Comprehensive Study Guide for A Letter to God, Frost Poetry, and Relative Clauses
Introduction to 'A Letter to God' and Postal Activities
Conceptual Inquiry: The story poses a delicate question regarding the object of human faith: "They say faith can move mountains. But what should we put our faith in?"
Initial Scenario: Lencho, a farmer, finds his crops destroyed and decides to write a letter to God, requesting pesos. The narrative explores whether the letter reaches its destination and if the money is sent.
Postal Services Activity: The post office is highlighted as one of the most affordable methods for sending money. Important vocabulary associated with this process includes:
Counter: The designated area for transactions.
Counter Clerk: The official who manages transactions at the counter.
Appropriate: Suitable or proper for the specific task.
Acknowledgement: A formal confirmation of receipt.
Counterfoil: The part of a cheque, ticket, or form kept by the sender as a record.
Record: A stored piece of information for future reference.
Money Order Form Mechanics:
The form consists of three primary parts: the Money Order form, the section for official use, and the Acknowledgement.
The form must be signed by both the sender and the official.
The Acknowledgement section is returned by the post office to the sender after the receiver signs it.
The 'Space for Communication' allows the sender to include a message.
Narrative Summary: Lencho’s Struggle and Faith
Setting the Scene:
Lencho’s house was the only one in the entire valley, situated on the crest (top of a hill) of a low hill.
From this vantage point, one could see the river and the fields of ripe corn, which were dotted with flowers—a promising sign of a good harvest.
The earth only lacked water: either a downpour or at least a light shower.
The Arrival of Rain:
Lencho, who knew his fields intimately, spent the morning monitoring the sky toward the north-east.
He predicted rain to his wife, who responded, "Yes, God willing."
As the family gathered for dinner, big drops of rain began to fall.
"Huge mountains of clouds" were seen approaching from the north-east, and the air was described as "fresh and sweet."
The Metaphor of the Raindrops:
Lencho went outside to feel the rain on his body. He referred to the raindrops as "new coins."
The large drops were equated to -cent pieces and the small ones to s.
The Destruction by Hail:
Sudden change: A strong wind began to blow, and very large hailstones began to fall along with the rain.
These hailstones resembled "new silver coins," and children ran out to collect them, calling them "frozen pearls."
The storm lasted for an hour across the house, garden, hillside, cornfield, and the entire valley.
The field turned white, looking as though it were covered with salt.
Impact: Not a single leaf remained on the trees; the corn was totally destroyed, and the flowers were gone from the plants.
Lencho’s Despair:
Lencho stated that a "plague of locusts" (insects flying in big swarms that destroy crops) would have left more than the hail did.
He told his sons, "This year we will have no corn," and "All our work, for nothing."
The Letter to God and the Postmaster’s Response
Lencho’s Unshakable Hope: Despite the total loss, the family held onto a single hope: help from God. Lencho believed that God's eyes see everything, even what is deep in one's conscience (an inner sense of right and wrong).
Preparation of the Letter:
Lencho is described as an "ox of a man," indicating his hard-working nature as a farmer, yet he was literate enough to write.
At daybreak on Sunday, he wrote a letter to God stating: "God, 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…"
He addressed the envelope "To God," attached a stamp, and dropped it in the mailbox in town.
Reaction at the Post Office:
A postman found the letter and showed it to the postmaster, laughing at the address.
The postmaster is described as a "fat, amiable (friendly and pleasant) fellow."
After initially laughing, the postmaster became serious, admiring Lencho's faith: "What faith! I wish I had the faith of the man who wrote this letter."
The Act of Charity:
To prevent Lencho's faith from wavering, the postmaster decided to answer the letter.
Realizing that answering required more than goodwill, ink, and paper, he collected money from his employees, gave part of his own salary, and received contributions from friends as an "act of charity."
He was unable to collect the full pesos, managing only "a little more than half" (specifically pesos).
He placed the money in an envelope with a letter signed only with the word: "God."
The Irony of the Conclusion
Delivery and Reaction:
The following Sunday, Lencho arrived early to check for mail. The postman handed him the letter while the postmaster watched with contentment (satisfaction).
Lencho showed no surprise upon seeing the money; he was fully confident. However, he became angry after counting it.
His rationale: "God could not have made a mistake, nor could he have denied Lencho what he had requested."
