ipl-logo

Analysis Of C. L. Lewis Screwtape Letters

835 Words4 Pages

In the book, Screwtape Letters, C. S. Lewis wrote from the perspective of an experienced tempter, who gave advice on tempting humans to his young nephew, Wormwood. Being posed with the question: does C. L. Lewis’ style effectively warns the readers of Screwtape Letters of the methods that Satan uses, or does the style encourage us to be sympathetic to Screwtape or Wormwood?, I believe that Lewis’s style was an effective teaching method and there are three lessons that can be learned from the book: a lesson on prayer, a lesson on not worrying about the future and a lesson on gluttony.
The first lesson that can be learned from Screwtape letters was on prayer. In the third letter, Screwtape instructed his nephew to have his “patient” avoid …show more content…

In his letters, Screwtape advised Wormwood to have his human think of the future fear as his appointed cross. Screwtape also explained that nearly all vices are rooted in the future, as "fear avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead." (Lewis, 76) Screwtape encouraged Wormwood to have the "patient" put his heart and treasure in the future. Screwtape expounded on the reason behind those strategies, saying that Because resigning oneself to multiple different conflicting fates at once is impossible, "What the Enemy means by this is primarily that he should accept with patience the tribulation which has actually been dealt out to him- the present anxiety and suspense. It is about this that he is to say 'thy will be done'". (Lewis, 25) We should not fear the future, instead, we should focus on our present trouble. Screwtape explained that although God wants us to either focus on the present or eternity, he wants us to think about the future, but only to plan out tomorrow's work. God absolutely does not want us to give the future our hearts as the Bible states in Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be

Show More
Related

  • Summary Letter To Meriwether Lewis

    545 Words  | 3 Pages

    In his letter to Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson gives Lew specific instructions as to what to do on the expedition. He gives Lewis specific instructions on how to describe the land around him. He tells Lewis to find the Missouri River and to find a passageway to the Pacific Ocean. He also tells Lewis to take special notice of the land and soil, so he could understand how fertile the land is and what crops could be grown to help support the newly emerging United States of America. He has Lewis and his expedition members become friendly with the Native Americans.

    Read More

  • Adams Arrangement Letter Analysis

    237 Words  | 1 Pages

    In the most recent couple of weeks of Adams' organization, before President Thomas Jefferson took office, Congress approved the arrangement of 42 judges of the peace in the District of Columbia and Alexandria, Virginia. President Adams made arrangements to these positions, and the Senate affirmed them on March 3, the day preceding Jefferson took office. The formal letters reporting the arrangements were to be conveyed by the Secretary of State's Office. Notwithstanding, not the greater part of the commissions were conveyed by the due date that night. William Marbury was one of those judges of the peace delegated by Adams who neglected to get his arrangement letter (bonus) on time.

    Read More

  • C. S. Lewis 'The Screwtape Letter'

    585 Words  | 3 Pages

    Told in the famous C.S. Lewis The Screwtape letter, a well-known demon informs his nephew, Wormwood, of a struggle that the Christians face still today. A well lesson to all Christians, Screwtape advises Wormwood to go and let the patient talk like a parrot without discipline when in prayer. As explained by Screwtape, “When the patient is an adult recently reconverted to the Enemy’s party, like your man, this is best done by encouraging him to remember, or to think he remembers, the parrot-like nature of his prayers in childhood.”

    Read More

  • Exploring Hope In Sandra Brown's 'Mean Streak'

    724 Words  | 3 Pages

    When should one surrender? For the reason of hope and not surrender Sandra Brown, Dr. Charles Raison, and Gina Kolata previously wrote why it is important to look forward. They composed their work so it demonstrates the point of view of both the doctor and patient. Hope allows one to obtain an expectation in an unpredictable situation.

    Read More

  • Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God Language Analysis

    492 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards, the sermon’s author, used multiple techniques such as figurative language, image interpretation and use of pathos to ensure his purpose gets through to the audience. Through the uses of figurative languages like metaphors, personification, similes, and oxymorons, Edwards creates vivid, visual images that provoke emotions in the audience, swaying them towards his purpose in which he stresses that people need to change before God, with his almighty power, destroys them all. For example one use of figurative language that illustrates an image for the audience is, “and all your righteousness, would have no more influence to uphold you and keep you out of hell, than a spider’s web would have to stop a falling rock.” In this example, Edwards uses a simile, a type of figurative language, to evoke fear and negative emotion in the audience by displaying a visual image of a spider’s web blocking a heavy rock.

