In Donald Murray’s writing The Interior View: One Writer’s Philosophy of Composition Murray describes the differences between a student and a professional writer. Through the usage of a variety of literary devices such as symbolism, repetition and personification, Murray is able to prove his central theme that we are all different. It is our past experiences and values which make us individuals, and it is a result of our individualness that allows us to be different writers.

Murray often used symbolism to help provide the reader with a different view point to see what he meant by what it takes to become a writer. “I do not see writing from the exterior view but from within my own mind and my own emotions as I try to write every single day of my life” (Murray 25). In this sentence the author uses the phrase “exterior view” as his symbol. The exterior view is shown to symbolize what one sees on a day to day basis. These sights are often quick glances without any deeper meaning, much like judging a book by its cover. On the opposite end of the spectrum “The interior view of writing act reveals the writing is an individual search for the meaning of life” (Murray 25). Murray utilizes the symbol to show that the interior view is a deeper glance into those exterior views one has in life. It is these interior views that allow one person to differ from the next. Interior views are the experiences and values one has in their lifetime. Although two people may have had the exact same experience how they each view the experience is never 100% the same. This is the difference between an exterior and interior view that Murray was trying to show. In this situation the exterior view would be the experience which could be the exact same for many however the interior view would be how people feel and interpret this experience which differs from person to person allowing us all to be our own person. In Murrays writing he uses the word “individual” to symbolize differentiation from person to person. “A writers is an individual who uses language to discover meaning in experience and communicate it” (Murray 26). Throughout the writing Murray describes many differences between professional writers and student writers however, one thing that the two have in common is what their job as a writer is. Their job is to communicate, through writing, the feelings and deeper meanings they have encountered in their individual experiences. Murray is able to highlight how individualism equates to differentiation by repeating it multiple times throughout his writing.

Repetition is used to grab the reader’s attention to one specific word or phrase, Murray does this with the word “individual” and does so in such a manner that each usage of the word has a different connotation. The authors first usage of the word was when he described what a writer is. In that particular usage of the word Murray is trying to show how the purpose of an individual is ultimately a journey to find the meaning of life. His second usage of the word shows how the experiences and values one learns on this journey is what makes on journey different from another. “It has never been easy for a writer to maintain his individuality, and it never will be” (Murray 26).  In this particular usage Murray is trying to tie it back to his metaphor of the journey for the meaning of life. Often one will see someone complete their journey in a fashion which they deem to be flawless. In these situations, they will often try to replicate this journey however, it is important for each individual to endure their own experiences and find their own values regardless of how easy or difficult their journey is. The ultimate goal is to find one’s own personal definition for what they believe the meaning of life to be. When describing what an individual is and what the goal of a writer is Murray uses personification to help paint this vivid picture.

Murray throughout his writing personifies various aspects of writing to show how “When you sit at a writer’s desk, in the writer’s skin, you discover his feeling for language as a living tool” (Murray 27). Murray describes language as a tool to help simplify the idea of a what a writer does. Much like how surgeons need scalpels to do their job, or firemen need fire hoses, writers need language to do their job. “He feels language in his fingers, hears language in his ears, sees language evolving and working on his page” (Murray 27.) This shows that language is very much a tangible tool and all writers are given the same however, it is up to the writer to choose how they wish to use these tools in order to communicate their past experiences and values. A primary difference between a professional and student writer is that professional writers already know how to use these tools. They have learned from their experiences how to communicate using language. With student writers they are still learning how to operate this tool of language to perfection. Once students know how to use these tools and communicate what they have encountered, learned, and felt on their journey for the meaning of life not only will they have become professional writers but they will have also become individuals in a writing aspect as well. 

Murray uses many literary devices especially symbolism, repetition, and personification to show that the most important aspect in becoming a writer is individuality. Language is the tool writers are given and one’s experiences and values learned on the journey to find the meaning in life is what writers are expected to communicate. No two people are ever the same let alone writers. What a student writer needs in order to perfect the art of writing is individuality and knowing how to communicate through the tool all writers are given, which is language. 
