Shift

Shift seems rather similar to Saruman, evil character skilled wih his tounge who has a slave to help him with deception. Anyone know how deliberate this might have been? Did the inklings like to discuss their characters?

Well, Lewis read LotR in its entirety before it was published; his encouragement (read nagging) was one of the reasons that Tolkien finished it. And The Last Battle was written after LotR was published. So it's possible that Lewis might have been influenced by Tolkien's characterization of Saruman, but I'm inclined to think that the similarities were not intentional. Lewis draws pretty obviously from the book of Revelation in TLB, and he could have based Shift's character on several of the "shiftier" characters in that.

Interesting observation, Gardener.

I don't understand why Wormtongue was so devoted to Saruman, but I don't think he was deluded like Puzzle was into mistaking Saruman's requests of him were out of some (bizarre) form of friendship. Also I see Saruman as becoming consumed with a lust for power for power's sake, whereas Shift is quite a bit simpler; he wanted power because that meant more goodies for him to enjoy (more nuts and bananas) and he could manipulate others to serve his gluttony and laziness. Both were pretty self-consumed characters masquerading as servants of the good, but Shift was an opportunistic bully whereas Saruman was ruthlessly contemptuous of others. Shift was driven by fleshly appetites, whereas Saruman was driven by self-exalting pride. Shift still needed others to help him get his numnums, but Saruman really didn't need anyone -- he built his own army, and allowed others like Wormtongue to be his slaves.

Another thing is that Saruman was a truly exalted being--one of the Maiar, known for his all-encompasing knowledge. He fell from his (extremely high) calling. Shift, on the other hand, seems more degraded than Puzzle, and we have no indication that he was ever a really good person.

And their servants had very different motivations also. Puzzle trying to do good but being lied to and bossed, Wormtounge was hungry for his 'prize'.