...English 110C The Rose That Grew from Concrete by Tupac Shakur Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete Proving nature's laws wrong it learned to walk without having feet 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 even cared! Analysis Tupac Shakur was a rapper from California, known for his socially-conscious songs that concern violence, racism, and hardship. Outside of the booth, the rapper was characterized for his vocalness on those issues, as well as his personal conflicts with other artists. While Tupac Shakur is most notably known as a rapper, his poetry is also critically acclaimed. “The Rose That Grew from Concrete”, from his 1999 posthumous book of the same name, is his most widely known poem. In the poem, Shakur describes a rose growing from a block of concrete, despite the odds against it. In the end, he praises the rose as an entity of its own. However, when reading this poem, a question comes to mind: is it a short, clever story of an actual rose growing from concrete, or a symbolic representation of Shakur himself? When reading into it further, it seems to be the latter. The opening lines read, “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?” (1-2) The rose that Shakur alludes to is meant to represent himself. This is something that could be assumed easily, but what is the crack in the concrete? This question...
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...conflicts with other artists. While Tupac Shakur is most notably known as a rapper, his poetry is also critically acclaimed. “The Rose That Grew from Concrete”, from his 1999 posthumous book of the same name, is his most widely known poem. In the poem, Shakur describes a rose growing from a block of concrete, despite the odds against it. In the end, he praises the rose as an entity of its own. However, when reading this poem, a question comes to mind: is it a short, clever story of an actual rose growing from concrete, or a symbolic representation of Shakur himself? When reading into it further, it seems to be the latter. The opening lines read, “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?” (1-2) The rose that Shakur alludes to is meant to represent himself. This is something that could be assumed easily, but what is the crack in the concrete? This question could be a lot more complicated for someone who does not know much about Shakur. The crack in the concrete is a metaphor for Shakur's background: the projects. The crack in the concrete is representative of the streets he grew up in, from Harlem, NY to Baltimore, MD and eventually to Marin City, CA. Cities riddled with gun violence, gangs, and drugs during his time. Shakur is saying that despite the harsh environment he was subject to living in, he still persevered through...
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...opportunities do not just end with Americans; they are extended to all nationalities that come to America with hopes of living the so called American Dream. Although the American Dream may just be a myth, it definitely gives people hope. Most times, that hope is enough to lead to the drive and determination necessary to reach some level of the American Dream. There are several artifacts that help display the myth of the American Dream. Two artifacts that I have chosen are relevant to views of the American Dream. The first is a quote from a book by the worldwide known rapper, Tupac Shakur. Shakur wrote: “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature's laws wrong, it learned to walk without having feet. Funny, it seems to by keeping it's dreams; it learned to breathe fresh air. Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else even...
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...Tupac Tupac wanted to be more than just a rapper in the eyes of the crowd that so proudly gathered to hear him out. He wanted to be a voice in the midst of suffering, to inspire those who came from the streets where poverty reeks. Tupac was a prosperous actor, a man of tranquility, a man so beautiful he’d make you want to come through the screen and listen to him by any means as he shares with you his every dream. His eyes glowing with every word of sincerity, as he talks about unity between every community. He made you want to love him like your twin. He dared you to find the lies, to prove he’s crazy from within. Tupac wrote a poem named “The rose that grew from the concrete” “Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete? Proving nature’s law is wrong it Learned to walk without having feet Funny it seems, but by keeping it’s dreams, It learned to breathe fresh air Long live that rose that grew from concrete When no one else ever cared” Tupac represents the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete. He wrote this poem about life and being raised in a place where no one expected you to succeed in life. Tupac promted freedom, but he believed that Freedom wouldn’t come without a sacrifice, a sacrifice to be willing to risk everything for the greater purpose. One person willing to get beat, so others could eat, one person willing to die, so others could get by. Tupac thought of himself be like the man Job, in the book of the bible...
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...of the hip- hop era everyone that was a rapper or who was associated with “Gangster Rap” music was considered to be a stereotype, since everything that was associated with African- American culture was frowned upon. But it wasn't until the death of Lesane Parish Crooks, better known as Tupac Amaru Shakur, that the image of rap music changed. He was considered to be one of the most iconic people to hail from the streets that had a profound impact on hip hop music. The legacy after his death, he was no longer looked at as a stereotype, but now as an iconic figure. He was the very image of one of his famous poems “The Rose That Grew From Concrete”. “Long live the rose that grew from concrete / When no one else even cared…” (7-8). Tupac was the beautiful delicate rose that was held beneath the surface trying to fight his way through the opposition against him. The concrete was his surroundings. A gang infested, drug infested, crime ridden neighborhood. He was also a child of a Black Panther who went to jail and was on drugs. Tupac lived his whole life in...
