Final answer:
The passage from "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" illustrates how literature provides an emotional escape and transformative experience for the protagonist, contrasting with their southern reality.
Step-by-step explanation:
The passage from "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" reflects the protagonist's deep connection with literature and how it serves as an escape and a source of inspiration, contrasting with the harsh realities of the South. The protagonist finds solace and transformation in the experiences shared through books. They are enriching their life by exchanging their bitter experiences for the adventures and emotions in the stories of characters like Beowulf and Oliver Twist. The reaction of tears at quoting a line from Dickens' 'A Tale of Two Cities' shows a profound emotional response to the selflessness expressed in the narrative.