Lewis’ Screwtape Letters is a novel that provides advice in reverse, presenting temptations and people’s attitudes towards them in the context of religion and faith. Screwtape, the devil, teaches his nephew, Wormwood, to tempt people and make them suffer, which is expressed by means of irony. The author aims at edifying Christians to overcome the challenges by better understanding the eternal battle between God and Satan.
To find the sources of spiritual growth, a reader should approach Screwtape Letters by paying attention to details and applying critical thinking. The following quote can be used as the leitmotif of reading: “in every department of life it marks the transition from dreaming aspiration to laborious doing” (Lewis, p. 7). This means that disappointment should encourage people to move, work hard, and, in this case, continue reading diligently.
In my point of view, the twelfth chapter is one of the most important and inspiring parts of the book. The patient says that “‘I now that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked” (Lewis, p. 56). Screwtape advices the Patient to accept that pleasure is the most significant issue, but it allows him to make people miserable. This passage helps me to understand that as a Christian, I should strive to live my life morally and ethically by serving others and identifying myself as a part of the community.
In addition, I would strive to improve my life by following the idea of mere Christianity. Lewis writes that “the man who has risen in society is over-refined, the young scholar is pedantic” (p. 130). Therefore, I will do my best to avoid spiritual pride and turning Christianity into fashion. However, I would try to promote the positive impact of Christianity among my friends and family.
To conclude, the key purpose of Screwtape Letters is to show and explain the readers the difficulties they can face on the way to salvation. The ideas discussed by the author are exciting and innovative since he uses irony to provide reverse advice. This novel promotes a deep understanding of modern Christianity trends and can be used by readers as guidance on their path to God.
Work Cited
Lewis, Clive Staples. The Screwtape Letters. HarperCollins Publishers, 2012