




In the literary masterpiece, “The Journey”, by Mary Oliver, various deep messages are conveyed through the use of literary devices. “The Journey”, is a poem about the path one travels throughout life and the many barriers that one may encounter and how to overcome those barriers. Through the use of personification and other literary devices, Mary Oliver illustrates how the journey of life is perceived and many of the challenges that one may run into. In the poem, the word voices, is repeated multiple times in an attempt to engrain how big of an impact other people truly have on one’s life journey. On the surface, the poem seems to be merely about ones struggle through their journey and how they overcame it, but as one dives deeper into the poem, the audience can see and make connections between the poem their own personal situation. Also through the use of literary devices, such as personification and form, the author further illustrates the journey of life.

The author begins the journey of life showing that one has choices and that the knowledge of rights and wrongs, is a foundation instilled inside of a person from day one. “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice” (Oliver 92). Deciphering which decisions will have the best outcomes is all apart of the journey. Having goals and achieving them is the ultimate goal of the journey.

Later in “The Journey”, the author continues to describe the voices and how they attempt to throw the reader off of their course, and push them away from their goals. “Mend my life! each voice cried” (Oliver 92). People that one may encounter in their lives, try to persuade and help them, versus only worrying about one’s personal wants and dreams. Helping others is apart of the journey but when it takes away from one’s own personal goals it’s a hindrance. It is important to not be self centered in life and show compassion towards others since that is an aspect of life and can help one gain perspective; however, as the author describes in “The Journey, it can also be distracting and lure one away from their actual goal, which is when it can become a distraction or problem. As the poem comes to an end, the author says, “But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn and there was a new voice which you slowly recognize as your own, that kept your company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,” (Oliver 92). This line in the poem states that as one goes deeper into their journey, they stop worrying about what others say and one can develop their own voice and only listen to that voice, which leads them to their own wants and goals. No longer persuaded by others but fueled by one’s personal goals, which is what started the journey in the first place.

Throughout the poem, the use of personification creates vivid images that adds to the message the author is trying to convey. “Though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles” (Oliver 92). The use of personification here creates an image and allows one to visualize the voices tugging at their ankles, or holding the reader back from their goals. Another example would be when Mary Oliver said, “You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations.” (Oliver 92). This is just another example of a person knowing and understanding what needs to be done but the voices attempting to hold them back from their goals. The use of personification better exemplifies what the intention of the voices truly is.

The way that Mary Oliver writes the poem with no stanza breaks exemplifies how life can be sloppy with no exact order. Writing with no form is a great way to illustrate how there really is no formula to life and that life can be messy and one must find their way even if it doesn’t look pretty. Life has no form which is why Mary Oliver decided that the poem’s form should be sloppy and seem as if it was just thrown together. With the form being so sloppy, it adds an extra effect that the reader may not notice upon first glance. As one reads deeper into the thought process of the writer it becomes clear that the writer intentionally created a poem with no stanza breaks. 

In the final analysis, Mary Oliver’s poem, “The Journey”, is a great way to exemplify the challenges one goes through on their way to success and achieving their goals. Through reading this poem one can gain perspective and an understanding of how difficult the journey can be and the hindrances one might run into. The literally devices such as personification and form, are used in the poem to add to the description of life that Mary Oliver is attempting to convey to the reader. As one dives into the text, they will find an accurate interpretation of the struggles one may encounter as they travel through the journey of life.


