Maya Angelou rose to prominence with the publication of her first autobiography, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” in 1969. She went on to write six more bestselling memoirs in a career that also included poetry, plays, screenplays, directing, and acting. The quote above does not come from her extensive writing, however, but rather from a 1973 interview with Bill Moyers. When asked what price she had paid for the freedom to pursue such a varied and illustrious career, Angelou replied, “You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all. The price is high. The reward is great.” This idea challenges the notion that belonging is found in a specific location or group — or even an identity. Forging a sense of belonging in the “everywhere” is difficult, but it can allow us to experience true freedom.

Though his classic novels — including “Great Expectations” and “David Copperfield” — are now widely beloved, Charles Dickens’ real-life fortune ebbed and flowed similarly to those of his fictional characters. After a relatively comfortable childhood, family financial trouble drove him to work in a factory at just 12 years old. Those years, as well as his later work as a law clerk and court journalist, shaped the stories he would go on to write. Dickens’ work often focuses on the difficulties of poverty, especially for children, but also on how people can make the best of their circumstances. In this quote from “Great Expectations,” the beautiful Estella speaks of resilience and reminds us that we are often stronger for the challenges we face.