The rose that grew from concrete- Tupac’s poetry book which starts with this piece, is a prose that is more of a self-reflection rather than observation, like an autobiography which flows on the waves of poetry projecting the truth which is within him.
- Life as the plot:
He takes his life as a plot and gently weaves this poetry which resonates with millions of Americans who are bound by their reality and circumstances, they want to break free from the shackles of their adversities which weighs them down and hinders them from reaching their true potential.
The “rose” signifies Tupac and the “concrete” which is hard to let go, is his past or rather his life at the beginning where he did not have the privileges that an average American had at this age.
- Role of our environment in our growth:
Although people often quote that we truly are, a reflection of our surroundings, Tupac while accepting the fact that surroundings do play a significant role in our trajectory of success, some people do have an unfair advantage over others due to certain privileges that their hierarchy in social classes allows them to have, however Tupac emphasizes on the fact that the ones who keep trying and never give up, are the ones who make the exceptions and shine brighter in the universe.
- Defying the odds:
If one keeps pouring water onto a stone, slowly but surely there will be a dent signifying their dedication, hence one should never get demotivated by the darkness and despair around himself- rather he should let his circumstances drive him to do better as one cannot go any lower than rock bottom, the only way to go is up and when you are truly uncomfortable that is when you grow.
Nothing worthwhile in life comes easy- when you put in the hours and manifest what you have been dreaming for, the fruit of this patience is sweeter than any joy because what you have is created by your sheer dedication, no one can truly articulate the emotions that one feels when he achieves his desires and dreams by his own work and not by any unfair advantages or privileges.
- Elevation of self:
In the end- Tupac is lauding the rose that learnt to walk by the strength of its dreams and made it in life even though it had no succors- no branches who could support but the rose eluded like a plant in a dessert showing resilience which is a rare commodity when there is less or no hope, but Tupac explains in such an articulate manner that hope is not an emotion but rather a practice, which you have to perfect until it’s your only truth and that is exactly what he did- holding on to whatever he had while finding what he wanted.
The Rose That Grew From Concrete poem signifies integrity and respect as the achievement rather than money or comforts of life because when you truly achieve something, people look up to you and draw inspiration which creates a bond of respect and leads to integrity which is rare, there are many who strive for money but very few strive for the elevation of themselves.
