Why would he read deeply? Shame can't even read shallowly without help to recognize the letters. Until he was banned from the library his favorite book, Hop On Pop, displayed not only his lack of literacy but also his not-so-well-suppressed Oedipal feelings towards his father. I suspect that is why he continues to live with his brother Don: he continues to have barely suppressed incestuous feelings toward him.

I think it's past time for Shame to "come out of the closet" and admit that he is what he is, whatever he is.