Textbook: First Flight NCERT
Class: CBSE Class 10 English
Lesson: A Letter to God
Author: G. L. Fuentes
What literary devices are used in the chapter- A Letter to god?
Today, in this article, we will discuss literary devices used in our 1st chapter ‘A Letter to God’ in detail. The discussion is done passage-wise. It will be extremely helpful for students to understand the real beauty of words employed by G.L. Fuentes.
1. “From this height, one could see the river and the field of ripe corn dotted with the flowers that always promised a good harvest.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, flowers are compared with a dot (.) sign. It can’t be called a Simile because the comparison is not explicit and no comparison words – like or as – have been used by the writer.
It is a similar comparison that you may witness when looking down from a plane onto land. The buildings seem like dots on land.
2. “The older boys were working in the field, while the smaller ones were playing near the house until the woman called to them all.”
Literary Device – ANTITHESIS
The contrast between the older boys working in the field and the smaller ones playing near the house can be considered an example of ANTITHESIS. In this sentence, the words ‘older and smaller’ have been placed in parallel to create EMPHASIS.
3. “In the northeast huge mountains of clouds could be seen approaching.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, clouds are compared with huge mountains. It can’t be called a Simile because the comparison is not explicit and no comparison words – like or as – have been used by the writer.
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4. ‘‘These aren’t raindrops falling from the sky, they are new coins. The big drops are ten-cent pieces and the little ones are fives.’’
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, raindrops are compared with new coins. There are 3 instances of metaphors. Raindrops are compared with three different objects – first with new coins, then big drops with 10-cent pieces and finally the little drops with 5 cents.
5. “With a satisfied expression, he regarded the field of ripe corn with its flowers, draped in a curtain of rain.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, rain is compared to a curtain.
6. “The boys, exposing themselves to the rain, ran out to collect the frozen pearls.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, hailstones are compared to frozen pearls.
7. The field was white as if covered with salt.
Literary Device – SIMILE
In the above line, the whiteness of the field is compared to salt using the comparison word – ‘as if’.
8. “A plague of locusts would have left more than this.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR
In the above line, the devastation caused by hailstorms is compared to the damage that a large group of locusts can cause to a harvest.
9. “That night was a sorrowful one.”
Literary Device – Personification
In the above line, the night that doesn’t have emotions is given an attribute of a living being.
10. “Lencho was an ox of a man, working like an animal in the fields, but still, he knew how to write.”
Literary Device – METAPHOR and SIMILE, and IRONY
In the above line, 2 literary devices are used. Firstly, Lencho is compared to an ox to show his physical strength. This comparison is implicit without using comparison words. So, it is a metaphor.
In the next part, Lencho’s hard work is compared to that of an animal. It is a simile because the comparison is explicit using the word ‘like’.
Moreover, it also shows IRONY. The writer plays an irony on the orthodox thinking of people that farmers are generally illiterate. ‘But still, he knew how to write, hints at the fact that Lencho was an educated man despite being a farmer.