Question

In both “Masks”and “The rose that grew from concrete,” speakers refer to being alone.What do the poems suggest about how being alone can influence identity.

Answer 1

"Masks" views being alone as a negative. In this poem, the two blue people hid what made them special, and therefore never found anyone just like them. As a result, they were lonely. In this poem, each felt different and so wore a mask to look like everyone else -- but they still ended up alone.

"The Rose That Grew From Concrete" takes a more positive approach. Here, being alone is seen as special and even though no one seems to care about the rose, the rose turns its dreams into success. Here, the rose overcame the obstacle of being alone.