The Screwtape Letters

Things seem to be going as planned for Screwtape and Wormwood; the Patient is having a lot of fun with his new circle of friends.

The Patient has some new friends - "rich, smart, superficially intellectual and brightly sceptical about everything in the world”. Screwtape assesses how useful they could be in undermining the Patient’s faith.

As the Patient’s rough patch continues, Screwtape offers Wormwood advice on what weak spots to aim for while his target’s spirits are low.

Wormwood thinks the Patient’s “religious phase” is crumbling. Screwtape warns him not to start celebrating too soon.

Screwtape has to go over company policy when Wormwood wonders if he should reveal himself to the Patient

The Patient is very likely to be called up for military service. For both Screwtape and Wormwood this is good news; all the fear and anxiety it could cause are good ground for pulling someone away from their faith.

War breaks out in Europe. Wormwood is overjoyed; to him, a war just means more dead humans. But Screwtape has more of a ‘long game’ approach. How can the war be used to turn people away from God?

Screwtape gives Wormwood a crash course in prayer – in particular on how to prevent the Patient’s prayers from being effective.

The Patient is having some issues with his mother. Screwtape sees this as an opportunity to sow some discord.

In an early setback for Wormwood, The Patient becomes a Christian. Screwtape isn’t happy about this, but he reassures his nephew that all is not lost just yet.

The novice demon Wormwood is assigned a human (“the Patient”) to keep “out of the Enemy's clutches”. Wormwood feels the best way to accomplish this is to control what the Patient reads and the company he keeps. His uncle Screwtape offers guidance from below.