Written texts were often read aloud in public by scribes, who also wrote most of the letters, regardless of how literate the sender was. Thus, scribers were involved in both writing and reading the letters. Since scribes read the letters out loud in public, they could not use 'first person' to present the king's voice. Thus, the texts were presented in the 'third person'. However, much of ancient Egyptian writing was symbolic and operated on a much deeper level than narratives might suggest. Religious concerns, as well as the oligarchical nature of Ancient Egyptian society, created important distinctions between elite classes and everyone else. The political and ideological interests of the elite dominated and directed the majority of social and cultural life in Ancient Egypt. Rhetoric has also been acknowledged as playing a role in the maintenance of social hierarchies, with its priorities of maintaining harmony and social order.