The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis

The Screwtape Letters
C.S. Lewis

While reading Malachi Martin in my school library, I discussed my latest reading trend with the kindly librarian. She recommended The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (of Narnia fame). I was intrigued by her description of the novel and decided to give it a whirl, even though her acknowledgement that the book is "Catholic, but not preachy" made me lose hope that I would actually enjoy it.

Well, she was right, but I did enjoy the book for the most part. It WAS very Catholic but not too preachy, as she said. Unfortunately, it wasn't so scary either, which is really the reason I am reading these spooky, Halloweeny-type books.

The Screwtape Letters is a series of letters written from Uncle Screwtape (a high-ranking demon in Hell) to his nephew, Wormwood, a novice trying to secure the soul of a young Brit during WWII. Screwtape offers advice to his nephew by including methods guaranteed to damn anyone. Because the letters are one-sided (we only get Screwtape's replies) and more about ideas than action, The Screwtape Letters is not a plot-driven book. In fact, it's not even a character-driven book. Rather, it is a book which illustrates the right way to live by providing how the devil would like us to live.

Obviously, the book is geared toward Catholicism. It isn't overtly preachy, but the premise does start to wear thin midway through the book. And while the book did start to get tedious after awhile (I skimmed the last 25 pages), I still managed to find a few illuminating gems that anyone can enjoy, even if one is not so centered on the Catholic faith.

For example:

Do what you will, there is going to be some benevolence, as well as some malice, in your patient’s soul. The great thing is to direct the malice to his immediate neighbours whom he meets every day and to thrust his benevolence out to the remote circumference, to people he does not know. The malice thus becomes wholly real and the benevolence largely imaginary.

This is something I do all the time. I'll feel bad for the starving oppressed five thousand miles away, but cut me off while driving, and I might nearly run you over. So this is something everyone can benefit from remembering from time to time.

Nothing is very strong: strong enough to steal away a man’s best years not in sweet sins but in a dreary flickering of the mind over it knows not what and knows not why, in the gratification of curiosities so feeble that the man is only half aware of them…in whistling tunes that he does not like, or in the long, dim labyrinth of reveries that have not even lush or ambition to give them a relish…edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one…

How often is an hour, a day, a week--even longer--wasted on absolutely nothing, or at least nothing of importance? If we add those hours up, how much of our lives is spent doing nothing? It's easy to think, "I'm relaxing," or "This will just last an hour," but without our even realizing it, those hours and minutes add up.

Illumination Factor: Illumination is all this book is about. However, regardless of one's religion, everyone can find something worthy of remembering here.

In a nutshell: Not the best book ever written, in my opinion, but The Screwtape Letters has something to say to everyone. Every once in awhile, it's good to be reminded of the thousand ways a person can live better. Just know what you're getting into before you begin reading.

Bibliolatry Scale: 3.5 out of 6 stars