The Screwtape Letters

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The Screwtape Letters is an awesome book. I really admire how C.S. Lewis can intertwine deep meaning into a very interesting and relatable narrative. He does this most notably in The Chronicles of Narnia through the traditional prose format. However, in The Screwtape Letters his format is a very large part of the success of the work over all. The book is a collection of letters from an experienced demon to a new inexperienced demon. The elder, known as Uncle Screwtape, gives the younger advice on how to tempt a soul to join "their father's" (the Devil) side. We only get the letters from Screwtape, and none from the young demon. Therefore perspective is very important to the telling of this story. Everything seems so ironic because Screwtape is cheering for Hell's side of the spiritual battle. All his advice focuses on the perversion of natural and good things. The concept that he reiterates is that the demons cannot create anything, they can only take what is already created and change the intended purpose to cultivate ungodly characteristics in humans. He has a solid grasp of spiritual truths, however he has one concept that he cannot grasp that keeps him on Hell's side: the Enemy's (God's) love. His tragic flaw is that he believes that God must have some hidden motive; why else would give give such complete love and grace?



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Through the correspondence a few stories are told. The most prominent story is that of the soul that the young demon is in charge of tempting. His story starts with him as a young man and continues until his death. The reader sees his struggles and successes, presented as opposite. At the same time the young demon has his own struggles in becoming a good tempter. Uncle Screwtape tells little bits of his story on how he got to the high rank he's in over the years, as well as his pondering of the "Enemy's" true intentions.

The book has serious themes of life's struggles and temptations, while still often maintaining a very humorous tone. It always seemed odd to me how the elder demon signed his letters "your affectionate Uncle, Screwtape." They're demons, you'd think they are only evil and never "affectionate." Lewis personifies the demons very well while still maintaining logical motives for their work as tempters. Altogether I thought the book was genius! Lewis presents very deep theological concepts in an interesting and relatable way.