A Letter to God

Main Points

1. Lencho was a farmer living on a hill with his family and had a field full of ripe corn.

2. He eagerly waited for rain so he could have a good harvest and earn money for his family.

3. When it started raining, he was happy and compared the raindrops to silver coins.

4. But soon, the rain turned into hailstones and ruined his crops, turning his joy into despair.

5. Despite his loss, Lencho had firm faith in God and decided to write a letter asking for help.

6. He requested a hundred pesos to sow his field and support his family until the new crops were harvested.

7. The postmaster read Lencho's letter and, despite laughing at first, decided to help him by collecting seventy pesos and giving it to Lencho.

Lencho was angry when he saw less money in the envelope and wrote another letter to God, requesting the rest of the money and not to send it through the post office as he did not trust them.

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Plot Summary

• Lencho, a poor farmer, writes a letter to God requesting money to help him after a storm destroys his crops.
• Lencho sends the letter through the post office, addressed to God.
• The postmaster and his employees are amused by the letter and decide to help Lencho by pooling their money together.
• Lencho receives the money from the post office and believes it is a miracle from God.
• Lencho later writes another letter to God, asking why he only received a portion of the money he requested.
• The postmaster and his employees are touched by Lencho's faith and generosity.

• Themes
  • Faith and Belief
  • Generosity and Kindness
  • Irony and Humor
• Characters
  • Lencho, a poor farmer
  • The postmaster, who reads Lencho's letter to God and decides to help him
  • The postmaster's employees, who contribute to the collection for Lencho
• Symbols
  • The letter to God, which represents Lencho's faith and belief in a higher power
  • The money collected by the post office, which represents the generosity and kindness of others
  • The storm that destroys Lencho's crops, which represents the unpredictability of life and the need for help from others

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CHARACTER SKETCH

LENCHO:
Innocence
Unbroken faith
Simplicity
Optimism

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POSTMASTER:

Empathy

Sensitivity

softhearted

Helpfulness

Generosity

1. Who is Lencho?

• Lencho is a farmer who lives on a hill with his family.
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2. What does Lencho hope for regarding his crops?

• Lencho hopes for rain so he can have a good harvest and earn money for his family.

3. What happens to Lencho's crops during the rain?

• The rain turns into hailstones and ruins his crops.
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4. How does Lencho react to his ruined crops?

• Lencho is initially joyful when it starts raining but becomes despairing when the hailstones ruin his crops.
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5. What does Lencho do after his crops are ruined?

• Lencho writes a letter to God asking for help.
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6. What does Lencho request in his letter to God?

• Lencho requests a hundred pesos to sow his field and support his family until the new crops are harvested.
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7. What does the postmaster do when he receives Lencho's letter?

• The postmaster reads Lencho's letter and decides to help him by collecting seventy pesos and giving it to Lencho.
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8. How does Lencho react when he receives the money from the post office?

• Lencho is angry when he sees less money in the envelope and writes another letter to God, requesting the rest of the money and not to send it through the post office as he does not trust them.
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9. What does Lencho think of the people who work at the post office?

• Lencho thinks that the people who work at the post office are thieves.
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10. What is the irony in the story?

• The irony of the situation was that the post office employees about whom Lencho complained to God thinking that they had stolen the money, actually made contributions to help him.

• 11. Why did Lencho write a letter to God? Lencho wrote a letter to God because a hailstorm destroyed his crops, and he needed money to survive until the next harvest. He was convinced that God would answer his prayer and send him the money.

  12. What did Lencho write in his letter to God? Lencho asked for 100 pesos to help him and his family survive until the next harvest in his letter to God.

  13. What was Lencho's reaction when he received only 70 pesos? Lencho was confused and disappointed when he received only 70 pesos, as he was sure that he had asked for 100 pesos. He even wrote another letter to God, expressing his doubts about whether God had really sent him the money.

  14. What did Lencho write in his second letter to God? In his second letter to God, Lencho expressed his doubts about whether God had really sent him the money. He wrote that he was sure that someone had stolen the rest of the money along the way.

  15. What did God write in response to Lencho's second letter? In response to Lencho's second letter, God wrote to him and told him that he should not lose faith in God, as he had.

The Best Christmas Present in the World Class 8 English

 Theme and Significance

1. The story "The Best Christmas Present in the World" was written by Michael Morpurgo, a British author known for his children's books.

2. The story is about a man named Jim, who finds a 100-year-old letter in a discarded desk. The letter tells the story of a soldier named Jim Macpherson who was fighting in World War I and his encounter with a German soldier on Christmas Day.

3. The two soldiers exchanged gifts and celebrated Christmas together before returning to their respective trenches to continue fighting.

4. The story emphasizes the importance of peace and humanity even in times of war. It also highlights the shared experiences and emotions that connect people despite their differences.

5. The letter serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers in wars and the need to work towards a more peaceful future.

6. The story also emphasizes the power of storytelling and how it can connect people across time and space.

7. The narrative structure of the story involves multiple layers, including the story of Jim who finds the letter, the letter itself, and the story of Jim Macpherson and the German soldier.

