Screwtape Analysis (Final Draft)

Screwtape says, “We can drag our patients along by continual tempting, because we design them only for the table” (Lewis 40). Screwtape strongly supports the idea of using temptations of worldly desires and sexual lust to draw the patient away from God. However, tempting the patient is a challenge since God is constantly getting in their way and protecting the patient from the waves of temptations.
A major time when temptation is used to draw a person away from God is during the trough periods. Screwtape clearly states, "…the Trough periods of the human undulation provide excellent opportunity for all sensual temptations..." (Lewis 43) During this time, a human is feeling emptiness and depression from a loss or anything that has not gone according to plan. To fill this emptiness, the devil provides sexual temptations along with other temptations to draw the person away. The devil is very cunning in the ways he provides these temptations and when to target a weakened person. A Christian should especially be aware of this time. The devil is constantly targeting Christians and uses lust many times. An example of an actual time was Samson and Delilah. In Judges 16:6, “…Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength [lieth], and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee,” Delilah tempted Samson to find his weakness. She does this four times and he eventually fell into sin. Temptations are dangerous for many because it causes great loss and affects many people.
In chapter 28, Screwtape talks about how the Enemy has protected the patient from many different temptations. However, he states, “But, if only he can be kept alive, you have time itself for your ally” (Lewis 154-155). Screwtape encourages Wormwood to continue to bring up temptations to the patient in hopes that as time goes by, he would grow weaker and fall. He suggests using prosperity to tempt the patient to turn away because “Prosperity knits a man to the World” (Lewis 155). With prosperity, the patient would gain respect, new friends, and importance in the world. With all this, the patient would be reluctant to die and lose sight of God and eternal life after death.
The Screwtape Letters shows that during difficult times, the temptations to sin is high. The devil is constantly working to ensure that a person especially Christians would fall to the many temptations. Once someone falls into temptation, it is difficult to get out of it. It’s a never-ending cycle of sinful desires that continually grow throughout time. This is the main motive of the devil in order to take down whoever that has fallen into temptation. Screwtape closes his final letter to Wormwood with, “All that sustains me is the conviction that our Realism, our rejection (in the face of all temptations) of all silly nonsense and claptrap, must win in the end” (Lewis 175).



Works Cited
Lewis, C. S. The Screwtape Letters. New York: Harper Collins, 2001. Print.