When Tupac chose the symbol of the rose for his extended metaphor, he chose a symbol that is rich in poetic history in both English and American verse; a flower deeply ingrained in various cultures. The rose is a symbol of delicate beauty, but it is also a symbol of danger because of its thorns. Roses also come in different colors and sizes, and they emit different fragrances. Some roses grow wild, while many others are grown, tended, and cared for in gardens and for commercial purposes. For many people, roses symbolize love. They’re offered to someone else, frequently a love interest, to express beauty, transience, and affection.

Despite the rose’s love-laced legacy, Tupac doesn’t just use the symbol of the rose as most people do; instead, he flips its literary tradition on its head and in more ways than one. For example, Tupac’s rose is neglected and growing through “a crack in the concrete” (Line 2). This is a rose that no one wants or cares about but that has nonetheless grown to become a rose. It’s not a rose for a valentine, it’s a rose that symbolizes self-love and tenacity. Likewise, Tupac himself came from disenfranchised neighborhoods.