The play dramatizes the internal conflict of a 12th-century archbishop, Thomas Becket, as he grapples with the temptation of spiritual pride and the implications of defying King Henry II. Upon his return from exile, Becket faces pressure from the king and his own tempters to compromise his principles for safety and convenience. Ultimately, Becket chooses to embrace his role as a martyr, fulfilling his duty to God over the monarchy. His assassination in Canterbury Cathedral by the king's knights is depicted as an act of martyrdom, exploring themes of faith, loyalty, and the struggle between church and state.

The Spiral Ascent collects three related works first published separately: In the Thirties, The Rotten Elements, and No Home but the Struggle. Published between 1962 and 1977, the trilogy functions as Edward Upward's second novel and traces a thinly fictionalised account of his growing involvement with the Communist Party of Great Britain while teaching in a state school. The work foregrounds grassroots political activism and reflects Upward's commitment to communist beliefs. He was a schoolfriend and collaborator of Isherwood.

A series of sardonic letters from an experienced demonic counselor to his novice nephew, advising him how to win and corrupt a human “patient” by exploiting pride, distraction, intellectualism, and misplaced affections; told in darkly comic, satirical prose, the correspondence explores spiritual warfare and moral inversion—how small compromises, social pressures, and clever manipulations can erode faith and virtue while revealing human weakness and the countervailing power of humility and genuine love.