Even though this client had his career behind him, as a foreman, and there would be little monetary gain from learning how to read, the idea of reading fascinated him. The time he devoted to learning how to read made the process easier for Hakanson. In most situations, the goal is simply to achieve doing what literate people do in normal life. The reality is we have people that can pass their driver's test, that can sign their name, that can fill out a job application, and can read instructions on the job, to keep a job and so on. Until then, for many clients, pretending to be literate is a normal occurrence.
People can mask illiteracy easily.
It can be as simple as asking somebody what they are ordering in a restaurant to having their spouse fill out the bills at home. The ability to mask illiteracy can even be effective with family members. In one instance, a client was able to deceive his wife of his illiteracy. There is not always harmony in a family when one learns how to read. At times, family members are resentful a spouse has learned how to read because they will not rely on the other as much.