The Screwtape Letters in Never too Late to Read Classics

Mar 03, 2025 Sara rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: christianity, irony, humor, epistolary

C. S. Lewis is one of the great Christian Apologist of our time, and The Screwtape Letters is one of the most clever debates on God vs. Satan, evil vs. good, and the struggle for the human soul, that has ever been written. Written in the form of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a lesser demon in training, the book deals directly with what efforts the devil makes to deceive and inveigle human beings to do his will and disown God.

The examples given are easy to find in our cu C. S. Lewis is one of the great Christian Apologist of our time, and The Screwtape Letters is one of the most clever debates on God vs. Satan, evil vs. good, and the struggle for the human soul, that has ever been written. Written in the form of letters from a senior demon, Screwtape, to his nephew, a lesser demon in training, the book deals directly with what efforts the devil makes to deceive and inveigle human beings to do his will and disown God.

The examples given are easy to find in our current society, as they were in Lewis’. One of the main, and most effective ploys, is to keep the man from thinking or reasoning and to have him always focused on this world and the material, short-term vs. eternity. Woudn't need to turn your head far to find that going on.

You must bring him to a condition in which he can practice self-examination for an hour without discovering any of those facts about himself which are perfectly clear to anyone who has ever lived in the same house with him or worked in the same office.

Lewis, himself, was a great observer of human foibles and strengths, and how those attributes worked to the good or detriment of mankind. In speaking of stirring hatred, Screwtape warns that voicing it is not always the same as feeling or acting on it.

He has never met these people in real life–they are lay figures modelled on what he gets from newspapers. The results of such fanciful hatred are often most disappointing, and of all humans the English are in this respect the most deplorable milk-sops. They are creatures of that miserable sort who loudly proclaim that torture is too good for their enemies and then give tea and cigarettes to the first wounded German pilot who turns up at the back door.

There is a section on marriage and “unselfishness” and how it can be used to undermine love and harmony that is hilarious. He takes it one step farther into how to use teenage children as prods and the only person not laughing at this is someone who never spent more than two hours with an adolescent.

I found this tongue-in-cheek, ironic style to be perfect for delivering his message. There is nothing of preaching here. There is common sense and total recognition. He is writing about us; he is writing about himself. Take from it what you will.

Just a note. One of the things that made me want to return to this collection was a piece I was reading about the relationship between Lewis and Tolkien. They had a Friendship that was deep but flawed. Lewis credited Tolkien with leading him back to Christianity, and he dedicated this book to him. However, Tolkien’s catholicism and Lewis’ decision to be a protestant created a clash and tension. Tolkien did not like the book nor appreciate the dedication.

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Sep 05, 2020 Beth rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

The book you need to read more than once. So much covered to think about. I found this study guide and lecture series that may he helpful.

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