Letter 17 Summary

Old-fashioned sins like gluttony should not be overlooked, Screwtape admonishes Wormwood. They must simply be updated. The modern version of gluttony, among sophisticated people, is to have them pay close attention to diet and to make them demand to have their dietary demands met, even at the inconvenience of others. Gluttony is no longer just uncontrolled overeating. If a person can want his or her way with food or beverage so badly that he or she becomes cranky if thwarted, the sin of gluttony has effectively taken root. Gluttony can also take the form of snobbery about the quality of food and the way it is prepared. Any of these modern forms of gluttony can cause a person to be selfish and inconsiderate of others—important elements of hellishness.

Letter 17 Analysis

We can imagine someone going to a party where the hostess...