Our purpose is to examine the Screwtape letters from a Biblical view!
Screwtape Letters Course Objectives
The book addresses how man and God’s adversary deliver quiet, but constant influence against mankind. They corrupt and pollute godly choices. In other words, there are no ordinary actions. It is a consistent battle for the believers.
· Explore by discussion the key elements of the adversary modus operandi
· Discuss letters one through ten and compare/contrast with scripture
· Contrast key schemes in each letter with biblical scriptures/sources
· Identify and discuss the main subject/theme of each letter
· Identify and discuss four or more suggested methods of temptation by the adversary
· List and discuss Screwtape’s weapons against the body of Christ
· Describe the ways that Satan keeps spiritual matters out of a person’s thoughts
· Identify and define key terms/words within each of the 10 letters
The above information should be included in the Book Review assignment.
(modus operandi = a method of procedure or the best approach, example: “… was to do things through quiet persuasion, which was his modus operandi”)
Key Book Characters
Screwtape: The experienced devil whose letters to his nephew, Wormwood, form the bulk of The Screwtape Letters. Screwtape has successfully corrupted thousands of humans, convincing them to embrace sin.
Wormwood: The young, inexperienced “junior tempter” whose continued, failed attempts to corrupt the patient are the subject of The Screwtape Letters. Wormwood is never actually heard from in the novel.
Patient: The weak, young, and deeply uncertain human being whose moral progress—and lack of progress—defines the novel’s plot. Like Wormwood, the patient is less of a character with unique thoughts, and feelings.
Enemy: Because The Screwtape Letters is told from the perspective of a devil-like Screwtape, God is almost always referred to as The Enemy.
Patient Mother: The patient’s mother, much like the patient, has few specific qualities—she embodies clichés and stereotypes about middle-class, 20th-century English mothers.
Patient lover: A virtuous, beautiful Christian woman, the patient’s lover is instrumental in attracting him toward God and leading him from temptation.
Our father: The leader of the devils, whom they refer to as “Our Father,” Satan is nonetheless rarely mentioned in The Screwtape Letters, and is a far less conspicuous presence than God.
Married couple: The married couple befriends the patient early in the novel, tempting him away from Christianity with their talk of atheism and sarcastic attacks on the church.
Minor Characters
Glubose - The devil, who has been assigned to tempt the patient’s mother.
Scabtree - A devil and acquaintance of Screwtape who sees war as an excellent opportunity for devils to corrupt humanity.
Triptweeze - A fellow devil of Wormwood.
Slubgob - A devil who teaches young devils about sin in college.
Toadpipe - Screwtape’s secretary, who occasionally transcribes Screwtape’s dictations.
Slumtrinket - The devil is tasked with corrupting the patient’s lover.
For Key unfamiliar terms/words, for each letter look up definitions in a dictionary. Sample of Vocabulary (that may be unfamiliar).
Jargon – the terminology of a special activity or group (ex. medical terms); use as a verb is also called “Twitter”.
Naif – simple-minded, unsuspecting (ex. “the senator was new and naif about how Washing works.”)
Fuddle - to make drunk: intoxicate