Your Nephew, Wormwood

[Esprit]

For those of you who haven't read C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters, it is a collection of letters from one demon to another discussing how to tempt humans away from God. While I find it a very convicting book, it's also rather disturbing and creepy. You've been warned.

After reading The Screwtape Letters, I wrote a reply from Wormwood to his uncle as a school project. You'll probably want to read Letter #7 to get the full context here. I attempted to have Wormwood's character walk a fine line between boot-licking and belligerent -- I think he pretends to curry favor with Screwtape but sometimes isn't careful enough to hide how he really hates him. Tell me how I did!

TO SCREWTAPE
Between Letters #7 & #8

To my dear uncle,
Your last letter was informative enough. I can see your point, and if ever my patient were to suspect my existence without my wanting him to (an unfeasible occurrence; I am competent in my work), I will take your advice into consideration. Perhaps one day a Tempter will have the guts to reveal himself in the right way and time as to make this desired “Materialist Magician.”
As to the war, things are going splendidly, I will have you know. I point out despairing news articles to my patient wherever he goes; he worries over whether he will be drafted into military service or not. His frustration is palpable. I let him think of the time before the war with a desperate wistfulness, painting the unreachable past all rosy. It’s quite fun. I am leading him into Pacifism—and though your guidance on the subject was undoubtedly helpful, you should know that I was planning to do this anyway. There are more than a couple of his friends that share this view, and he is sure to take pride in thinking he is part of a sect that sees morality more clearly than the common populace.
But now for the best news. The patient has been feeling that his prayers have become ineffectual lately, and with the war leering ever closer the effects are excellent. It is all too easy to draw him away from his devotions; my mouth waters now at the luscious aroma of his doubts. Any happiness he had from his church, his Bible, or his prayers have become half-hearted and weaken further every day. In fact, Uncle, I have great hope that the patient’s religious phase is dying away! It has been an unfortunate phase indeed, while it has lasted, but I still have the utmost confidence in turning in my patient to Our Father Below as a tasty morsel,
Your nephew,
WORMWOOD

[jesusgirl4ever]

That's good, Spree!

[Ariel.of.Narnia]

Nicely done. I definitely get the belligerent vibe from this.

[albero1]

Oooh, nice. This inspires me to finish reading The Screwtape letters.