turns into a hailstorm that destroys everything.
  • He writes a letter to God asking for 100 pesos.
  • The postmaster and staff collect 70 pesos and send it to Lencho.
  • Lencho, unaware of their kindness, thinks the post office workers stole the rest.
  • He writes another letter asking God not to send money through them again.

Moral of the Story

  • True faith can inspire others, but sometimes, blind belief can lead to misunderstanding.
  • Good deeds may go unnoticed, but kindness still matters.
  • One must learn to recognise and appreciate help from unexpected places.

Important Quotes

  • “It was during the meal that, as Lencho had predicted, big drops of rain began to fall.”
  • “God: if you don't help me, my family and I will go hungry during the coming year.”

Chapter 1 A Letter to God Summary

A Letter to God by Gregorio López y Fuentes is a touching story about faith, hope, and human goodness. It revolves around a poor farmer named Lencho, who lives with his family in a small house on the top of a hill. He is a hardworking man who relies completely on his crops to feed his family.

Lencho looks up at the sky, waiting for rain to water his fields. Eventually, the rain comes—but turns into a terrible hailstorm. In just a short while, the storm destroys all of Lencho’s crops, leaving him hopeless and worried about how he will survive.

Despite the loss, Lencho’s faith in God is unshaken. He strongly believes that God will help him. So, he decides to write a letter to God, asking for 100 pesos to sow his fields again and take care of his family.

He posts the letter at the village post office. The postmaster, amused but touched by Lencho’s faith, decides to help. He gathers money from his colleagues and sends it to Lencho. However, they could only collect 70 pesos.

When Lencho receives the envelope, he is not surprised. But after counting the money, he becomes angry and disappointed, thinking that God could not have sent less. He believes that the post office workers stole the rest of the money. So, he writes a second letter to God, asking not to send the money through the post office next time, as he doesn't trust the employees.

Important Takeaways:

  • The story highlights the power of faith and innocence.
  • It shows how kindness exists in the world, even if it goes unrecognised.
  • There's a clear irony in the ending, which adds depth and emotion to the story.

Chapter 1 A Letter to God: Themes and Literary Devices

Wondering what deeper messages lie behind A Letter to God? This chapter, though simple in plot, is rich in meaning and literary tools. Below is a detailed look at the main themes and literary devices to help Class 10 students understand the story better and prepare well for exams.

Main Themes

1. Faith in God

The central theme of the story is unshakable faith. Lencho truly believes that God will help him in his time of need. His trust is so strong that he doesn’t doubt the outcome, even when he receives less than what he asked for.

2. Hope and Positivity in Difficult Times

Despite losing his crops to the hailstorm, Lencho doesn’t give up. His act of writing to God shows how hope can exist even in hopeless situations.

3. Human Kindness and Compassion

The postmaster and his colleagues represent the kindness of strangers. They help Lencho out of goodwill without revealing their identity, proving that goodness still exists in the world.

4. Irony and Innocence

The story ends with dramatic irony—Lencho assumes the post office workers stole part of God’s money, not knowing they were the ones who helped him. His innocence makes this misunderstanding both touching and ironic.

Literary Devices

1. Irony

Irony plays a major role, especially in the ending. Lencho thinks the helpers are thieves, which is ironic because they were actually doing a good deed.

2. Symbolism

  • The storm symbolises destruction and loss.
  • The letter represents Lencho’s blind faith.
  • Money in the story symbolises both help and misunderstanding.

3. Dramatic Irony

The readers know that the post office employees sent the money, but Lencho believes it was from God and accuses the same people of stealing from it. This is a classic case of dramatic irony.

4. Imagery

The author uses simple yet strong imagery to describe the setting, the storm, and the emotions of the characters, helping readers picture the events clearly.

5. Humour and Satire

Although subtle, there's a gentle humour in the situation—especially when Lencho asks God not to send money through the post because he believes the workers are dishonest.

Why Download These Chapter-wise PDFs?

