
Few people throughout history have acquired the skills to transcribe the world around us into poetry, and fewer still can do so to any effect. Mary Oliver, author of “The Journey,” is a member of this select few. Oliver used her experience, knowledge, and extraordinary talent to write poetry with clear themes and piercing language. Perhaps the greatest example of these abilities came in the form of “The Journey.” Through the use of personification, decisive word choice, and an understanding of her audience, Oliver crafted a poem that communicates its theme of finding and remaining true to oneself with ease. 

In her quest to emphasize the theme of the poem, Oliver implemented personification frequently throughout “The Journey.” [The most prominent of these devices throughout the poem is personification.] Oliver uses personification to make her poem relatable to the reader and to assist the reader in visualizing a concept that would be difficult otherwise. In “The Journey,” Oliver writes, “…though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles.” (6-9). In this instance, Oliver assigns the human quality of “tugging” to a lingering memory in the reader’s past. The visual of the past literally clinging to the ankles of the reader is more effective than simply mentioning a lingering moment from the past. Oliver communicates to the reader that the path to finding oneself is populated by many obstacles, using the “old tug” as a symbol for these impediments. Later on in the poem, Oliver uses another instance of personification. Oliver states, “You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible.” (13-18). This instance sees Oliver allocate the quality of “prying” to the wind, even describing the wind as having “stiff fingers.” Oliver once again uses a nonliving entity as a representation for the people and things that actively attempt to keep the reader from remaining true to themselves. These instances of personification assist the reader in the visualization of the theme of the importance of remaining true to yourself despite the possible hindrances one may encounter because of it. The use of personification directly communicates to the reader just how formidable these obstacles on the path to success may be. Oliver’s clever use of personification would have been completely ineffective however if her diction was poorly used or inappropriately implicated. 

The strongest element of “The Journey” is Oliver’s word choice. Despite being relatively simple and easy to understand, this does not detract from the poignancy of the themes she expresses through her diction. In fact, the simple nature of Oliver’s diction allows “The Journey” to appeal to a wider audience. Oliver writes, “But little by little, as you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own.” (23-29). This passage is an excellent example of Oliver’s diction in action. Instead of simply saying that the reader realized the importance of their own voice, she instead opted to express this theme through the passage, “the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds.” (25-26). These lines paint a vivid picture for the reader and expresses the theme in an engaging way. The image of stars burning through the sheets of clouds is easily formed in the reader’s mind, allowing the reader to visualize the passage in any way they can imagine. This allows for vast array of different interpretations. In a way, this personalized experience strengthens the theme even more as it demands that the reader rely on their own thoughts to extract meaning from the passage. Her creative word use also serves to capture the reader’s attention and maintain a constant interest in the progression of the poem. In addition to Oliver’s use of diction to influence the perception of the central themes of the poem, she also uses it to determine her audience.

Oliver uses second person pronouns frequently throughout the course of the poem. Her use of these pronouns creates a more personal tone and makes each line more impactful for the reader. “But you didn’t stop, you knew what you had to do…” (12-13).  The use of you in this line is a perfect example of how Oliver’s use of second person pronouns transforms the effect the line has on the reader. Instead of using first or third person pronouns to communicate her point, Oliver opted to use second person pronouns. This takes the audience out of the role as a passive observer and places them in the middle of the action. The reader is forced to think about their role and how their lives relate to the themes embedded in the poem. Oliver’s understanding of her audience, expressed through her brilliant use of pronouns, transforms “The Journey” from a passive experience to an experience that demands the attention and input of the reader.

Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” is a symbolic experience that uses a myriad of different literary devices and stylistic choices to implore the reader to adhere to the central theme. Oliver implements personification to assist in the reader’s visualization of the theme and to transform difficult concepts into humanlike entities everyone can understand and interpret. She uses vivid diction to maintain the reader’s interest and express the theme through imagery. Lastly, Oliver uses her understanding of her audience to create a poem that transform the role of the reader from observer to active participant, strengthening the effect of the theme. Mary Oliver’s understanding of these elements and her keen implementation of these elements creates a poem that communicates its themes of self-discovery to the reader in a unique and engaging way.