In C.S. Lewis’ masterful satirical work, “The Screwtape Letters,” the titular demon, Screwtape, reveals a profound, albeit twisted, understanding of human nature and the divine. Far from fearing the dramatic, the overt, or the outwardly zealous, Screwtape’s greatest dread lies in something far subtler: the steady soul and the simple joys.
Steady Souls in a Distracted World
In our contemporary era, the omnipresent hum of digital distractions threatens to pull individuals in myriad directions, making sustained focus a remarkable feat. Still, this is nothing new. In Lewis’ time, people faced the “distraction” of a world at war and the existential threat to the United Kingdom, along with the ethos that largely followed WWI. Lewis faced different fragmentation, but that fracturing continues – which is one reason why Screwtape still speaks so powerfully to audiences today.
Yet, it is in these very crowded moments that the quiet power of unwavering commitment emerges. The concept of a faithful person persevering in their faith practices, even when immediate rewards are not apparent, presents a formidable challenge to any force seeking to sow discord and doubt. This steadfastness, rooted in principles transcending fleeting trends, offers an anchor against the relentless tide of superficial engagement.
Examining modern society, we observe compelling parallels. Communities bound by shared faith–whether through communal worship, study groups, or shared ethical frameworks–provide a potent antidote to the isolating and fragmenting nature of digital immersion and other distractions. These connections, built on mutual appreciation and a deeper purpose, offer individuals a sense of belonging and an internal compass. When individuals are anchored by strong interpersonal ties and a consistent spiritual or ethical practice, the allure of constant digital stimulation diminishes, as they possess a more profound source of meaning and strength to draw upon. This shared devotion acts as a bulwark, enabling those who partake in it to navigate the distractions of the modern world with a steady soul.
But Screwtape is aware of the dangers posed by this “antidote to the isolating and fragmenting nature of digital immersion.” And all should beware of the “antidote for the antidote” that Screwtape describes to Wormwood in Letter 22 – noise:
“Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile—Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end. We have already made great strides in this direction as regards the Earth. The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end. But I admit we are not yet loud enough, or anything like it. Research is in progress.”
C.S. Lewis on Simple Joy Without Vanity
Joy often blossoms from simple pleasures, unburdened by the weight of vanity. In Screwtape, these are found when the patient reads a book he really enjoyed and takes a walk he really liked down to an old mill, where he has tea. Society frequently presents a narrow view of enjoyment, oscillating between excessive indulgence and austere self-denial. However, a more nuanced appreciation reveals a rich landscape of contentment found in activities pursued for their intrinsic merit, free from the need for external validation.
The essence of happiness lies in the experience itself, detached from the gaze of others. The crucial distinction emerges when one considers the motivation behind an action: was pleasure derived from the inherent satisfaction of the activity, or from the perceived image it projects? It’s about appreciating the moment for what it is, rather than what it might communicate about one’s status or identity.
In contemporary culture, phrases like “go touch grass” signify a growing awareness of this principle. There’s a noticeable inclination toward real-world experiences, savoring uncomplicated delights, and disconnecting from the digital realm. This prevailing sentiment implicitly champions the very idea of seeking fulfillment in personal pursuits, unconcerned with crafting a curated public persona. It’s an encouragement to embrace activities nourishing to the soul, rather than those designed for external display, as Screwtape often encourages. The Senior Tempter instructs Wormwood, “You should always try to make the patient abandon the people or food or books he really likes in favor of the ‘best’ people, the ‘right’ food, the ‘important’ books.”
“The man who truly and disinterestedly enjoys any one thing in the world for its own sake, without caring two-pence what other people say about it,” Screwtape warns, “is by that very fact fore-warned against some of our subtlest modes of attack.”
Spiritual Anchors and the Power of Shared Journeys
In times of personal struggle, seeking connection with others who have navigated similar challenges can provide invaluable support. This concept of finding spiritual anchors–those who offer guidance and demonstrate resilience–is a fundamental aspect of human growth. Lewis had his fellow Inkling members, and in Letter 23, we learn that the patient has been “getting to know more Christians every day.”
Conversely, forces fostering isolation, such as the modern “loneliness epidemic,” can leave individuals feeling adrift and disconnected. The pervasive nature of modern distractions certainly contributes to this sense of isolation. Social media, while offering a facade of connection, can paradoxically deepen feelings of inadequacy and separateness as individuals compare curated online lives with their own realities. The constant influx of information and entertainment can also serve as a barrier to introspection and genuine human interaction. This lack of shared experience, this erosion of community, can lead to a profound emptiness, a feeling of being lost in the vastness of our own minds.
In fact, a study by The BMJ Group across 113 countries and all age groups and demographics found that 33 percent of people experience loneliness in this most-connected age.
When individuals are disconnected from meaningful relationships and shared purpose, they may become more prone to internal conflict and outward combativeness as they struggle to find their footing and express their unmet needs in potentially unhealthy ways. The power of shared journeys lies in their ability to remind us that we are not alone, offering solace, wisdom, and the strength to face life’s complexities together. As Lewis writes in “The Four Loves,” a friend “will lend or give when we are in need, nurse us in sickness, and stand up for us among our enemies.”
Concluding the Lesson from The Screwtape Letters
The most insidious duplicity in Screwtape’s strategy is to convince people that joy cannot be found in quiet, persistent, utterly unglamorous, ordinary obedience that offers no immediate emotional reward.
Screwtape’s objective, therefore, is to manipulate individuals into either seeking pleasure with blatant selfishness or eschewing it altogether, thereby distorting the intended purpose of God’s good gifts. He despises the simple, unadorned enjoyment of life’s blessings – a captivating book, a refreshing walk, the innocent joy of laughter – when these are appreciated for their own sake, free from the taint of vanity or excess. Such genuine appreciation, divorced from self-serving motives, paradoxically draws one closer to the Divine, making it a particular affront to Screwtape’s designs.
In the end, Screwtape admits that while many a soul has been won through pleasure, the pleasures are God’s invention. “All our research so far has not enabled us to produce one,” Screwtape concludes. “All we can do is to encourage the humans to take the pleasures which our Enemy has produced at times, or in ways, or in degrees, which He has forbidden.”
Only God can create such simple joys. The devil can only attempt to corrupt them. Lewis once wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains.” Readers often jump to Lewis’ final observation here without fully reflecting on the first one.
God whispers to us in our pleasures. What might he be whispering to you?
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Paul Cozby is Senior Writer for Fellowship for Performing Arts, currently touring a live production of The Screwtape Letters. He has more than three decades of experience in journalism, public relations, editing, and non-profit communications. He has served as both reporter and editor for newspapers from Texas to Germany, where he studied at the University of Stuttgart as a Fulbright Scholar for winning the first E.C. Barksdale Essays in History writing competition. Paul is also an award-winning playwright for The Fish Wrappers, a comedy produced for the stage and based on his experiences in small-town papers. He continues to enjoy creative writing.
