A Letter to God
A Letter to God by G.L. Fuentes is the story of Lencho, a poor farmer whose unshakeable faith in God leads to an ironic and thought-provoking ending. This page gives a clear summary, the theme, a sketch of Lencho, and practice questions.
Learning objectives
- Recall the main events of the story.
- Understand Lencho's faith and the story's irony.
- Describe the character of Lencho.
- Answer comprehension and exam questions.
Key concepts
Summary
Lencho, a hard-working farmer, depends on his ripening corn crop for the year's food. A sudden hailstorm destroys the entire field, leaving the family facing hunger. Having deep faith that God will help, Lencho writes a letter addressed simply to God, asking for a hundred pesos to sow his fields again. The postmaster, touched by this faith, collects money from the post office staff and friends but manages to gather only seventy pesos, which he sends in God's name. When Lencho counts the money and finds it short, he is not surprised at God but concludes that the post office employees must have stolen the rest, calling them 'a bunch of crooks'.
Theme
The story explores the theme of faith and the irony of human nature. Lencho's complete, child-like faith in God is contrasted with his deep suspicion of fellow human beings. There is gentle irony in the fact that the very people who helped him are the ones he distrusts, while the kindness of strangers goes unrecognised.
Lencho's character
Lencho is hard-working, simple and confident, working his land like an ox. His most striking quality is his unwavering faith — he is sure God will answer his letter. At the same time he is naive and trusting of God yet distrustful of people, which leads to the story's twist.
About the author and irony
The story is by the Mexican writer Gregorio López y Fuentes (G.L. Fuentes), known for stories of rural life. The central device of the story is irony — the gap between what is expected and what happens, especially in Lencho's final reaction to the kind postmaster.
Key definitions
- Irony
- A contrast between what is expected and what actually happens.
- Plague of locusts
- A large swarm of insects causing great destruction (used to describe the hail).
- Conscience
- A sense of right and wrong that guided the postmaster to help.
- Faith
- Complete trust or confidence, here Lencho's belief in God.
Solved examples
Q1. Why did Lencho write a letter to God?
Solution: Because the hailstorm destroyed his crop and, with full faith, he asked God for a hundred pesos to start again.
Q2. Who actually sent the money, and how much?
Solution: The postmaster, who collected seventy pesos from the staff and friends.
Q3. Why did Lencho call the post office employees crooks?
Solution: He believed God had sent the full amount and that the employees had stolen the missing thirty pesos.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Thinking God literally replied to the letter (it was the postmaster who helped).
- Forgetting that Lencho got seventy, not the full hundred pesos.
- Confusing Lencho's anger — it was at the post office, not at God.
- Missing the irony at the heart of the story.
A Letter to God — MCQ Quiz
10 questions with instant feedback. Use number keys 1–4 to answer.
Lencho's main occupation was:
Practice questions
Short answer
What ruined Lencho's field?
A sudden hailstorm destroyed his ripe corn.
What did Lencho do after the storm?
He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos.
Why was Lencho not surprised at receiving help?
Because he was certain God would answer his letter.
Long answer
Describe the character of Lencho with reference to the story.
Lencho is the central character of the story and is portrayed as a hard-working, simple and deeply faithful farmer. He works his fields diligently and depends entirely on his corn crop. His most remarkable trait is his absolute faith in God: when the hailstorm destroys his harvest, he does not despair but confidently writes a letter to God asking for help, sure that it will be answered. This faith is sincere and child-like. Yet Lencho is also naive and shows a curious contradiction — while he trusts God completely, he is deeply suspicious of human beings, and when the money falls short he immediately assumes the post office workers are dishonest. His character thus combines genuine faith with an unflattering distrust of people, which drives the irony of the story.
How does irony shape the ending of 'A Letter to God'?
The ending of the story rests entirely on irony, the contrast between what we expect and what actually happens. We expect that the kindness shown to Lencho would move him to gratitude. Instead, when Lencho receives only seventy of the hundred pesos he asked for, he never doubts God; he firmly believes God sent the whole amount and that the post office employees stole the rest, branding them 'a bunch of crooks'. The irony is sharp: the very people who generously gave their own money out of pity are the ones he condemns as thieves, while the kindness of these strangers goes unrecognised. This twist gently exposes a flaw in human nature — that we may trust the unseen completely yet readily suspect those around us.
HOTS (Higher Order Thinking)
What does the story suggest about the difference between faith in God and trust in people?
It suggests that people can hold deep, unquestioning faith in God while being quick to distrust fellow humans, even those who help them — highlighting a contradiction in human nature.
Was the postmaster right to send the money in God's name? Give your view.
Many would say yes — he wanted to protect Lencho's faith and offer real help; though the outcome was ironic, his intention was kind and sensitive.
Quick revision
Revision notes
- Lencho: faithful farmer; corn destroyed by hailstorm.
- Writes to God for 100 pesos; postmaster collects 70 from staff/friends.
- Lencho blames post office employees for the missing 30.
- Theme: faith vs distrust; central device is irony.
Key takeaways
- Lencho's faith in God is unshakeable.
- The kind postmaster acts to preserve that faith.
- Irony exposes trust in God but suspicion of people.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the author of A Letter to God?
G.L. Fuentes (Gregorio López y Fuentes), a Mexican writer.
Why did Lencho not lose faith?
He was completely certain that God would answer his prayer.
What is the message of the story?
It contrasts deep faith in God with an ironic distrust of fellow human beings.