First Flight Chapter 1 A Letter To God

Lencho hoped for rains because the corn fields needed rain shower for irrigation.

Lencho's corn fields were ready to be harvested. His fields needed shower before harvesting. He would be able to earn a good amount of money by selling the harvest. Thus, the raindrops looked like 'new coins' to him.

Acceding to Lencho's predictions, big drops of rain began to fall. But, soon strong wind began to blow resulting in dropping of large hail stones. The hailstones destroyed the corn fields completely.  

Lencho's soul was filled with sadness. The hailstorm had affected the corn fields very badly. He lamented that even a plague of locusts would have left more than what was left after the hail storm. He said that they would not have any corn that year. They worked so hard throughout the year but all in vain. 

Lencho had faith in God. He was hopeful about the help from God. He believed that God sees everything. He can peep into one’s conscience deeply. He wrote a letter to God asking for a hundred pesos in order to sow his field again and to live until the crop grew.

At first, the postmaster and the postman broke out in laugh. But, at the same moment the postmaster was impressed by Lencho’s faith in the God. He wished that he could also keep that much faith in God. The postmaster decided to help Lencho. He asked his colleagues to contribute some money and he himself gave a part of his salary.

No, Lencho was not surprised to get the money. He was very confident that God would definitely help him.

Lencho became angry when he counted the money that God had sent him. He found that the money amounted to seventy pesos only whereas he had asked for hundred pesos. He believed that the post office employees have stolen the rest of the amount because God could never make a mistake. Also, God would never deny Lencho what he had requested.

Lencho has complete faith in God. It can be inferred from the following sentences:-

• “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.
• “Don’t be so upset, even though this seems like a total loss. Remember, no one dies of hunger.”
• '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.'

The postmaster sends the money to Lencho to help him and keep his faith God alive. He was impressed by Lencho's faith in God. He wished that he could also have the same faith in God. So, he asked the other employees to contribute some money and he himself gave a part of his salary. After he collects all the contribution, he puts that into an envelope and posts it to Lencho's address. He signs the letter as God because he doesn't want to shake lencho's faith in God.

When Lencho counted the money, he found that it was short of thirty pesos. He had asked for a hundred pesos from God. He believed that God could never make a mistake, nor would he deny Lencho's request for money.
The irony of the situation was that the postoffice employees about whom Lencho complained to God thinking that they had stolen the money, actually made contributions to help him. They did so to keep his faith alive in God.

One can hardly find people like Lencho in the real world. He is a naive and stupid farmer who has an unshakable belief in God. 

1. Cyclone
2. Gale
3. Typhoon
4. Tornado
5. Hurricane
6. Whirlwind

1. wanting something to happen (and thinking it quite possible)
2. showing concern that what you say should not offend or disturb the other person: a way of being polite
3. a feeling that something good will probably happen
4. wishing for something to happen, although this is very unlikely
5. thinking that this would happen (It may or may not have happened.)
6. stopped believing that this good thing would happen

1. I often go to Mumbai, which is the commercial capital of India.
2. My mother, who cooks very well, is going to host a TV show on cooking. 
3. These sportspersons, whose performance has been excellent, are going to meet the President. 
4. Lencho prayed to God, whose eyes see into our minds.
5. This man, whom I trusted, cheated me. 

1. The trees lost nothing but all their leaves.
2. The letter was addressed to nobody else but God himself.
3. The postman had never seen the address before.

Lencho's house was located on the crest of a low hill. One could see the river and the ripe corn fields. The flowers of the ripe corns were promising a good harvest that year.

The corn fields only needed a downpour or rains before harvesting.

Lencho had been seeing the sky towards the north-east. He was waiting for the rainfall.

As Lencho had been observing the sky towards north east, he could see huge mountains of clouds approaching. Apparently, he had predicted that they would definitely get some rain. 