8. The Best Christmas Present in the World teaches important lessons about empathy, compassion, and the importance of valuing human life, even in the midst of conflict.

Main Points

1. 1. The author buys an old, run-down roll-top desk and finds a secret drawer while restoring it.

   2. Inside the drawer, he finds a letter from a soldier named Jim to his wife Connie dated December 26, 1914, during World War I.

   3. The letter talks about how on Christmas Day, Jim and a German soldier named Hans Wolf put their differences aside and celebrated Christmas together with food, drinks, and football.

   4. They both agreed that countries should resolve conflicts peacefully and Jim promised Connie that they would reunite next Christmas.

   5. The author tries to find Connie and discovers she is now 101 years old and living in a nursing home.

   6. He visits her and gives her the letter, which brings her immense joy, and she calls him "The Best Christmas Present in the World."

   7. The story highlights the importance of peace and humanity even in times of war and the power of storytelling to connect people across time and space.

   8. It also reminds us of the true meaning of Christmas and the importance of goodwill towards all.

The Lost Child

 

"The Lost Child" is a story written by Mulk Raj Anand, which revolves around a small child who gets lost in a fair. Here are some important points that you should keep in mind while reading the story:

1. Theme: The story highlights the theme of innocence and the importance of parental love. It also portrays the child's yearning for the things that he desires and the beauty of nature.

2. Setting: The story is set in a village fair, which is bustling with people and different kinds of activities.

3. Characters: The protagonist is a small child who is fascinated by the sights and sounds of the fair. His parents are also present, but they are preoccupied with their own activities and do not pay much attention to the child.

4. Plot: The story follows the child's journey as he gets lost in the fair while chasing after a group of balloons. He feels lost and scared as he wanders through the fair, but eventually, he is reunited with his parents.

5. Symbolism: The balloons in the story are symbolic of the child's desires and dreams. They represent the child's innocence and his yearning for something he cannot have.

6. Narrative technique: The story is told from the perspective of an omniscient narrator who describes the child's thoughts and emotions.

7. Moral lesson: The story teaches us the importance of paying attention to our children and providing them with the love and support they need. It also highlights the beauty of nature and the importance of enjoying simple pleasures in life.

During the springtime, the child goes to the fair with his parents and other people walked, some rode on horses and some came in bullock carts. 

The child was with his parents and was overjoyed and asking for different things like sweets, balloons, toys, etc. his father was scolding him and the mother became the mediator. The boy continuously asked for things and he was being scolded by his parents. 

He has then attracted to mustard fields and dragonflies over them. The child tries to reach them but he is again called by his mother. He ran towards her call and then got stuck to see the dove and banyan tree. His parents again called him and distracted his imagination. 

Soon the child reached the fair and heard the voice of a sweetmeat seller called Gulab Jamun and other sweets. The child was looking at those sweets with his mouth-watering. He asked for his favorite sweet barfi. The parents again scolded him and took him forward. 

Then the child was fascinated by a flower seller selling garlands of Gulmohar. He wanted to buy one but again his parents took him away from the shop.  So, he moved on and saw one balloon seller who had various balloons on his pole. 

The child knew that he would again be reprimanded by his father. So he moved on. 

The child then saw a snake charmer who was playing the flute (been) to the snake and it was dancing to his tunes. But he knew his parents would refuse him to go further so he went ahead.

 He then saw a merry-go-round and wanted to enjoy it, so once again he asked his parents if he wanted a ride and to his surprise, he didn’t get any reply.  

The child was lost and he was crying bitterly and running here and there. A man heard his cry and lifted him up in his arms and tried to locate his parents. 

 He asked the names of his parents but he only replied he wants his mom and dad.

 

The man offered him sweets, balloons, horse rides, etc but he refused all and wanted union with his parents only.

He refused everything and wanted his parents there. 

Now he was no more fascinated by sweetmeat sellers balloons snake charmers etc but he wanted his parents and all things had lost their charm for the boy.

"The Lost Child" is a story that teaches some important life lessons. Here are the main points of the lesson:

1. The importance of parental love and attention: The story emphasizes the need for parents to pay attention to their children and fulfill their emotional needs. The child in the story gets lost because his parents are preoccupied with their own activities, and he feels scared and alone until he is reunited with them.

2. The beauty of nature: The child in the story is fascinated by the natural world, such as the birds and the flowers. The story teaches us to appreciate and enjoy the simple pleasures that nature provides.

3. The dangers of getting lost: The story shows us the dangers that children can face when they get lost in a crowded place. It reminds us of the importance of keeping a close eye on our children and ensuring their safety.

4. The value of innocence: The child's innocence and pure-heartedness are highlighted in the story, and it reminds us of the importance of preserving our own innocence and the innocence of children.

5. The symbolism of the balloons: The balloons in the story represent the child's desires and dreams. The story teaches us that while it's important to have dreams and aspirations, we should also learn to accept and appreciate what we have in the present moment.

Overall, the story teaches us important lessons about the value of love and attention, the beauty of nature, the dangers of getting lost, the value of innocence, and the symbolism of desires and dreams.