The Screwtape Letters, a satirical novel that focuses on the religious struggle of one unnamed man, is one of the most influential works of C.S. Lewis. The story unfolds through the eyes of Screwtape, a highly placed under-secretary to Lucifer, affectionately known as ‘Our Father Below’.
Through a series of letters addressed his nephew, Wormwood, a young demon tasked only with securing the hellish eternity of the anonymous man, Screwtape bestows knowledge on how to capture a soul. Throughout his letters to Wormwood, we learn that the religious peaks and valleys of Wormwood’s patient are set against the backdrop of wartime England.
Originally published in book form in early 1942, World War II plays a big part in the novel. Screwtape himself does not pay much heed to war and advises his nephew to do the same, but the human patient faces seemingly endless German bombing raids and the uncomfortable daily reminder that he is mortal and can die at just about any moment. The war, in fact, ultimately plays a pivotal role in sealing the patient’s eternity.