    Read More

  • The Turn Of The Screw

    1720 Words  | 7 Pages

    Authors all over the world share the common talent of creating an image through the use of words. This power over the audience is fundamental and is clearly viewed through the comparison of both The Turn of the Screw, written by Henry James, as well as the Accursed Inhabitants of the House of Bly, written by Joyce Carol Oates. Each novel is written by a different author who chose to share a similar plot with the clear distinction of altering the point of view of the characters. Both The Turn of the Screw as well as the Accursed Inhabitants of the House of Bly share the similar theme of unwavering love that seems to borderline obsession. Through the altered point of view, each character is presented in a manner that creates thought-provoking

    Read More

  • On The Rainy River Summary

    1276 Words  | 6 Pages

    The conception of such leads to an internal moral conflict where one compares and weighs the consequences of their fates. Conflicted with multiple impending fates, the individual has a choice to either embrace their uncertain fate, knowing they cannot prevent such, or reject their uncertain destiny, becoming negligent toward the possibilities of what is to come. When an individual is tasked with dealing with a future in which their lives are on the line, they will undergo the depiction of many futures. The result of which, will prompt the individual to either accept their fates, knowing that their fates are not preventable, or, challenge their futures, leading to the neglecting of what lies within the uncertain future; the futures born from ones

    Read More

  • Julius Caesar Fate Vs Free Will

    1004 Words  | 5 Pages

    It is as inevitable as their fates. What one does with their days shows their character. Knowing that death will come soon is no reason to hang back and miss out on living. The truly courageous ones are the ones who make a great and honorable life for themselves, while still having a deadly prophecy hanging over their head. Free will allows one to transcend the boundaries of fate, which will be forever hovering

    Read More

  • Essay On Screwtape Letter

    1186 Words  | 5 Pages

    While Satan, “Our Father Below,” is a self-loving, deceitful father. When everyone agrees that Lewis’s style of writing is instructive. Some say Lewis wrote the book for people to understand and feel sympathy for Satan and his followers “demons”. Lewis’s style of writing makes one better equip to reorganize Satan’s subtle deceptions in three ways: it helps people recognize distractions in our thoughts, it helps people recognize distractions

    Read More

  • Nathan Price In The Poisonwood Bible

    445 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this chapter, Foster discusses the portrayal of Christ-like figures throughout literature. An allusion to Christ may include: uncanny knowledge of scripture, being good with children, being alone in the wilderness and being burdened with the task of redeeming a sinful world - all of which are traits that Nathan Price from The Poisonwood Bible exhibits or distorts. Nathan Price serves as an ironic depiction of Christ. Like Jesus, Nathan is intimately familiar with the Bible and can summon any portion of it from memory to support his arguments, such as when Anatole tells the Price family why the Kongolese people are not receptive to Nathan’s family. However, Nathan is abusive and dismissive towards anyone who disagrees with him, especially his children and wife, a perversion of

    Read More

  • Screwtape Letter Character Analysis

    670 Words  | 3 Pages

    To fail, in faith, we must first succeed in doubt and fear. For Wormwood and Screwtape to succeed in their victim falling from faith they must first feed him full of fear and doubt. Throughout the Screwtape Letters, both demons try to bring their subject to worship their father by practicing tactics that lead and misdirect their human to fall from his faith in Christianity. Fear, doubt, and insecurity are the first and foremost tools of misdirection that Screwtape tries to employ Wormwood to exploit. “The immediate fear and suffering of the humans is a legitimate and pleasing refreshment for our myriads of toiling workers”.

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Screwtape Letters By C. S. Lewis

    383 Words  | 2 Pages

    How many Christians realize the two things that can happen to you while you are at your lowest point? We all remember the cartoons with the devil on one shoulder and the angel on the other. The Law of Undulation is a cycle of ups and downs in which the troughs, or downs, present the Enemy (God) the opportunity to strengthen the faith of the Christian while presenting Our Father Below (Satan) the opportunity to win the soul of the Christian. In the Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis gives the “Devil” side of the shoulder which is represented by the demon, Wormwood. Screwtape warns his nephew, Wormwood, that the Enemy (God) “wants them [Christians] to learn to walk and must therefore take away His hand; and if only the will to walk is really there

    Read More

  • Allegory In Dante's Inferno Essay

    413 Words  | 2 Pages

    In order for one’s message to influence their readers, they must do one thing: connect. If an author does not connect their reader’s previous knowledge with their story’s overall message, the message will never reach the reader. In order to create this connection, an author may use literary devices. Literary devices in The Inferno by Dante Alighieri produce understanding. These literary devices aid in a pagan’s comprehension of the allegory.

    Read More

  • Pride In Jane Eyre And The Turn Of The Screw

    169 Words  | 1 Pages

    The protagonist from “The Turn of the Screw”, is perceived to be despearate as she tries to achieve her dream but her personal pride leads her to an unstable condition. The author depicts the Governess believing that to attain her goal of gaining attentionby her employer, she must be a hero. Therefore, she invents lies about seeing her predessors haunting her pupils. Nonetheless, the more times James makes the Governess mention the ghosts the more she believes they are real and they, “want to get them (the children)” (82). The Governess is blinded by making it appear she sees the ghosts that she looses herself in her own lies leading her to an unstable condition of not knowing what is real or not.

    Read More

  • Menghao Alternate Ending

    1656 Words  | 7 Pages

    "The secret to have a noble spirit, then to have a fearless heart, eight mountains hold in their hearts, is a Director of the mountain then sea until nine when accommodated in the bottom of the sea, to

    Read More

More about Analysis Of C. L. Lewis Screwtape Letters

Open Document