The Use of Stylistic Devices to Raise Religious Consciousness in C.S. Lewis’ “The Screwtape Letters”

Abstract

Consciousness of religion is brought to the minds of readers by unusual means in the use of stylistic devices which make the reader pause to reflect. This descriptive and discursive study of “Screwtape Letters” reveals that each of the 31 letters exhibited a number of stylistic devices; however, only those that ran throughout the novel, thus giving a wholesome cumulative effect despite the use of letters were studied. Thus, bildungsroman, characterisation, irony and eristic arguments amongst several other devices are noted. The implication that stylistic devices enables one bring to the consciousness, religious and moral instructions in ways otherwise not taught or preached is highlighted. This fact underscores the usefulness of the use of stylistic devices in corpus based studies; and thus the recommendation that they be employed for purposes of raising consciousness in other discourse types.