When did the rain start? How did Lencho’s family welcome the rain?
When did the rain start? How did Lencho’s family welcome the rain?
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
Correct Answer:
The rain started during the meal time when Lencho’s family was eating dinner. Lencho’s family welcomed the rain with joy and hope, as they believed it would water their crops and ensure a good harvest.
Explanation:
In the short story “A Letter to God” by Gregorio López y Fuentes, the rain plays a pivotal role in the narrative. It symbolizes both hope and despair for the protagonist, Lencho, a hardworking farmer who relies entirely on his crops for survival. The story begins by painting a picture of Lencho’s home, set on a low hill, surrounded by ripe corn fields. The family is hopeful, anticipating a good harvest, but they are also anxiously waiting for rain to nourish the crops.
The rain begins in the evening, during dinner time. As they are eating, dark clouds gather on the horizon, and soon large drops of rain begin to fall. Lencho, being a man of the land, goes outside and feels the raindrops on his body. He refers to the falling drops as “coins” — “big drops are ten cent pieces and little ones are fives” — symbolizing how precious the rain is to them. This poetic comparison shows how essential the rain is for their livelihood; it is as valuable as money because it determines the success of their harvest.
Lencho’s entire family, especially the children, are delighted with the rainfall. They go out to enjoy the weather, fully believing it will bring prosperity. The initial mood is one of celebration and relief.
However, the situation quickly changes when the rain turns into a hailstorm, destroying the crops completely. This twist transforms their joy into despair, setting the stage for Lencho’s desperate faith in divine intervention. Thus, the rain begins as a blessing but ends as a disaster, showing the fragile relationship between nature and human livelihood in the lives of poor farmers
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