"The kind of English taught in schools is so divorced from real life - you can't order a meal or talk about your favorite pop song" bymemorizing textbook phrases.
The book and subsequent film are arguably most memorable for their unique depiction of elderly forest-dwelling intellectuals who counter the ban on the printed word bymemorizing whole works of literature.
Many carry out elaborate mental exercises, building entire houses in their heads, board by board, nail by nail, from the ground up, or memorizing team rosters for a baseball season.