While reading the piece "The Journey" by Marry Oliver, one could come up with many interpretations of the text. One of which give the text a meaning of perseverance. The whole piece has a central theme of perseverance and not letting anyone one or thing stop you. Marry Oliver achieves this effect with her use of personification and diction throughout the piece. The use of personification and diction in the piece “The Journey” by Marry Oliver gives the piece a meaning of how important one’s own perspective effects one’s life in order to argue one must ignore negative thoughts and only focus on the positive ones. 

Oliver’s writing is a direct representation of her life. During her life she faced many oppressions not only for being a female writer but also for being a homosexual. She faced these struggles and chose to write this piece to give hope to those who have faced these struggles. Oliver writes "though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice" (Oliver 3) this is the first instance of personification in the piece and what it gives so much to the poem. It gives the writing a sense of intensity and adds conflict to the work.  It makes the reader truly understand just how impactful outside elements can be on one’s life. Oliver does this with several uses of personification throughout the piece. Oliver carries this same idea of overcoming negative elements through one’s life or “journey.” This use of personification gives so much to the piece and it really makes the reader know how hard these challenges could be.  

Oliver also states “Mend my life!” (Oliver 10) each voice cried” keeping with her central theme of how aggressive outside elements can be. Oliver really wants the reader to understand the severity of outside forces on an individual. Notice how Oliver ends the quote with and exclamation point: Oliver wants that line to stand out. Throughout the entire work there are no other exclamation points. Oliver did this on purpose to add emphasis to her words so that that the reader remembers them.  The way she wrote this just furthers her idea of overcoming challenges not to mention the use of personification which lets the reader know that the voices are crying out in such an aggressive manner.

Further into the poem Oliver writes "though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundation." (Oliver 14) this exert continues the central theme of overcoming challenges. Oliver use of personification in this exert is extremely strong. The reader can actually feel the wind and this gives the reader a sense of just how hard some challenges can be. The way she words the piece of personification is beautiful it makes the reader feel which is so important for this piece. Oliver gives so much to the entire writing in this one line: it gives the piece a meaning which is crucial for good writing. Throughout the entire piece there are several instances of personification, but this one is so strong and it is just worded so perfectly that it makes the reader feel and continues to keep the general theme of the work.

The last piece of personification that Oliver uses is “and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own, that kept you company” (Oliver 27) which completes her general theme of perseverance. Throughout the entire writing Oliver speaks on how hard her “journey” is but soon after all of the obstacles are gone she is only left with her own portative outlook. The piece beautifully reflexes life and all the things that one will face throughout it. Everyone will face challenges in their life and you will have to overcome them if you want to be truly happy. Oliver knew this so that everyone could get something out of the writing. 

Oliver also supports her theme by using diction very cleverly throughout her writing. Throughout the start of the piece much like in life it was harsh and negative; however, near the end of it you realize that if you keep going and stay positive life will be easy. Much like in the end of the poem the diction is happy and very positive. She does this on purpose so that she can truly connect with the reader. This piece is a beautiful example of how life imitates art or in this case art imitating life. All Oliver is doing in this piece is talking about how life can be bad at times but no matter what you can never stop you have to keep pushing and never give up. Oliver wrote this poem so beautifully and it truly works.

The use of personification and diction in the piece “The Journey” by Marry Oliver gives the piece a meaning of how important one’s own perspective effects one’s life in order to argue one must ignore negative thoughts and only focus on the positive ones. She explains this idea in her use of personification this gives so much to the piece. Oliver does a great job throughout this piece keeping her theme. She uses her literary devises and diction expertly and creates a true piece of art. There is so much one can get out of this poem and its truly just a wonderful example of the human life in literary form. Oliver writes about her life and doing so gives so much to all her readers. It is truly beautiful. 
