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.