
Perseverance and the will of a man can lead one to their greatest accomplishments. There are many factors, such as experience, that can provide aid throughout life’s struggles but the most overwhelming factor is always oneself. In the reading, the author illustrates how true this is and how meaningful one is to them self with multiple uses of symbolism and repetition. Oliver clearly addresses the audience with her language and simple syntax which helps the reader to be more engaged. By looking at the poem “The Journey” by Mary Oliver, one can see, through the author’s use of symbolism and the repeated vocabulary, especially the usage of the words “you” and “though”, the significance of self-value and ambition which is important because goals are mainly achieved through human drive.

The poem “The Journey” is written in the second person which allows for a more personal interpretation for the audience. This makes the reader feel more engaged and realize how much of an effect they have on their own life. Oliver writes

One day you finally knew

 what you had to, and began, 

 though the voices around you

 kept shouting

 their bad advice (1-5).

Over the course of the entire poem, the author emphasizes the word “you” in order to make it stand out. Repetition of a single word cements that word into the reader’s head and forces them to understand that Oliver makes them think about that word. The word “you” in different scenarios in the poem conveys the same message that one must work for what they want and make their own limitations. The author uses repetition of other words, such as transition words, to show the movement of the poem.

During the course of the poem, transition words are consistently used, most commonly contrast words. Another word that is frequently used is “though” which moves the audience from one idea to a different one. Transitioning from the beginning to the middle of “The Journey”, Oliver writes 

You knew what you had to do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy (13-17).

The author chooses to use this word because it goes along with the theme of resilience and ambition within oneself. The passage illustrates the necessary human drive to move on and achieve one’s goals through hardships. The word “though” is written in each sentence after the final goal is said and portrays the difficulties needed to overcome in order to get there. Many of these difficulties are described using vivid symbolism.

The symbolism in the poem allows the audience to visualize a life-like image which in turn makes it more relatable. The symbolism helps to develop the theme of ambition because all the examples are different obstacles that need to be conquered before one can achieve their goals. Oliver writes “the stars began to burn/ through the sheets of clouds” (25-26). This can be perceived as a light in the dark or something good happening when nothing else is going right. Valuing something but not knowing how to achieve it can put you in the dark, but enough dedication can shine a light on the path to success. Symbolism is used to connect the audience to the story so they feel like they are there and can relate to the writing.

In the poem “The Journey”, Mary Oliver takes advantage of the literary elements symbolism and repetition to help solidify the concept of self-motivation and hard work. The two words that are used often and have the most significance in the poem are “you” and “though”. The word “you” has one meaning and it emphasizes how much power one has on the outcome of their goals. The poem uses symbolism to describe a difficult setting in which the narrator overcomes and allows them to move closer towards the end of their journey.  The passion of oneself is the drive needed to get past the negativity in the poem portrayed by the imagery and symbolism. The word “though” serves one purpose and that is to contrast two ideas in the text. The author uses the word “though” after an image has been created of something holding the reader back to counter that force and show they have moved on. The usage of repetition and symbolism contribute to the underlying theme in the piece of writing which suggests that ambition and self-value are the biggest characteristics needed to drive oneself to achieve their goals.