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...mention some other great artists that brought hiphop to the peak of its Fame. These artists include Tupac Shakur, NWA, Notorious B.I.G, Lauryn Hill , Ahmad, and the similar styles of J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar. The reason why I chose these particular artists is to represent the face of Hip Hop in my research project is because through their work, they have represented what the creation of hiphop was meant to symbolize. They use Styles similar to The Jive talkin South African American and storytelling from African descent with rhythmic beats over the music to help people understand their storyline and the struggles they were facing. As mentioned before, Hip Hop started in New York as a way for the Youth to have a non-violent way to settle their disputes. Just like when hiphop first again with the activist in the 1960s bringing awareness to social and political Topix, these artists have also address social and political topics to their listeners. They are one of the main reasons why Hip Hop was at its prime and people were starting to be aware of what was going on and the music was a way to bring everyone together since we're all pretty much going through the same thing and we can feel the emotions of the artist speaking to us. Now with the list of names I presented for the artists who have influenced hiphop the most of the names of J.Cole and Kendrick Lamar. So they've only been artist for a short time, their messages in their music very much symbolizes Mini of the issues a lot...
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...the rule of titles: concise and succinct. The title “The Rose that Grew from Concrete” of Morice Martinez’s story is a textbook example of how symbols were used instead of bare languages. In specific, the title is a significant usage of symbolism with “Rose” refers to Martinez’s dangerous beauty, “Grew” indicates his development mentally and “Concrete” represents all the challenges and temptations he fights along his path to success. Born in the slums, one usually has no choice but makes friend with the bad guys because one cannot survive alone there. This is not true in case of Morice...
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...Armful” by Robert Frost This poem written by Robert Frost is a very interesting piece that each and every one of us can connect to. Frost talks about problems and how it overwhelms him. This poem clearly states that he is struggling but then soon focuses on trying to better himself to achieve his goals and fix his problems. All in all, using the techniques or imagery, word choice, and tone in the poem "The armful", Robert Frost successfully composes a wonderful poem which readers can connect to their own lives. We all have problems and sometimes is can feel overwhelming. Sometimes a person feels like giving up and running away from their troubles. Using Frost's poem as a guide that everyone has all sorts of problems and we can all get through it with help from friends, figuring out an alternative, and sheer force of will. “Dream Deferred” by Langston Hughes A dream is a goal in life, not just dreams experienced during sleep. Most people use their dreams as a way of setting future goals for themselves. Dreams can help to assist people in getting further in life because it becomes a personal accomplishment. Langston Hughes's poem "Dream Deferred" is speaks about what happens to dreams when they are put on hold. The poem leaves it up to the reader to decide what dream is being questioned. In the opening of the poem the speaker uses a visual image that is also a simile to compare a dream deferred to a raisin. "Does it dry up/ like a raisin in the sun?" The simile in...
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...rap can be traced back thousands of years ago to African slave story-telling, known as Griots (Lommel). In the seventies Griots offspring’s included disc jockeys (commonly known as DJ’s) from the Bronx and Blondie songs, such as “Rapture”(Lommel). As the new rap faze grew in popularity the first rap recordings were released, introducing the disco era to a new and strange form of music that society would not necessarily approve of. Tupac Shakur was one of the most popular and astounding figures of the rap industry, even today. Although he was a notorious artist for his gang and drug affiliations, he also had an inner beauty that any aspiring rapper would wish to one day achieve. Through personal experience he developed a kind of intelligence that could not be taught by any book. Tupac would demonstrate this wisdom in countless songs based on controversial issues of the time period which gave his music an interesting twist to the already reputable beat. If it was not for the blatant gangster lifestyle Tupac lived, he would be more appreciated for his admirable personality. Tupac was the kind of person to showed respect to everyone and had solid morals that he would try to teach to others, mostly through songs and poems. Tupac Amaur Shakur is a legendary figure because of his amazing talent, his greatly admired personality, and the unbelievable wisdom that he would preach to everybody. One of the reasons rap is abhorrent by many people is because of...
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...Author: Mashell Chapeyama Institution: University of the People Course: History Bachelor’s Degree Selected essays on Roman Civilization Plebeian revolt There are a number of causes that led to the first revolt by the Plebeians. Some of the causes of the revolt are poor distribution of land, poverty among the Plebeians, and the harsh debt law that affected the plebs. This essay will discuss the causes of the first Plebeian revolt as well as the results of the revolt. One of the main causes of the plebeian revolt was the existence of poverty among the Plebeians. The poverty was a result of the actions of the Patrician, in some ways. What happened was that the Plebs assisted the Patrician to expel the kings from Rome and led to a republican state. The fight against the kings left the plebs in a very worse off condition. Since the patricians lived in the city, during the war their property would remain secure. The city was guarded by walls. However, since the plebs lived in the countryside, which was not guarded, their property was greatly destroyed during the wars. The plebs’ fields were destroyed as much as their property. The destruction of the property and fields was possible since the Plebs men were fighting in the wars leaving their homes unprotected. So, whereas the men were fighting during the wars their properties and fields were being plundered, making them very poor at the end of the wars. So the Plebs were not happy that their properties and fields were being...
