Free Will In The Screwtape's Letter

According to an article by Larry D. Harwood , “Lewis’s Screwtape Letters: the Ascetic Devil and Aesthetic God”, he states The Screwtape Letters portrays Lewis’s evil character and the principles of the “realism, dignity, and austerity of Hell” (2004). “In The Screwtape Letters Lewis portrays God as a lavish materialist affirming delight in a sensual as a part of being human. Lewis depicts the pleasures of sense...To Screwtape it appears that God took a gamble that not only makes little sense, but also appears to have come with costs to himself.” (Harwood, 2004). According to the article “Lewis's Screwtape Letters: the Ascetic Devil and the Aesthetic God” the mood of The Screwtape Letters is dusty, gritty as Lewis depicts Hell, due to the tone

Screwtape and Foulgrin both have didactic tones, seeing how they are both trying to achieve the same goal; teach intermediate tempters how to make their patients fail. Both demons spend the entirety of each book giving detailed instruction. In The Screwtape Letters, Screwtape gives his nephew, Wormwood plenty of advice. For example, in letter three Screwtape says, “I am very pleased by what you tell me about this man’s relations with his mother. But you must press your advantage (Lewis 11).” Lord Foulgrin, however, more reminiscent of the wrongs of mankind than Screwtape, similarly informs his novice tempter, Squaltaint, in the same way. In the fourth letter, The Vermin’s Stinking Family, Foulgrin reminds Squaltaint, “And don’t forget one of the most effective forms of child abuse: parents giving their children whatever they want. (Alcorn 29).” For most of each novel, Screwtape has confidence in Wormwood and Foulgrin in Squaltaint.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a set of letters written by the demon Screwtape to his nephew, Wormwood. Wormwood is relatively new at being a demon and throughout the letters, Screwtape both responds to the letters that Wormwood sends him and provides Wormwood with advice about how best to tempt the man Wormwood is in charge of away from the Enemy, God. Although Lewis only gives the reader one side of this correspondence between uncle and nephew, Screwtape’s response at the beginning of each letter is usually enough to understand what Wormwood’s letter contained. It appears as if Wormwood had only recently become a Tempter as opposed to his uncle, Screwtape, who had surpassed the role of Tempter and now occupied an administrative role.

I chose to do my research and reading on The Screwtape Letters written by C.S Lewis, which is a novel written in unique perspective of a Senior Devil named Screwtape who writes thirty-one letters to his nephew Wormwood who can be considered somewhat of a novice devil or demon of some sort. In these letters, as readers, we find that they are undated and that they are meant to offer advice to his younger demon nephew as he attempts to steal the soul of a human, referred to as “the patient”. We are first introduced to the concept of “the patient” rather than “the human” when Screwtape explains to Wormwood about one of his first experiences with one. In his first letter, Screwtape explains that the best way to lose the human is if the human somehow decides to use reason because at that point, his reason will take him to God. He does this by teaching his nephew that, “Your business is to fix his attention on the stream. Teach him to call it “real-life” and don 't let him ask what he means by real” (2). Ironically, the devil 's resort to calling God, “the Enemy”. We are first introduced to this idea in the introduction on the first letter when Screwtape states that “The trouble about argument is that it moves the whole struggle on to the Enemy 's ground” (2). Wormwood must find his opportunities by getting his patient to make unwise choices or let his emotions get the best of him. When the patient turns to

In the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis proposes a dialog between an experienced devil and a young inexperienced devil. We only get to read letters from the senior, Screwtape, to the junior, Wormwood. In these letters we overhear how Wormwood’s first assignment is going, what tempting strategies he should try, and what might happen to him if he fails. Screwtape comes across cordial in all his letters, but just beneath his tone he seems to dislike his young mentee. In every letter, Screwtape belittles Wormwood in some way or another, and by the end we hear Screwtape’s outright anger and outrage at Wormwood’s failure when his patient dies a Christian. Lewis’ style of writing equips me to better recognise Satin’s subtle deceptions, and does not make

Lewis refers to God, Satan and Hell many different ways. When mentioning God, he uses the term “The Enemy” which in our minds, would normally be in reference to Satan. He also refers to him as “The Father Above,” and to Satan as “Our Father Below” and “High Command.” Hell is referred to as “Our Father’s House.” “Screwtape Letters” is written with this context because it is from the point of view of a demon who goes by the name of Screwtape. This is satirical, it is the opposite of the way we would normally think. In our minds, we think of God as “High Command,” and as Our Father, not as “The

“The long, dull, monotonous years of middle-aged prosperity or middle-aged diversity are excellent campaigning weather.” Screwtape wished to drag out the Christian’s life and turn it into a purposeless, repeating roll-play. He wanted to slowly and despairingly tear the Christian from God and so tear him from the only true hope and life and joy there is in this world. Do not be alarmed, though, because God is stronger that the demons and He, “having oddly destined these mere animals to life in His own eternal world, has guarded them pretty effectively from the danger of feeling at home anywhere else.” Screwtape admits that God insures his children a place in his forever home and an everlasting joy. Additionally, Screwtape refers to humans as “mere animals.” God created us in His image, which sets us apart from the animals. Screwtape therefore was trying to degrade humankind, to lower us, and how can any of us, humans, feel sympathy for one who so hates us

Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis, is an interesting novel containing the interaction between a devil named Screwtape and his young nephew Wormwood. The book is comprised of letters corresponding between the two devils. Screwtape is a senior devil and is tasked as a mentor to his less experienced nephew. Screwtape instructs Wormwood on how to tempt a new Christian, or "patient". He suggest many different intricate ways of using human emotions, thoughts, and weaknesses to tempt their faith, and keep them from the kingdom of heaven. The ultimate goal to attain humans for their master in hell. Wormwood is at first encouraged by his uncle Screwtape, but is later criticized because he can't control his patient, and fails at keeping him from church.

The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis is a book made up of 31 letters of teaching, communication, and familial advice communicated with the only two physical tempters in the book, Screwtape, the mentor, and his young eager to learn “nephew” or mentee, Wormworth. Screwtape uses the letters to aid him in influencing his nephew to do as he does in actions, thoughts, and in his work and convinces him to follow the way of Satan, their “Father” and to follow in both Screwtape and the Devil’s path. Wormworth’s “patient” is a young male who has newly tried to connect with the “Enemy”, God. Screwtape uses very common flaws, some of which are, materialism, physical attraction, and gluttony to try to draw him away from God, and brainwash him into believing all of his thoughts and detesting all outside sources as much as he can.

In letter 25, Screwtape compares the rules of Christianity to recent discoveries and the "Same Old Thing". For example, Screwtape lists some comparisons stating, "Christianity and New Psychology". Aspects being compared can be the nature versus nurture debate on religion and personality changes throughout our lifetime. The phrase Same Old Thing is enhanced in the letter to explain how the real, everyday life, is what truly matters to Screwtape. He would think that individuals need to have a sense of being in their own lives; rather than depending on the Enemy.

The patient in The Screwtape Letters is an interesting character. He is a struggle for Wormwood who is trying to keep him close to the Devil. I see him as a writer who has been put into the army to do defence work. I see him as a writer who was a professor so his knowledge is very extensive in many things in life.

In the Screwtape Letters, Screwtape used three rhetorical strategies against the patient; logos, ethos, and pathos. Logos is an argument, the reasoning the author uses, and or logical evidence. Ethos is how an author builds credibility and trustworthiness, the character and their ethics. Pathos is the words or passages that an author uses to show and trigger emotions. Each of these were used to manipulate the patients morals and values in life. Screwtape made sure that he was going to do bad things and be sent to hell rather than do good so that he could go to heaven.

Have you ever wondered how demons try and lead us away from God and begin to sin? In the Screwtape Letters C.S Lewis shows us how a demon named Screwtape guides his nephew Wormwood on how to make sure their “patient” stays away from Christianity. The Screwtape Letters is an Epistolary novel that was written during World War II. In this novel God is considered “The Enemy” and Satan is “Our Father.” The main characters in this novel are Wormwood, Screwtape, and the patient. Screwtape is a demon who writes his nephew Wormwood from hell. Screwtape teaches his nephew the different steps of keeping his “patient” away from God. Humans are called patients by demons because they are trying to lead humans away from God. In this novel we don’t really

C.S Lewis is clear that his opinion is that the all types of love are branched from the love of Christ. Screwtape and Wormwood devise a plan to strip the patient of his love for people and things of this world in order to turn him away from Christ and hand him over to the devil. God’s love for humanity is incomprehensible to Screwtape, he thinks that the purpose of life is to better oneself and take control of others. In the book, Screwtape explains how they merely want to absorb the patient for their own personal gain and their desires are compared to God’s saying “One must face the fact that all the talk about His love for men, and His service being perfect freedom, is not (as one would gladly believe) mere propaganda, but an appalling truth” (Lewis Part VIII). C.S Lewis describes God as one who does not want to take over and destroy but as a God who wants to give, unite and love his people. Throughout the book, we see Screwtape’s attempts to rid the patient of love but this job is not as easy as he originally believes it to be.

In 1942 in the United Kingdom C.S. Lewis published his book, The Screwtape Letters. This book is filled with the deep contemplating and theology that Lewis incorporates into much of his work. Whether it is allusions that come from the Bible or the personification of demons, C.S. Lewis is undeniably a prolific and talented author. The Emanuel Church in Rochester believes that the Screwtape Letters have a different twist from normal Christian books as it is from the demon’s perspective. The Church stated, “C.S. Lewis masterfully uses this unique style of writing to present many of the common weaknesses in a Christians life and then gives the reader encouragement… Lewis is known as a skilled writer and may be a little difficult at first to get