In Tereza's eyes, books were the emblems of a secret brotherhood. For she had but a single weapon against the world of crudity surrounding her: the novels. She had read any number of them, from Fielding to Thomas Mann. They not only offered the possibility of an imaginary escape from a life she found unsatisfying; they also had a meaning for her as physical objects: she loved to walk down the street with a book under her arm. It had the same significance for her as an elegant cane from the dandy a century ago. It differentiated her from others.
Tereza viewed books as symbols of a hidden community, her solitary means of countering the ordinariness of the world around her. Through novels, she found an escape from her unfulfilling life, immersing herself in stories from authors like Fielding and Thomas Mann. Their narratives provided a refuge for her imagination.
Beyond their literary content, the physical presence of a book held great importance for Tereza. Carrying a book under her arm gave her a sense of identity and distinction, much like the refined elegance of a dandy's cane in a past era, setting her apart from those around her.
