The Screwtape Letters

Screwtape is concerned about the patient’s conversion. He is especially concerned that the patient is displaying signs of the virtue of humility, whereas when he first began practicing Christianity, he had lofty ambitions. Screwtape does, however, have a strategy: “Catch him at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, ‘By jove! I’m being humble,’ and almost immediately pride—pride at his humility—will appear” (69). He also suggests that Wormwood obscure the real meaning of humility so the patient will conflate it with self-denigration, which is not only unpleasant but may involve dishonesty (i.e., downplaying one’s skills or accomplishments). Moreover, investing energy in this kind of misguided “humility” necessarily involves a lot of focus on the self—the exact opposite of true humility, which merely means attaching no more importance to oneself than to others.

Mulling over how to make use of an abatement in the war’s intensity, Screwtape considers the subject of time. God wants humans’ attention focused on the present and, through the present, the eternal. By contrast, the devils’ goal is to encourage humans to live in either the past or the future. The latter is preferable, however, because its unknowability (from a human perspective) provokes anxiety, speculation, etc. Sin is therefore most at home in the future: “Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust, and ambition look ahead” (76). He continues, “We want a whole race perpetually in pursuit of the rainbow’s end, never honest, nor kind, nor happy now” (78). Wormwood should therefore ensure that the patient spends his time either worrying about what the future may bring or deluding himself that it will be unremittingly positive.

Screwtape is dismayed that the patient seems content with his parish church. From the devils’ perspective, it is always good to discourage humans of different occupations, temperaments, etc. from communing with one another; moreover, becoming a “connoisseur of churches” implies pride (81). More specifically, if the patient can be encouraged to attend one of two different churches nearby, he will be exposed to either a very watered-down Christianity or an approach to religion that is primarily based on shock value; the pastor adopts extreme and even contradictory positions based on contempt for his fellow humans. Either scenario is good, particularly as each church belongs to a definite religious faction and therefore undercuts the whole principle of spiritual unity.

Screwtape castigates Wormwood for downplaying the value of gluttony as a sin. He uses the young man’s mother as a prime example of what he labels “gluttony of Delicacy” (87). The sinner does not engage in the more familiar “gluttony of Excess” but rather demands smaller portions perfectly prepared. The delicate glutton is never satisfied and develops malicious feelings toward everyone involved in preparing or serving their food. Screwtape suggests that Wormwood might cultivate a similar gluttony in the patient by encouraging a belief that he is an expert in food, tea, tobacco, or anything else. This will also lay the groundwork for lapses in chastity, Screwtape suggests.