Relative Truth in The Case Against Satan Tyler Kastner College

The novel The Case Against Satan was written by Ray Russell in 1962 and follows what is believed to be the possession of Susan Garth, a sixteen year old girl. Whether she is possessed or is suffering from a psychiatric illness is disputed throughout the novel, as Father Gregory and Bishop Crimmings cannot come to an agreement on what they believe to be true. Russell uses many elements of the novel to demonstrate the fact that truth can never be objectively determined. He does this through the conflict between Sargent and Crimmings regarding if the devil is real, the inconclusivity of certain aspects in the novel, and Father Gregory’s change of belief.

Both men attempting to cure Susan, Bishop Crimmings and Father Sargent, have different diagnoses for what is wrong with her. Crimmings believes that she is possessed by Diabolus, while Sargent rationalizes her actions with mental illness, such as schizophrenia. This illustrates the subjectivity of truth, and how the same circumstances can create very different realities for different people. Both of them are men of God, as Sargent is a priest and Crimmings is a Bishop, but even they who should have the same ideas of truth, as told by their religion, do not. This subjectivity...