The Rose That Grew From Concrete Essay

When having faith in oneself, is it possible to accomplish what others say is impossible? The Rose that Grew from Concrete is a poem by Tupac Shakur, and is a story about Tupac’s life growing up in the ghetto, and how through chasing his dreams and working hard he was able to become an internationally known musician and writer. Using symbolism, literary devices, and tone, Shakur shows how the timeless quote “anything is possible if you put your mind to it” (Steve Case), is still true today.
In Shakur’s poem, he uses symbolism to help convey his inspirational message. Symbolism is an artistic expression used in writing when one thing represents another. Shakur uses two embedded symbols in his poem; concrete and a rose. The concrete in which the rose cultivates is not a symbol that

This conveys the message because it speaks truth to how Shakur never got unhappy with himself while struggling through life in the ghetto even without the help of peers and family. The speaker talked about how the rose was able to overcome adversity in order to get where it wanted to be, and no matter what the rose was given it solved its problems by itself and “the rose… grew from concrete when no one else cared” (8/9). This quote demonstrates to the reader that without help of others the rose with devotion and will power was able to conquer its dreams. The ideology of battling through hard times and conquering dreams is a common practice that still rings true to this day.
Shakurs poem, The Rose that Grew from Concrete is a story about how the rose, a symbol of Shakur, and the concrete, a symbol of hardship can be overcome with perseverance and dedication. Through Shakur’s writing style he was able to create a poem that inspired many people and became an anthem for those who chased their dreams. The idea behind pursuing your dreams is not an idea of the past, but an idea of the present and the