The Second Letter:
Lencho immediately wrote a second letter with "much wrinkling of his brow" due to the effort of expressing his thoughts.
He affixed a stamp with a blow of his fist.
The postmaster opened the letter immediately after it was mailed. It read: "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."
Definition of Irony: An unexpected aspect of a situation that is strange or amusing because it is the opposite of what is expected. The irony here lies in Lencho calling the people who helped him "crooks."
Grammar and Vocabulary: Relative Clauses and Emphasis
Non-Defining Relative Clauses:
These clauses provide extra information about a person or thing whose identity is already known.
They typically begin with relative pronouns like who, whom, whose, or which.
Examples from the text:
"Lencho — who knew his fields intimately — had done nothing else…"
"The woman, who was preparing supper, replied, 'Yes, God willing.'"
Punctuation: They are usually set off by commas or dashes.
Using Negatives for Emphasis:
Negative words (no, not, nothing) are often used to emphasize a specific point rather than just showing absence.
Example: "Lencho showed not the slightest surprise on seeing the money" (emphasizes complete lack of surprise).
Metaphors in the Text:
Metaphor definition: Derived from a Greek word meaning 'transfer'; it transfers a quality of one thing to another.
Cloud compared to "Huge mountains" (Quality: Great mass/size).
Raindrops compared to "New coins" (Quality: Economic value/utility for harvest).
Hailstones compared to "New silver coins" or "Frozen pearls" (Quality: Appearance and hard texture).
Lencho compared to an "Ox of a man" (Quality: Physical strength and hard labor).
Storm Classifications
Cyclone: A violent tropical storm where strong winds move in a circle.
Gale: An extremely strong wind.
Typhoon: A violent tropical storm with very strong winds (often in the Pacific).
Tornado: A violent storm where the center is a funnel-shaped cloud.
Hurricane: A violent storm with very strong winds, particularly in the western Atlantic Ocean.
Whirlwind: A very strong wind that moves fast in a spinning movement, causing damage.
Oral Comprehension Questions & Discussion Points
Lencho’s Hope: He hoped for a downpour for his ripe corn.
Raindrops as Coins: He saw them as coins because the rain would ensure a good harvest, bringing wealth.
Change in Weather: The rain turned into a hailstorm, destroying all crops and leaving Lencho despondent.
Postmaster's Motive: He sent money to keep Lencho’s faith in God alive and signed it "God" to maintain the illusion that the prayer was answered directly.
Lencho's Reaction to Money: He was not surprised because of his absolute confidence, but he was angry because pesos were missing from his original request.
Conflict Resolution: The story illustrates two types of conflict:
Conflict between Humans and Nature: Nature (hail) destroys the human (Lencho) livelihood.
Conflict between Humans: Lencho’s lack of trust in the post office employees despite their altruism.
Poetry Analysis: 'Dust of Snow' by Robert Frost
The Poem:
"The way a crow / Shook down on me / The dust of snow / From a hemlock tree / Has given my heart / A change of mood / And saved some part / Of a day I had rued."
Key Terms:
Hemlock: A poisonous tree with small white flowers.
Rued: Held in regret.
Themes:
Significance of Small Moments: A simple natural occurrence (snow falling from a tree) can transform a person's emotional state.
Unconventional Nature Imagery: Instead of choosing "beautiful" birds or trees (like a parrot or an oak), Frost uses a crow and a hemlock tree, both typically associated with sorrow or negativity, to bring about a positive change.
Dust of Snow: Refers to the fine particles of snow shaken off by the crow.
Poetry Analysis: 'Fire and Ice' by Robert Frost
The Poem:
"Some say the world will end in fire / Some say in ice. / From what I’ve tasted of desire / I hold with those who favour fire. / But if it had to perish twice, / I think I know enough of hate / To say that for destruction ice / Is also great / And would suffice."
Key Terms:
Perish: Die.
Suffice: Be sufficient.
Symbolism:
Fire: Represents desire, greed, avarice, lust, and fury.
Ice: Represents hatred, coldness, rigidity, insensitivity, intolerance, and indifference.
Themes:
Destruction: Highlighting that human emotions, whether passionate (fire) or cold (ice), have the power to destroy the world.
Rhyme Scheme: The rhyme scheme helps contrast the two destructive forces of fire and ice.