Students can boost their exam preparation by clicking on the downloadable links for A Letter to God for Class Xth Chapter 1. The diagrams, tables, and graphs help us grasp the concepts easily since our brains can process visuals faster than written concepts. 

  • These chapter-wise PDFs include all important points and concepts in an easy-to-understand language. 
  • The PDFs are designed while keeping the revised CBSE pattern in mind to keep students prepared as per the latest syllabus. 
  • After OTP authentications, students, as well as teachers, can download a Letter to god questions and answers PDFs 
  • With an Internet connection and in the comfort of their home, students can download the chapter-wise materials on their devices.

How Can This Chapter-wise Material Help Students?

Preparing for board exams can feel overwhelming, especially when there’s so much to cover. That’s why having clear, chapter-wise study material is so important. For students studying A Letter to God in Class 10 CBSE English, this kind of organised content can make a big difference in learning and revision.

Saves Time and Effort

Instead of going through the entire textbook again and again, chapter-wise notes, summaries, and explanations offer a quick and focused way to revise. This saves time, especially during last-minute exam preparation.

Improves Understanding

Materials written in simple language help students truly understand the chapter, not just memorise it. When concepts are explained in an easy, human way, students can relate to them better and remember them for longer.

Boosts Exam Scores

Well-structured chapter notes highlight important questions, themes, characters, and literary devices—all of which are often asked in exams. This gives students a clear idea of what to expect and how to frame answers correctly.

Builds Confidence

When students are familiar with each chapter through revision material, they feel more confident and less stressed in the exam hall. Understanding leads to confidence, and confidence leads to better performance.

Encourages Smart Study Habits

Chapter-wise material promotes smart study strategies by focusing on what truly matters—key points, commonly made mistakes, and tips to avoid them. This makes preparation more effective and less stressful.

Useful for Quick Revision

Whether before a class test or the board exam, these notes can be used for fast, last-minute revision without missing any crucial information.

Chapter-wise study resources for A Letter to God and other lessons in Class 10 English help students learn smarter, not harder. They strengthen understanding, improve writing skills, and ultimately lead to better marks with less pressure.

Common Mistakes Students Make in Chapter 1 A Letter to God

Are you revising A Letter to God for your Class 10 English exam? Avoiding common mistakes can help you write better answers and score higher marks. Here are some frequent errors students make while studying or writing about this chapter, along with tips to avoid them.

Misunderstanding the Ending

Mistake: Many students think Lencho is foolish or ungrateful because he doubts the post office workers.

Correction: Lencho isn’t being ungrateful—his blind faith in God makes him believe that God alone could have sent the money. His misunderstanding shows his innocence, not disrespect.

Ignoring the Role of the Postmaster

Mistake: Some answers focus only on Lencho and ignore the postmaster's contribution.

Correction: The postmaster is an important character. His kindness and effort reflect human goodness, a major theme in the story. Always mention his role clearly.

Confusing the Themes

Mistake: Students often list only one theme, usually “faith in God,” and miss others like irony, hope, or kindness.

Correction: Make sure to include multiple themes and explain them with examples from the text.

Memorising Without Understanding

Mistake: Many students memorise summaries or notes but cannot apply the ideas in their own words.

Correction: Always read the chapter with understanding. Try to write in your own words during answers, especially in long-answer questions.

Spelling and Grammar Errors

Mistake: Common errors include misspelling names like “Lencho” or mixing up tenses.

Correction: Double-check spelling, use past tense consistently, and keep your sentences clear and simple.

Overlooking Literary Devices

Mistake: Some students forget to mention important literary devices like irony, symbolism, and dramatic irony.

Correction: Including even one or two devices with examples can impress examiners and boost your marks.

To avoid these mistakes, read the story carefully, revise regularly, and practise writing answers in your own language. This not only helps in scoring better but also improves your understanding and confidence in literature. At Educart we have provided these questions and other support materials, so teachers can help the students practice these types of questions thoroughly. These PDFs can be downloaded just with a click and user authentication.

move to top arrow
book image

Buy Latest Books

teacher illustration

Teacher's Specimen