Additionally, it also functions as a shield against societal advances that might feel like oppression. If society were to hinder an individual's knowledge by denying him or her the right to education and literacy, this would give society a greater chance of taking advantage of that individual. Literacy is what distinguishes humans from any other species. As stated in the article "The Consequences of Literacy", literacy or language is what "enabled man to achieve a form of social organization whose scope and complexity were different from those of animals" (Goody 304) . What individuals lose is the possibility of being oppressed because of what they do not know. Even today, the literacy rate is considered important in classifying whether a nation is developed or not. It continues to provide a divide between those who are literate and those who are not. Returning to the above quote from “The Consequences of Literacy,” literacy essentially distinguishes humans from animals. This characterizes the illiterate as mere animals. There are still many societies that do not emphasize proficiency in reading or writing. Would they be characterized as primordial? Wouldn't that pave the way for a bigger divide between two societies? While literate individuals have the opportunity to expand their knowledge, those who are illiterate have no foundation to guide them the way