A Letter To God Summary

“A Letter to God” is a thought-provoking short story by Gregorio López that explores themes of faith, honesty, and the human interpretation of divine intervention. Summarizing this story requires a comprehensive understanding of its plot, characters, and underlying themes. This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how to write an effective summary of “A Letter to God.”

Table of Contents

Step 1: Comprehensive Reading and Understanding

The first step in summarizing “A Letter to God” involves thoroughly reading and understanding the story.

First Reading: Read the story once without making any notes to get an overall feel for the narrative, its characters, and its themes.

Second Reading: On your second reading, start taking notes. Identify key events, character developments, and themes. Understand the motives and actions of the protagonist, Lencho, and how other characters interact with him.
Interpretation: Evaluate the story’s message and themes. “A Letter to God” primarily explores faith, honesty, and the human understanding of divine actions.

Step 2: Identifying Key Elements

To summarize effectively, you need to identify and understand the story’s key elements.

Characters and Setting

Identify the main characters, their traits, and their roles in the narrative. In “A Letter to God,” the main character is Lencho, a poor, hardworking farmer with strong faith in God.

Plot

Understand the chronological progression of events. The story revolves around Lencho’s crop failure due to hail, his letter to God asking for help, the post office employees’ response, and Lencho’s subsequent reaction.

Themes

Identify the central themes of the story. The primary themes in “A Letter to God” are faith, honesty, and human perception of divine intervention.

Step 3: Writing the Summary

Once you’ve understood the content and key elements, you can start writing the summary.

Introduction: Start with an introduction that includes the title, the author, and a brief overview of the story and its themes.
Characters and Plot: Describe the main characters and setting. Summarize the plot in a chronological order, highlighting Lencho’s unwavering faith, his letter to God, the post office employees’ response, and Lencho’s reaction.

Themes: Discuss the main themes of the story. Explain how these themes are reflected in Lencho’s actions and the overall narrative.
Conclusion: Conclude by reiterating the main points and the overall message of the story.

Step 4: Revision and Proofreading

After writing the summary, revising and proofreading are essential steps to ensure accuracy and clarity.

Review Content: Check whether the summary accurately captures the key points of the story, and all important details are included.
Check for Clarity and Coherence: Make sure your summary is coherent, the ideas flow smoothly, and the language is clear and concise.
Proofread: Look for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation errors. Ensure your summary is free from these errors for easy reading and understanding.

A Letter to God Summary Example #1

“A Letter to God” is a poignant short story written by Gregorio López y Fuentes. The story revolves around Lencho, a poor and hardworking farmer who deeply trusts in God’s providence.

The narrative begins with Lencho anticipating a good harvest. However, a sudden hailstorm destroys his crops, leaving him with no means to sustain his family. Despite the devastation, Lencho’s faith in God remains steadfast. He writes a letter to God, asking for a hundred pesos to plant his crops again and support his family until the new harvest.

The letter ends up at the local post office, where the postmaster, touched by Lencho’s unwavering faith, decides to help. He and his employees contribute money, but they can only raise a total of seventy pesos. They send this money to Lencho.

Upon receiving the money, Lencho is not surprised because he had complete faith that his letter to God would be answered. However, he becomes angry when he counts the money and finds it to be less than what he asked for. He believes that the post office employees must have taken the rest.

The story ends with Lencho writing another letter to God, this time asking for the rest of the money but requesting that it not be sent through the post office as the workers are “a bunch of crooks.”

“A Letter to God” is a tale of great faith but also highlights the irony of Lencho’s ingratitude towards the post office workers who, moved by his faith, help him selflessly. Despite their act of kindness, they are wrongfully accused, demonstrating a misinterpretation of God’s response to Lencho’s plea.

A Letter to God Summary Example #2

“A Letter to God,” a compelling short story by Gregorio López y Fuentes, centers around Lencho, a farmer with an unwavering faith in God.

The story starts with Lencho expecting a bountiful harvest. Unfortunately, his hopes are dashed when a sudden hailstorm ravages his crops, leaving him without a livelihood. Despite this setback, Lencho’s faith in God remains unshaken. He pens a letter to God, requesting a hundred pesos, the amount he needs to replant his crops and sustain his family until the next harvest.

The letter finds its way to the local post office. The postmaster, moved by Lencho’s faith, makes a decision to help him. He, together with his colleagues, manage to gather seventy pesos. Although this is less than Lencho requested, they send it to him, hoping it will help.

Lencho, upon receiving the money, is not surprised, such is his faith that God would respond to his plea. However, he becomes upset when he realizes the money is less than he requested. He immediately concludes that the missing money was taken by the post office employees.

In a twist of irony, the story ends with Lencho sending another letter to God. In this letter, he asks for the remaining amount but insists that God should not send it through the post office as the employees are “thieves.”

“A Letter to God” is an exploration of faith, and a critique of the human tendency to misinterpret acts of kindness. Despite the post office workers’ altruistic actions, they are unjustly accused, showcasing the tragic misinterpretation of their goodwill as God’s divine intervention.

A Letter to God Summary Example #3

“A Letter to God” is an engaging short story authored by Gregorio López y Fuentes. The narrative explores the themes of faith and human interpretation of divine actions through the life of its protagonist, Lencho.

The story commences with Lencho, a hardworking farmer, looking forward to a fruitful harvest. However, an unexpected hailstorm obliterates his crops, leaving him devoid of any source of income. Despite this disaster, Lencho’s faith in God remains unwavered. He writes a letter to God, asking for a hundred pesos, the amount he needs to re-cultivate his crops and support his family until the next harvest.

The letter makes its way to the local post office, where the postmaster, touched by Lencho’s deep faith, decides to assist him. He and his coworkers manage to collect seventy pesos, which, despite falling short of Lencho’s request, they send to him, hoping it will be of help.

Upon receiving the money, Lencho is not surprised, such is his unwavering belief that God would answer his appeal. However, he becomes disgruntled when he discovers the money is less than what he asked for. He concludes that the postal workers must have taken the remaining amount.

In a poignant twist, the story concludes with Lencho penning another letter to God. In it, he asks for the balance of the money but requests that it be sent not through the post office, as he believes the workers are “a bunch of crooks.”

“A Letter to God” is a profound exploration of unwavering faith in the divine and the human misinterpretation of divine intentions. Despite the selfless act of kindness displayed by the postal workers, they are wrongfully accused, illustrating the tragic misinterpretation of their goodwill as divine intervention.

Final Thoughts

Summarizing “A Letter to God” involves understanding the story’s content, identifying key elements, and presenting these in a clear, concise manner. This process helps in encapsulating the essence of the story and brings to focus the profound themes of faith, honesty, and human understanding of divine actions.