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...human intelligence through a simple medical procedure? In his most famous novel, Flowers for Algernon, American author Daniel Keyes not only poses this provoking question, but shares his own answer through the story of Charlie Gordon, a mentally disadvantaged man whose IQ skyrockets within a matter of months after an experimental operation. Through Charlie’s eyes, readers are able to experience the ascent from mental incapability to profound intelligence, as well as the range of emotions that accompany it. However, Keyes was a far cry from mentally incompetent, and although he could not relate to Charlie’s IQ of...
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...led by the Soviet Union was in control of East Berlin. While West Berlin was controlled by a democratic nation led by the United States (Epler, 1992). The Berlin Wall known as Berliner Mauer in German (Rosenberg, 2016). It was a symbol of the Cold War. Trying to cross the Wall meant risking one’s life. One side of the Wall people were free to do all the normal things. While the other side of the wall people’s freedom was being taken away. Imagine that your best friend lives a mile away. You have been pals since first grade. You do everything together: school, soccer games, sleepovers. One day, men come and put up a barbed-wire fence between your house and your buddy’s house. Later, they replace it with a very long, very tall concrete wall. Each slab weighs 6,000 pounds, and many of them are topped with sharp wire. When they finish, you stare at the giant wall that has split your home town in two. On your side the wall is ugly but not too scary. On the other side, rattling tanks, soldiers with machine guns and growling dogs keep people from trying to cross the barrier. The wall stands 12 feet high. Your friend lives on the other side. You can’t see him. And you won’t … for the next 28 years. Welcome to Berlin, Germany. The year is 1961 (Tousignant, 2014). The Berlin Wall stood from 1961 to 1989 separating Berlin into east and west (Berlin Wall Fast Facts, 2015). While there were many elaborate and dangerous borderlines separating nations around the world...
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...Johnathan Corlew Literary Analysis A Rose for Emily: William Faulkner William Faulkner first published “A Rose for Emily” in 1930; however, this short story resides in a small southern town during the post-Civil War period. During this age in time, the Unites States was going through major political changes. But Ms. Emily was not ready for change. Faulkner uses repugnant imagery and a unique narration style to explore a woman’s inability to cope with death and change throughout the community and within herself (Perry 40). Growing up in the Grierson family, Emily knew her family was powerful and popular, and she was fortunate enough to live surrounded by love and luxury. Emily’s father loved her dearly and only wanted the best for her, but most of the time he was a little over protective and perceived to control his daughter’s life. He felt as if no man could ever be good enough for his one and only. The Griersons were definitely different from every other household in the small southern town of Jefferson, and Emily’s father made sure everyone knew of this. Since Emily’s father was a tyrant throughout her life, she rarely got the chance to enjoy anything outside of the Grierson residence (Watkins 509). The early agony that Emily had to tolerate created a permanent emotional cripple to her life. Emily most likely did not have a concrete idea of how a real family should function and cooperate, especially with the absence of a mother figure. Other than the Grierson family...
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...Late in the summer of 2015, merely a week before I had to go to college, we once again went on a trip to the land purchased five years prior. We packed the same RV and rode in the same vehicle as in the last trip. As we left and got on the road, I wondered what the land, that I hadn’t seen in five years, would look like and to what degree the brush had populated it. I-90 traverses from Seattle and continues east across the country. Along this highway, dense trees give way to mountain views and lakes as it climbs up to Snoqualmie pass. Snow remains visible on higher peaks that jut up out of the earth even during the summer. Mountains are visible from all around as I-90 continues through the Cascade mountains toward Eastern Washington, where the lush mountain forests give way to an arid desert plain and the roads run straight for miles on end. Sand dunes appear orange in the distance as the sun sets. Irrigated fields of grapes and various other crops flank the highway. An occasional wind farm with a multitude of...
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...Analysis of Indian Cement Industry 1 • Industry Structure • Regional Scenario • Demand Dynamics • Cost Structure • Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) • Demand • Key Demand Drivers • Supply • Operating Rates • Prices • Profitability • Player Profiles 2 :3 : 13 : 55 : 75 : 86 : 99 : 102 : 132 : 143 : 154 : 161 : 168 Industry Structure 3 Porter five force analysis Industry structure •As of March 2011, the installed cement capacity of large plants in India stands at approximately 284 million tonnes. •This is accounted by around 172 large cement plants. In addition to large cement plants, around 365 mini cement plants account for approximately 11 million tonnes of cement capacity in India. •The industry can be broadly classified into pan-India, regional and marginal players. Pan-India players include large players like Holcim group companies- ACC and Ambuja and Aditya Birla group company- UltraTech Cement (including Samruddhi Cement) . •Companies of both these groups are adding capacities through either greenfield or brownfield expansions. Industry structure •Players whose presence is restricted to one or two regions, with a stronghold in the markets of their respective operations are included in the category of regional players. Key examples of players included in this segment are Jaiprakash Associates (North and Central), Lafarge (concentrated in the East), India Cement (South), Shree Cement •(North), Binani Cement (North), Kesoram Industries (South), OCL (East)...
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