
In the free-verse poem “The Journey”, written by Mary Oliver, Oliver makes use of repetition of the phrase, “You finally knew / what you had to do,” (Oliver 1-2) twice in the first fourteen lines of the poem, then waits until the third-to-last line to use this phrase a final time. This phrase is slightly different in its next two uses in the poem. Oliver drops the word finally, the next time it is used, making the line, “You knew what you had to do,” (Oliver 13). The final time this phrase is repeated, it is quite different but continues to hold the same idea stating, “The only thing you could do-,” (Oliver 34). Each subtle, but important change to the main idea of personal exploration and the ability to change oneself because of it carries its own meaning and its specific context to the work as a whole.

       From the very beginning of her poem, Oliver plans to use this expression as one of her main themes of the writing. By her addition of the word finally, she is communicating that the reader has come to a conclusion of what needs to be done. Oliver uses this wording to show that the reader has been contemplating this decision for quite some time, but only now he or she is acting on his or her thoughts. Following this phrase are two words, “And began,” (Oliver 2). The addition of these words signifies that the reader has not only decided on a course of action, but that he or she is going to pursue said course. The use of the second person in this instance is important because it shows that the speaker is setting their mind to this task and going all in on it. This ties back into the theme of the novel, being that the reader is going to embark on a journey of self-discovery and, in effect, change his or her life.

       Oliver has the speaker use the second person point of view for affect. She does this to acknowledge that “you” is actually the speaker talking about him or herself. Her use of “you” grabs the reader's attention because most works are told from first or third person points of view. This causes the reader to become more engaged in the work, because he or she is experiencing the speaker’s inside thoughts from their own perspective. Had Oliver not used this technique and instead used words like “one” or “someone”, her message would lose some of the gravity it delivers. It is more effective to refer to the reader as “you”, as Oliver’s message is conveyed more clearly and more directly, making the reader more aware of the main focus of the work, being an effort of self-struggle and discovery through a personal journey.

       Another interesting device Oliver uses is to incorporate two voices that are prevalent throughout the poem. The first voices to be mentioned are ones of negative words and actions. These voices are literally trying to hold the speaker back with both their words, “The voices around you / kept shouting / their bad advice” (Oliver 3-5) and their actions, “And you felt the old tug / at your ankles” (Oliver 8-9). However, the speaker makes it clear that these voices will not control him or her, answering, these voices by saying, “But you didn’t stop” (Oliver 12). The speaker is not letting these voices hold him or her back. This shows that the speaker is strong enough to put themselves first and people that would weight them down are in the rearview. The aspect of voice is brought up again when the speaker “Left their voices behind” (Oliver 24). The speaker now hears a new voice instead of the previous ones that were trying to drag him or her down. This voice is friendly and wants the speaker to succeed in his or her endeavors. The voice is described as, “There was a new voice / which you slowly / recognized as your own / that kept you company” (Oliver 24-27). This new voice shows that the speaker is done listening to people that only want to delay or detour the new path and that the speaker is continuing with life they want, further empowering them to reform their life and make a change for the better. 

Mid-way through the poem, this phrase is repeated again, and, as previously stated, it comes without the word “finally”. The reason for this instance not having the word “finally” is because the reader is already on his or her course of action, in other words, the personal decision to change has already been made. In this context, the line is used as a reinforcement, driving home the point that the reader has made a change and is sticking to it. The following lines are, “Though the wind pried / with its stiff fingers / at the very foundations / though their melancholy / was terrible” (Oliver 14-18). These lines offer a counterpoint to the action of “doing what you have to do”, but also reassure that the reader is not letting these obstacles get in the way, and is, instead, continuing on moving forward. This use of the phrase is essential to the main theme of transformation and continuance to overcome challenges.

The previous rendition of the main line followed by lines 14-18 is an intentional and essential part of the theme of the poem. Oliver wastes no time in providing situations in which knowing what you had to do, and doing it, may be a challenge. She does this to show that there will be obstacles on your path to success and they may come right out of the gate. If you are to accomplish your goals and complete your journey, you must deal with these set-backs directly, as swiftly as possible. These challenges have no bias and only want to derail your success so, to achieve it, you must take them head on. This connects back to her main idea of the work.

       In one of the closing lines of the poem, the repeated phrase takes on a whole new form. This new form, “The only thing you could do-,” (Oliver 34) represents completion of this transformation. It represents completion because the reader is no longer trying to change, they have set themselves in motion for change, and the reader is not going back. However, change is never-ending. That being said, Oliver describes this never-ending change as a good one, stating in the following lines, “determined to save / the only life you could save,” (Oliver 35-36). When analyzing the diction of this line, it can be determined that these two uses of “save” have different definitions. The first use of save means to keep safe or rescue, as in the speaker has saved himself or herself from the negativity and bad advice of the previous voices. The speaker has taken back control of their life. The second use of save means to store up or keep, as in the speaker now has control of their life and is going to keep it that way. Using two different definitions of the word “save” give the conclusion of the poem a deeper meaning than if it only used one, in that it enhances the self-control and confidence that the speaker now has.

The main theme of “The Journey” can be expressed solely through the three different wordings of the phrase “You knew what you had to do” (Oliver 13). The first use is one that describes the transition from thinking about doing something, to making that thing, that action truly happen. The next use explains that overcoming obstacles and in sticking to the decision to change, you are trying to make and take the path to success. Finally, the last use shows that when you make it to that point of change, once things have been set in motion or that point to success, you cannot go back; you must keep going forward. In reality, the progression of the three uses of this phrase are an overarching metaphor for the journey itself.