The narrator shares a personal story about becoming literate in 1960 by reading "Reinações de Narizinho" by Monteiro Lobato. At the time, Lobato's work was banned by the Catholic Church due to its fantastical elements and perceived communistic ideas. The narrator reflects on how literature can evoke emotions and spark imagination.
The narrator also shares an anecdote about meeting an elderly couple, João and Maria, who were learning to read and write at the age of 90 and 88, respectively. Maria had worked as a cook for Monteiro Lobato himself but was unable to read his books until she learned to read as an adult. The narrator is moved by Maria's story and the fact that she wanted to learn to read so she could finally read Lobato's books.
The narrator concludes by highlighting the importance of literacy and education, citing Lobato's phrase "A country is made with men and books." The story showcases the transformative power of literature and education in people's lives, regardless of age or background.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The speaker became literate in 1960.
2. The first book the speaker read in its entirety was Monteiro Lobato's "Reinações de Narizinho".
3. Monteiro Lobato's book was banned by the Catholic Church in 1960.
4. The Catholic Church had an "index of prohibited books" that listed works deemed unsuitable for Catholics.
5. Monteiro Lobato was accused of being a communist because of his views on natural resources.
6. The speaker was the secretary of education in São Paulo in 1991.
7. The speaker visited a school on the outskirts of São Paulo that offered literacy classes for adults.
8. The school was part of a project created by Professor Paulo Freire.
9. The speaker met a couple, João and Maria, who were taking care of the school's garden.
10. João was 90 years old and Maria was 88 years old when they met the speaker.
11. João and Maria were learning to read and write at the school.
12. João had always dreamed of becoming an engineer.
13. Maria worked as a cook for Monteiro Lobato when she was a girl.
14. Monteiro Lobato was a writer who believed that "a country is made with men and books".
15. The phrase "a country is made with men and books" was coined by Monteiro Lobato in the 1940s.
16. Monteiro Lobato founded a publishing house and created a fantasy world in his writings.
17. Aristotle's writings were considered sexist by some, but the speaker notes that his thinking was from a different era.
18. The speaker met Maria again after João's death and learned that she had finally learned to read Monteiro Lobato's books.