C. S. LEWIS, The Screwtape Letters (1942) | Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one--the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.
[Full disclosure: C. S. Lewis is one of my favorite authors and his books are a treasure trove of insights that I never tire of discovering…no matter how many times I re-read them].
With that said, my daughter and I started a book club several years ago (I am so grateful that she still enjoys it) to read classic books and discuss them over coffee. It also gives me a great excuse to spend as much time as I can with her before she leaves the nest for good.
Our current reading is from The Screwtape Letters (1942) which illicit a strange mixture of feelings. On the one hand…admiration for Lewis’ uncommon brilliance and on the other…(if I am being completely honest) discomfort with his perceptive insights into the workings of evil.
Though The Screwtape Letters eventually became one of Lewis’ most popular works, he found it so spiritually and emotionally taxing that he “resolved never to write another ‘Letter.’” (When you read the book you’ll understand why).
In the novel, Lewis imagines a correspondence of 31 “letters” between a chief demonic tempter named Screwtape and his nephew/apprentice, Wormwood. (Lewis also notes that he has no intention of explaining how he came to acquire these letters).
In the exchange of letters with his nephew, Screwtape chronicles their attempts to lure a young man away from the path to God.
Each of the letters are bursting with theological nuance as Screwtape guides his eager nephew in the nefarious art of temptation as their discourse probes deeply into the complexities of human frailty and spiritual warfare.
Set against the backdrop of World War II, the heart of Lewis’ narrative describes the plight of a young man, aptly referred to as “the patient,” whose soul quite literally becomes the battleground for the forces of good and evil. Screwtape’s cunning advice to Wormwood reveals a diabolical strategy aimed at eroding the patient’s faith and steering him toward the clutches of darkness.
In Lewis’ masterful prose, Screwtape’s calculated counsel to his nephew unfolds. The old devil offers his apprentice several diabolical techniques to exploit the vulnerabilities of human reason and to instigate doubt and disillusionment. Along the way, Screwtape employs every trick in the book to help Wormwood lead his patient astray.
With the horrors of World War II firmly in mind, Screwtape contemplates the role of fear and uncertainty in amplifying human susceptibility to sin. The war becomes both a catalyst and a hindrance to their devilish agenda, underscoring the intricate interplay between external events and internal conflicts.
Throughout the correspondence, Lewis deftly explores themes of faith, morality, and the existential anguish that permeates the human condition. From the pitfalls of pleasure to the complexities of love and loyalty, each letter serves as a testament to the depths of the human soul even as they expose the struggles common to the human condition.
As the narrative continues, the “patient’s” journey is fraught with additional challenges and temptations. His encounters with noble individuals and the allure of love become pivotal moments in his spiritual odyssey, challenging the very core of his beliefs.
In the closing moments of the story, Lewis masterfully explores the all-important line between salvation and damnation as he navigates the scope and scale of the spiritual battle opposing humanity. As the patient confronts the specter of death amidst the chaos of war, he must face the ultimate truth of his existence.
In the haunting conclusion, Lewis leaves us with a profound sense of ambiguity, as Screwtape grapples with the enigma of divine love and the ineffable mysteries of the afterlife. Through his poignant prose, Lewis invites the audience to ponder the timeless questions that lie at the heart of our humanity, leaving us with a lingering sense of wonder and introspection.
That is Lewis’ captivating novel in a nutshell. In future posts we will explore some of these themes more completely.