The Rose That Grew From Concrete Essay

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In poems ”The Rose That Grew from Concrete” by American rapper Tupac Shakur and “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by American poet Maya Angelou there are similarities and differences between tone, personification and themes. Both poems have motivational tone and use personification as a way to create imagery. Besides the similarities, these two poems have different themes as Shakur is talking about survival while Angelou is speaking about inequality and injustice.
The similarity in tone in both poems results from the fact that Shakur and Angelou want to motivate and inspire people. In “The Rose that Grew from the Concrete”, Tupac speaks about facing problems and reaching the dreams despite the hardships and various issues in life. Shakur says, “Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, / it learned to breathe fresh air. / Long live the rose that grew from concrete/ when no one else ever cared” (5-8). Although one may face a lot of challenges and receive no support from
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The main theme in ”The Rose That Grew From Concrete” is survival from the obstacles in life and proving that it is possible to succeed without society's help. Shakur says that the rose proved “...nature's law is wrong” (3). This reference to the evolution of law means not only the survival of the fittest but also escaping from the life where no one believes or supports you. In „I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” the main themes are freedom and injustice. The authors compares the life of two birds; one of them is a symbol of freedom, and the other one represents inequality and oppression. The poet says, “his wings are clipped/ and his feet are tied/ so he opens his throat to sing” (12-14). Although the bird is trapped in a cage, it should not give up and preserve for freedom. Contrary to Shakur, Angelou focuses on the feelings of seeking liberty and fighting for equal rights rather than surviving in the tough