Chapter 25

I'm really afraid of this. The theme presented in this chapter is so true, and i know entirely where he's going with this. Getting into a pattern, doing the same old same old scares the crap out of me. I never want to get stuck in a rut. I need diversity, I need change. God only knows what it is that causes me to freak out, but I literally cannot sleep sometimes, if I feel too trapped. I even have a problem talking to my mom on the phone on the same day every week. I need some form of malleable schedule.

I need change, more than anything. But beyond that, I also need to be able to create, to change the world around me. I'm not alone, I know. there are other people in the world like me, including several members of my family. My dad was a carpenter. His brothers are contractors. I feel like this is the same as needing change.

But I also know that we need some constants. As I said, I don't like scheduling calls with my mother, but I do still need to be able to talk to her. I need those permanent connections in my life. And it's the difference between those connections and getting stuck in a rut that Screwtape wants us to ignore, and feel oppressed by all of it.

Letter 24

This letter really struck me. The patient's relationship has grown and strengthened, and he's getting positive reinforcement from “the enemy.” This is fairly normal, abut what really got me was Screwtape's new idea for corruption him, trying to play off of the girlfriend, as opposed to his own vices. He is clearly trying to change and make himself a better person, and all of their attempts to break him with his current vices has failed, so they intend to try and use one all men have: pride. Screwtape does not suggest anything major, just fostering a sense of belonging, and reinforcing the concept of “those like us.” It's particularly devious, because on one level or another, we all feel some sort of need to connect and belong.

Where does this become not just “I'm part of the whole” but “We're better than them” instead? I'm not really sure, but I do know how easy it is to switch between these emotions, and it's surprising when you do. This is where the destructive clique stereotypes come from, somewhere along the way the group in question ceased to be one group out of many and became in the eyes of its members the best out of many.

Chapter 13

This chapter really spoke to me. We aren't a collection of big, major things. Everything we do, big or small, is important to us and helps shape who we are and what we become. I can understand Screwtape's chastisement in this chapter. It makes sense that if we're happy it should be from a sin in his point of view. Even then, we shouldn't be happy, we just should be meh. I know where he's coming from, It isn't when we're happy that we do bad things, and bad things don't really make people happy. Ultimately, they want the patient to fail, but he's been happy lately, doing simple things for his pleasure, and he's being rewarded by God. This returns to my first idea, that it isn't huge acts of good that grant us boons, it's just small things, for the betterment of yourself or others that hurt no one.

Letters 1,2 & 3

Lewis really hits the nail on the head here. Especially in the third letter. His grasp of the human condition is shockingly accurate, and he really understands people's weaknesses. I'd be lying if I denied ever feeling like my own internal problems outweigh the world, or looking at someone and associating their lives with their faith. I can see his examples in my own experience, and I know others can, too.

I'm not saying that these feelings are inherently bad, and I don't believe Screwtape is, either. I believe the point here is that the “sin” is in focusing on them to exclusivity. Screwtape points out that these feelings will come up naturally, and that the reaction they want is to keep solely them in mind, and to block new ideas on how to look at these thoughts from occurring to the penitent. Indeed, he explicitly states in the fourth letter that blocking those new ideas is the biggest “help” Wormwood can provide.

It struck me as particularly vicious how he encouraged Wormwood to twist at petty slights. These are the easiest way to get under my skin, and I think this is true for most people. Even among our loved ones, we can be bitter about small things. My mother's in Florida right now, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I resented it a bit. I think that's just part of being human. The best I can do is make light of the situation, and joke about it instead of focusing on it and being negative.

First Post

So, this is my blog. It's going to focus on the Screwtape Letters for now. Huzzah.