Under the eyes of Tereza, books are a symbol of secret love association. Because it was the only weapon she had in her hand to cope with the vulgar, messy world around her. Especially the novel. She read whatever she could be in her hand, from Fielding to Thomas Mann. Books not only helped her temporarily escape the life of depression, boredom she was expensive, it also had a different meaning: she loved walking down the street, hugging a book in her arms. With her the book has the same meaning as near the century the polite, dashing man holds the tree in the hand when walking out the street. Thanks to the book she found herself different from the people around.
In Milan Kundera's "The Unbearable Lightness of Being," Tereza views books as a profound connection to secret love, offering her an escape from the chaotic world she inhabits. Novels became her refuge from a life filled with depression and monotony. By reading various authors, she found solace and a temporary respite from her reality, utilizing literature as a means to cope with overwhelming feelings of vulgarity and disorder surrounding her.
Moreover, carrying a book with her became a symbol of distinction and individuality for Tereza. It served as a personal statement, much like a fashionable man carrying a cane as he strolls through the streets. This simple act of embracing literature allowed her to feel unique compared to those around her, reinforcing her sense of identity amidst a conforming society. Books became not only tools for escape but also a means of expressing her individuality in a world that often seemed to suppress her true self.
