Mary Oliver's "The Journey" is a poem in which an individual senses an error in his way of life and exerts effort to transform himself to correct it. In the process of transforming from wrongness to rightness, an individual will encounter adversities and obstacles that test the person’s willingness to change. The author utilizes phrases such as, “you knew what you had to do” and “voice” to illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole, which serve as metaphors for the course of self-discovery: the steps an individual takes to achieve goals and the various conflicts along the way. By recognizing the author's use of natural diction in conjunction with the constant rendering of the phrase "you knew what you had to do," we can discern that the speaker is determined, and making positive progress in his journey of self-discovery despite internal and external conflict. This is important because it highlights the similarity in the steps of a metaphorical journey of life and a physical journey: recognition, overcoming, and achieving. 

Oliver’s first utterance of “you finally knew/ what you had to do” (1-2) occurs in the very beginning of the poem. By including “finally” in the phrase, the author is able to instill a sense of delay into the mind of the reader by implying that the speaker had to conclude with one task before beginning a more complex task. The delay is representative of an obstacle – internal or external – that serves to prepare an individual for transformation and more difficult hardships. This concept suggests that an individual should complete one small task at a time until the progression of accomplished goals lead to the completion of a larger aim. However, placement of this phrase as an opener equates to a person deciding to embark on a journey, and is a symbol for the speaker’s realization of his higher purpose. The speaker is aware of an imperative change that needs to be made in his life in order to achieve his ultimate destination, thus successfully initiating the first stage of self-actualization. 

The next occurrence of the phrase is immediately after the speaker rejects the cries for help from others. Although the speaker is tempted to help in their own personal pilgrimage by “mend[ing] [their lives]” (10) he is aware that metaphorically stopping to help others will only prolong, or, worse, terminate his own destiny. He is able to put aside his nurturing tendencies in the pursuit of his own happiness. Much like a physical journey, each individual faces obstacles in his life; much like the speaker, many will realize the urgency of reaching personal destinations rather than avoiding minor obstacles by retreating to the origin. By sacrificing his inherent compassionate nature, which is evident in his struggle to not assist, in order to complete his own journey, the speaker triumphantly completes the second stage of the expedition: overcoming various obstructions. 

The author’s final use of the phrase appears in the very last lines: “determined to do/ the only thing you could do-/ determined to save/ the only life you could save” (33-36). In the progression of his journey of self-discovery, the speaker realized the importance of focusing on his own aspirations because it is impossible for him to repair damages in others’ lives. Rather than tending to the will of others, which is the purpose of the phrase’s final incoming, the speaker made the painful moral decision to neglect his fellow travelers. In this particular instance, the phrase serves as a reminder to the reader that it is his choice to decide what to do in life to fulfill his own happiness rather than conforming to the will of external influences. This expression is also a representation of perseverance and aspiration beyond the set goal, as well as the commencement of a new, perhaps more long-lasting journey. Through consummation of the final stage: achievement, the speaker is henceforth  able to begin a new, everlasting journey of maintaining acquired confidence. 

Oliver’s utilization of natural diction, coupled with “you knew what you had to do,” allows for further emphasis on battles an individual faces in the pursuit of happiness. In the first stanza, the author illustrates internal conflict within the speaker by stating that "…the whole house/ began to tremble"(6-7). Comparing the speaker’s self-realization to an earthquake is powerful because it conveys the severity of the situation. Similarly to how an earthquake would tremor or demolish a house, the speaker’s epiphany of his lack of fulfillment would alter his view of life. In addition, the reconstruction of buildings after an earthquake parallels directly to the speaker’s journey to renovate his life.

Another indication of an internal struggle arises at the climax of the speaker’s journey when “…the wind pried/ with its stiff fingers” (14-15) to hold the speaker back in his pursuit of purpose. The personified heavy winds have been metaphorically blowing the speaker in the opposite direction, but gradually become less productive as the speaker perseveres in his journey. Relating wind to an individual’s unconscious tendency to regress, despite attempts to reform, demonstrates how individuals are often the source of their own conflicts. The stiffness of the wind’s fingers suggests that the speaker is consciously aware of his desire to regress and making an effort to combat the urge to terminate his journey. Therefore, the speaker’s self-discipline is what the caused the wind’s fingers to grow immobilized and lose dexterity.

Lastly, the speaker is successfully able to overcome his internal struggles as “the stars began to burn/ through the sheets of clouds” (25-26). The speaker has discovered his “new voice” (27) and declared that he has reached his goal. The stars serve as a metaphor for the speaker while the clouds represent others’ judgement towards him. Just as the stars shine through the clouds, the speaker will shine when he expresses his newfound confidence to the world. In this instance, he is facing internal satisfaction, rather than conflict.

Each instance of the phrase, “you knew what you had to do,” is used differently, which parallels to the various ways in which an individual may handle life externally. Rewording of this concept marks a new step within an individual’s journey: realizing a problem and deciding to repair it, bypassing obstacles while focusing on one’s own destiny, and, finally, achieving the set goal and striving for more. However, the use of naturalistic diction parallels to the conflicts an individual would face internally until reaching his goal: self-realization and self-doubt.
