The Screwtape Letters Read-Along discussion

DISCUSS.

I was really intrigued by letter/chapter 19. The opposite side of the "Fall" and they way they all seem to struggle with understanding the 'Enemy' is captivating.

Often I have wondered how the other side spins their version of events and what interpretation of these actions they are assuming. Every side always assumes they are on the right and it was interesting to see what Screwtape's "right" was.

Still bugged that this so one sided. I think he could have made his arguments better with discussions instead of one sided preaching.

Did think it was interesting when Lewis discuses feminine beauty and how the women were propped up to be thiner than a grown women could ever be. I bet he would have some interesting discussions with modern feminists about this topic.

I don't think I got as much from this set of letters as I did with the first ten, but it was still very good. I especially liked how he name-dropped himself in letter 16. I was also really interested in letter 20 and how the "ideal" is continually in flux and therefore another aspect of human life that Wormwood and the others can exploit in order to cause disappointment, angst and a lack of fulfillment.

Favorite parts of these chapters:
1. The description of Joy, Fun, and the Joke. The description of Joy and how we laugh easily when surrounded by love is just wonderful, especially as it is likened to Music. I always think of this when I am laughing with my family.

2. A favorite quote that makes me think about life: "I now see that I spent most of my life in doing neither what I ought nor what I liked." I should needlepoint that on a pillow to remind myself to do what I ought to do and also to do what I like! If we all did that, how different our lives would be.

3. Turning the awareness of virtues into vices, i.e. being proud of your humility. This is such a backwards way of thinking, but so true of all humans! haha! We don't even realize we are doing it, so it's very clever of Lewis to point it out. Now I'm always on the look-out for it in my own attitudes.

4. The true nature of humility is not having low self-esteem, but to be so busy thinking of others that you're not thinking of yourself at all. This was a huge revelation to me as a teenager, and I can't believe how many people have such a wrong idea of the meaning of humility.

I'm enjoying re-reading this so much!