Plot Summary and Key Themes
Written by Gregorio López y Fuentes, A Letter to God depicts the unwavering faith of a simple, hardworking peasant named Lencho in the Almighty.
Synopsis of the Narrative:
- Lencho's ripe corn field in the valley promises a bountiful harvest, awaiting only a downpour.
- A sudden hailstorm ravages the entire valley for an hour, devastating the corn fields like a sheet of white salt.
- Desperate yet spiritually resolute, Lencho writes a letter addressed directly to "God", pleading for $100\text{ pesos}$ to resow his field and sustain his family.
- The kind-hearted, compassionate postmaster reads the letter, marvels at the man's immense faith, and collects $70\text{ pesos}$ from his employees and friends to avoid shaking Lencho's faith.
- When Lencho receives the money, he is not surprised by the cash, but outraged that $30\text{ pesos}$ are missing. He writes a second letter asking God not to send the remainder through the mail, branding the postal staff as a "bunch of crooks".
Core Literary Irony:
The ultimate irony lies in Lencho suspecting the very post office employees of stealing his money who had sacrificed their own wages out of genuine charity to help him.
