English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

Lencho's Reaction (A Letter to God):
Lencho was a hardworking farmer who had complete, unquestioning faith in God. When a hailstorm destroyed his entire crop, he was devastated but not hopeless. Instead of despairing, he wrote a letter directly to God asking for 100 pesos to survive. When he received only 70 pesos (sent by the postmaster and his staff), he felt angry and cheated. Ironically, he accused God's "helpers" — the very post office employees who had helped him — of stealing the rest. His faith was naive and blind, making him ungrateful and incapable of recognising human kindness.

Mandela's Reaction (Long Walk to Freedom):
Mandela faced decades of oppression under apartheid. Rather than surrendering, he was transformed by suffering. He understood that oppression deepens one's hunger for freedom and creates "heights of character." His personal freedom became inseparable from his people's freedom. He believed courage was not the absence of fear, but conquering it. His hunger for freedom changed him from a frightened young man into a bold leader who sacrificed his family life and personal comfort for his nation.

Contrast: Lencho's faith was passive and self-centred; Mandela's resolve was active, selfless, and grew stronger through hardship.

Source: Chapter 1 – A Letter to God; Chapter 2 – Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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• Examiners expect equal treatment of both texts — roughly half the answer for each character.
• Key contrast: Lencho represents blind, naive faith that turns into ingratitude; Mandela represents courage and selflessness born from suffering — this contrast is the heart of the answer.
• Use textual evidence: "depths of oppression create heights of character," Lencho calling helpers thieves, etc.
• Avoid retelling the plot — focus on reactions and feelings as the question demands.
• The concluding comparison line earns the final mark for synthesis.