Letter 26

Letter 26 focuses on the ideas of unselfish behavior and love. Screwtape discussed the issues with sexual desire and fulfilling the others wishes. This was an interesting argument; Screwtape mentioned that it is only when influenced by "erotic enchantment" that a person will fully give in to the wants of others, forgetting their own desires. Screwtape goes on to say that once the enchantment dies, the "giving" thus wains as well. This was quite disturbing in the fact that it is quite possible that people do things in hopes of being rewarded themselves. Take for example, charity. Screwtape mentions that most people, when sexual excitement ceases, will not give into the wishes of the other, that the giving that was once there was merely a product of sexual attraction. Is Screwtape right on this? are we all objects of desire that are subject to "charity" because of physical attraction? Are we less deserving of charity once our looks fade? Is there any hope in the world that someone somewhere will be charitable to their significant other once their sexual desires fade? I really think this is what we should be striving for. After all, isn't that what love is really about, romantic or platonic?

Letter 20

I found letter 20 to contain themes that are relevant to today’s world, not only the spiritual world, but in the media as well. Screwtape talks about women and what is desired of their appearance. In the time this book was written, women were desired if they embodied a boyish, slender figure. This is very similar to what we see today in the media; women who are freakishly skinny, unhealthy, and regarded as the object of ultimate desire. Screwtape goes into detail on the desire issue and the patient’s obligation to get married. He talks of the two type of women he would marry. The first is the natural, healthy, earthly woman, who would no doubt be “mixed with charity, readily obedient to marriage,” et cetera. The second would be the woman of lust, the one he wants only for her physical attributes. This is seen a lot in society and is somewhat disturbing. I was wondering what is everyone’s take on this topic of women as subjects of desire??

Letter 17

Letter 17 talks about gluttony and it's different appearances. Screwtape talks about a need for perfection being just as awful as a desire for excess. Once can fool themselves into believing that they are doing well by restricting themselves from certain desires...Screwtape gives the example of the woman who has a disdain for too much food on her plate. This obsession with perfection and the desire for a certain state can be just as debilitating as indulging. A person becomes engrossed in the state of desire for a certain outcome and cannot break themselves from it. It can be unhealthy physically and spiritually.

This state of mind, of craving perfection may seem harmless to an individual, but in reality, it can be disastrous. What comes to mind for me is the idea of the perfect body image and eating disorders. The need for an excessively skinny body becomes a psychological problem, resulting in health dangers. A psychologically sick person isn't necessarily taking care of themselves as well as they should, and in turn, this person as one of God's creations is being hurt. So, I think that gluttony can exist in two forms excess desires for indulgence and excess desires for perfection.