In accordance with Lencho's prediction, big drops of rain began to fall. He went out to enjoy the rain. The rain drops looked like new coins to him. He compared the raindrops with new coins because the rain indicated a good harvest that year. He was very hopeful that the corn harvest would bring him a good amount of money.

The large hailstones were shining like new silver coins. But, Lencho was not happy with the fall of hailstones because they would destroy the crops utterly. The hail rained for an hour. As Lencho anticipated, they completely destroyed the  whole corn harvest.

After the storm had passed, Lencho bemoaned to his sons and said that a plague of Locusts would have left something but the hailstones had left nothing. He also said that they would not have any corn that year.    

Every year, Lencho used to sell the corn harvest and to earn money. It was the only source of income for him. With the destruction of the crop, his hopes for earning money also ended. He was worried because he would have to stay hungry that year. Moreover, there was nobody to help him.

Lencho's only hope was the help of God. He believed that God sees everything. God can see deep into one's conscience.

Lencho only hoped for the help from God. He decided to write a letter to God to convey his problem and ask for an amount of hundred pesos to cover for the expenses of sowing his field again and take care of his family until the crop would be prepared for harvesting. 

He wrote about his problem in the letter to God. He bemoaned that they would have to stay hungry throughout the year if God didn't help him. Also, he asked for an amount of hundred pesos to cover for the expenses of sowing his field again and take care of his family until the crop would be prepared for harvesting.

As soon as the postmaster read the letter, he started laughing. But, soon he became serious when he realized the predicament of the person who had written the letter. Being impressed by that person's faith in God, he tapped the letter on the desk. He said that he wished that he also kept the same faith in God. 

The postman decided to answer the letter so that the person's faith in God would not be shaken.

The postmaster opened the letter and read it. He found that the person had asked for a hundred pesos. To him, it was obvious that only goodwill, ink and paper won't be enough to answer that letter.

Being adhered to his resolution of answering the letter, he decided to collect the money that Lencho had asked for. Not only he asked for money from his employees, but also he donated a part of his salary. Seeing his efforts, his friends and colleagues came forward to give something for an act of charity. He could collect seventy pesos. 

He felt contented because he performed a good deed.

Lencho was a poor, stupid and naive farmer who had been told that no one dies of hunger and God takes care of everything. So, he wrote a letter to God explaining his quagmire. He was waiting for God's response. So, he didn't get surprised because he had faith that God would reply him and send his help.

When Lencho opened the letter and counted the money, he found only seventy pesos while he had asked for a hundred pesos. So, he became angry. His faith in God made it unbelievable to him that God could have made a mistake or he could deny Lencho what he had requested. Apparently, he concluded that the post office employees had stolen some money. 

Lencho decided to write a letter to God again requesting him to give him the rest of amount. He informed God that only seventy pesos had reached him. Blaming the postoffice employees for stealing the money, he also requested God not to send him money through mail because the post office employees were a bunch of crooks. 

Lencho informed God that only seventy pesos had reached him. He requested God to give him the rest of amount as he needed it very much. Blaming the postoffice employees for stealing the money, he also requested God not to send him money through mail because the post office employees were a bunch of crooks. 

(i) The poet has depicted nature unusually. Generally, we come across birds such as nightingales or sparrows in poems concerned with nature and its beauty. No, crow is not often mentioned in the poems. The crow is considered as a harbinger of bad news and sadness. Frost has used a crow in this poem to indicate sorrow and foreboding.

(ii) A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree. The poet has employed a hemlock tree, instead of a more beautiful tree such as a maple, or oak, or pine because these trees symbolise beauty and happiness. Frost wanted to symbolise the feelings of sadness and regret, which is why he has used a hemlock tree.

(ii) The 'crow' and 'hemlock' represent joy. The dust of snow brings happiness to the poet and changes his remorseful mood. 

For self attempt.

The word Apartheid means 'the state of being apart'. Apartheid’ is a political system of racial segregation that separates people according to their race.