Letter 5 Summary

Wormwood is ecstatic a European war has started. He is thrilled at the prospect of so much human suffering. He is also drinking headily of the wine of his patient's anguish over the war. Indulgent about the pleasures of all this, Screwtape nevertheless calls Wormwood back to the business at hand—undermining faith and keeping the man from becoming strong in virtue. Screwtape doesn't care a rap if the man is a pacifist or a patriot—war is only something to be used for devilish purposes, that is all. Instead of enjoying the suffering caused by the war, the devils do better to think how to use it for their ends. War is not necessarily good for Hell. It may make human beings turn to God; it makes them sacrifice themselves for higher causes and beliefs, and for one another. Also...