
In every product people purchase there are instructions on how to use the product. When students receive an assignment, it comes with guidelines. In nearly all situations faced by a person they are given advice. In most instances people follow these directives and do not venture outside of the lines. Human lives are short and should be filled with meaning. The meaning should belong to one’s self. Do not just listen to others. Mary Oliver wrote the poem, “The Journey,” to show readers how to live their lives the best way possible. In her poem “The Journey,” Oliver employs metaphors, sensory images, and repetition to depict how readers should live their life as their own guide.

Oliver has multiple literary devices in her poem. One of the more effective devices are the metaphors riddled throughout. She starts with one to describe the beginning. Oliver writes, “the whole house began to tremble,” (Oliver 6). The house represents the readers body. Oliver is putting the reader into the new situation. Oliver wants the reader to feel the nerves of starting a journey. Later, Oliver writes another metaphor this time describing being held back. Oliver writes, “though the wind pried,” (Oliver 14). The wind is a metaphor for distractions. Oliver describes how it pries to represent how distractions will try to hold the reader back but they must keep going. Oliver later describes how the reader begins to see the light. The reader is seeing the way through the foggy path. Oliver writes, “the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds,” (Oliver 25). The stars burning through represent the reader recognizing the destination they will reach. The destination was unknown until now when the reader has gone through enough of their expedition to figure out their destiny. Oliver’s metaphors emphasize the obstructions faced by the reader. 

Oliver has created imagery in the poem to get the reader’s mind to think and draw the poem out in their mind. Oliver first illustrates how people will weigh you down. Oliver writes, “you felt the old tug at your ankles,” (Oliver 8). The reader will see friends and others pulling to try to get the reader on their path. The reader must be strong enough to stay on their own. Oliver’s writing Oliver’s next image is described through personification. Oliver writes, “the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations,” (Oliver 14). Oliver makes the reader feel hands pulling them back. The reader will feel like their whole path is being uprooted. The reader will have obstacles appear in their path. Oliver writes, “the road full of fallen branches and stones,” (Oliver 21). Oliver creates the image of a blocked path. The reader will think they cannot continue but they must climb over the branches. They must overcome the obstacles. Oliver’s imagery is able to perfectly label the situations faced on a journey.

Oliver starts by describing the beginning of a new journey and the thoughts that come with it. Oliver writes, “though the voices around you kept shouting,” (Oliver 3). Oliver is showing how hard it can be to start your journey. The reader’s mind will look at the bad things. Oliver writes, “shouting their bad advice,” (Oliver 4). Oliver is demonstrating how a mind will think of all the negatives of an action. Starting is often the hardest part of a journey and one’s mind “shout” to stop them. After the start, the reader, may face other options. Their mind must choose the right voice. The poem then describes some of the diversions on a path. Oliver writes, “’Mend my life!’ each voice cried,” (Oliver 10). “Each voice” is a different thought from their mind telling them something. The reader will know where their path goes. Oliver writes, “You knew what you had to do, though the wind pried with its fingers at the very foundations, though their melancholy was terrible,” (Oliver 13). Oliver does not write of any voices for these lines. She wants to emphasize how the reader is alone with their thoughts and sometimes they won’t have any thoughts but they must keep going. Oliver details the reader’s next decision. Oliver writes, “you left their voices behind,” (Oliver 24). People must be able to focus on the objective to get to where their journey is meant to end. The poem starts its ending with how the reader must trust themselves.  Readers must be able to navigate alone because only they know what is truly best for themselves. Sometimes the path will be hard to see. Oliver writes, “through the sheets of clouds, and there was a new voice,” (Oliver 26). When the path is hard to follow, one’s self will be the only person who can steer through. Readers must learn to trust their own voice and follow their true purpose. Oliver writes, “a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company as you strode deeper and deeper into the world,” (Oliver 27). Ultimately, the reader can only control their life. Their own voice is the voice that will keep them on their path. The reader must trust their own voice.

Life is defined as the period from birth to death. Between birth and death is a journey. The journey is different for everyone. There are many outside influences in people’s journeys. Many say that people need to follow the instructions and demands of others. Mary Oliver writes differently. In “The Journey,” Oliver defends her belief that humans should follow their own directions with metaphors, imagery, and repetition. With metaphors, Oliver is able to exaggerate her words so the reader feels her thoughts. Oliver then utilizes imagery to put her thoughts into the reader’s mind so they draw it in their mind. Oliver’s final technique of persuasion is repetition, specifically about voices. Oliver wants the reader to understand her argument. Oliver wants the reader to go on their own path and not listen to others. The best path for the reader is follow their thoughts. 

