It is easy to go through life only doing what society portrays as “normal.” But if we realize it is possible to be successful without the influence of society, the road to find one’s individual self can be a rewarding challenge to endure. In Mary Oliver’s poem “The Journey”, she describes, from start to finish, the journey one must take to break away from society to make decisions for oneself and walk down their own path. She explains the challenges on may face, but how in the end the struggles are worth the reward. In the poem “The Journey”, Mary Oliver uses engaging pronouns and specific imagery to guide the reader through an adventurous journey to find one’s individuality. 

 First, Mary Oliver introduces the reader to the idea that in a sudden moment one can realize that if they listen to themselves instead of the people around them they can still excel in life.  For instance, Oliver begins the poem with the line, “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began” (line 1). When Oliver describes this moment she is not talking about herself going through the journey of individuality. Instead she uses the pronoun you. By using the word, you, instead of I she is inviting the reader to go along in the journey, almost as if she is going to guide the reader through the journey to find oneself. By using the word, you, Oliver is automatically making the poem a more personal and relatable situation. The author continues to use engaging pronouns, like the word “you” throughout the entire poem to make the poem personable and relatable. 

Next Oliver describes, “The voice around you kept shouting their bad advice” (3). The imagery depicts an image of a group of people standing around one individual. These people are shouting at this individual. The group is trying to make a decision for this person. The group is trying to advise why a specific path should be taken. The author is depicting a strong, relatable picture.  Oliver is showing that in some cases we have to take a step back from all the people around us, even the ones whose opinions mean the most, and think about what is really the best for ourselves. You have to listen to your own voice sometimes. The voices of society’s influence are not always the right voices to follow. Not every person fits into the same mold and therefore what is the best plan for one person may not be the best plan for another. With this image Oliver is using a strong picture to show the overwhelming and intimidating environment in which a person could easily feel stuck. But as the reader follows Oliver throughout the Journey, they are able realize the reward is most definitely worth the road taken to get there.  

Now Mary Oliver goes on to explain the journey. This is the time where a person has broken away from the comfort of society. She explains that soon after starting the journey one will find the journey to individuality will not be easy. She describes how you will face struggles and may become lost in such a big environment. She then goes on to explain that if you listen to you heart and follow what you believe is the right choice, you will be able to make it through. And after a while, slowly the journey will become easier and easier.  For example, the author states along this journey you will run into people asking for your help: “Mend my life! Cried each voice”(10). But whether you are on this journey or not there are always going to be people in your life who are going to ask for your help. In some situations, you may have to force yourself to say no. When on such an important journey one has to be selfish and then continue on with the task at hand. Oliver’s depiction of people asking for help is relatable to most people. Because the picture is common and easy to imagine, the image makes the poem more personable and relatable.

Then Oliver starts to show then transition and change that a person has to make: a life that changes from being a society controlled life to a life of your own. Oliver still believes that there will be struggles to face ahead, but in this part of the poem the reader begins to see the change that is able to happen. The reader is able to see the good that can come from the process.  For example, Oliver addresses and recognizes that the change is starting to occur but she still says that along the rest of the journey one will still be faced with “a road full of fallen branches and stones”(21). The image of branches and stones represent the struggles that are bound to be faced throughout a person’s journey. But the branches and stones have already fallen. They may be little bumps in the road but they are nothing that cannot be overcome. They are not anything that is going to stop one from finishing the journey that they have already worked to so hard on. By picking branches and stones, Oliver is showing that nothing is going to force you to quit your journey and as long as you keep working you will be able to make it. Branches and stones are a familiar symbol. The reader is able to recognize and relate to the meaning of the branches and stones.

 Finally comes the climax, “But little by little, as you left their voices behind”(23). Slowly we are able to move past what has happened before and the struggles that we face become easier and easier as the journey continue. This is when one has the sudden realization as an individual rather than a part of society. This is described as “The Stars began to burn through the sheets of the clouds”(25). This imagery shows a strong picture. The stars represent the new way of thinking as an individual and these stars are burning through the sheets of clouds which represent the uncertainty that one is bound to face throughout their own journey. This is the moment in the journey when one realizes their voice, a voice that guided them through their journey and kept them company, and they did not even know it. Oliver ends her poem with a powerful image. The stars burning through the clouds show a dramatic finish to a hard fought journey. The imagery makes the journey seem to be worth the fight. The strong picture keeps the reader entertained and involved until the very end of the poem. 

In today’s society it is easy to get caught up in doing what society thinks is correct. Sometimes when an entire group thinks a certain way it is hard to go against that group. In the poem “The Journey,” Mary Oliver challenges the reader to think differently. Not only does she invite the reader into the poem making the journey a more personal experience, she also uses strong imagery that is relatable to everyday life. By using examples most humans face, she has made it easy for the reader to imagine themselves breaking away from societies norm. By breaking away from society one is able to live up to their full potential and start living there lives for themselves instead of living to please the people around them. Mary Oliver is trying to show people it is okay to go against society’s idea of normal. This is done by involving the reader in the journey that is described in her poem.  
