"The Rose that Grew from Concrete," from Tupac Shakur's poetry anthology The Rose that Grew from Concrete emphasizes the prosperity and productivity of a flower that lacks the nutrients, water, and proper sunlight for remedial survival. In essence, it highlights the possibility of development and maturity despite adverse settings. In Herman Hesse's novel Siddhartha and Franz Kafka's short story "Metamorphosis" the journeys of the protagonists concentrates primarily on unconstructive surroundings which ironically erect self- assurance in the characters.

As the stem grows strong the petals begin to wither from a lack of proper care, similar to Siddhartha, who obtains a strong; spiritual upbringing but a lack of raw experience causes Siddhartha to surround himself with superficiality in the city. This superficial lifestyle corrupts Siddhartha's internal reasoning, yet he manages to suffice with his eagerness to mature spiritually. Hesse writes, "Years passed. Wrapped in life's comforts, Siddhartha hardly felt...