Life is about self-discovery, becoming an individual. Unfortunately, many people never realize who they really are; they go through life wondering about and not becoming the people they are supposed to be. “The Journey” by Mary Oliver does a wonderful job of making the readers think about where they are on life’s journey. Thoughts of our place in society begin to ensue, and readers cannot help but wonder who is in control society or they. Oliver uses persuasion as a form to get the reader to see exactly who is in control of his or her life. 

Words on a page can evoke many feelings when read; Mary Oliver is deliberate in the words she choses for the poem “The Journey.” At first read you can get a sense of what Oliver is trying to accomplish, Oliver is trying to get the reader to think about their life and participate in their life and not just wonder aimlessly. The reader is presented with two choices, 1. Do something to better themselves if it is realized that something is amiss or 2. Continue living in denial. If readers understand what the overall message of Oliver’s poem is, then bettering themselves would be the obvious choice.

Oliver’s “The Journey” forces readers to exam the actual journey of life the following quote emphasizes this: “ One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began” leads the reader on a path to self-discovery. What exactly will the readers discover about their life? They might discover that there are somethings that require changing. The brilliance in Oliver’s subtle persuasive rhetoric is that readers cannot help but contemplate the journey they are on. Does the reader need to break free from the bondage of society that is keeping him from possibly reaching his full potential and how exactly must he tackle this new found evil. 

The straightforwardness of the poem tells the reader exactly how to tackle the evil in their lives that is keeping them in bondage. The readers are admonished to realize now what they have to do which is fix their lives. They must fix their lives now before it becomes too late. The words come off the page with such urgency the readers cannot help but reflect and think about the deeper meaning that is presented before them. That deeper meaning is presented in the poem, and the meaning is straightforward: “One day you finally knew what you have to do, and began” as stated in “The Journey” by Mary Oliver (Line 1-2, Oliver 92).

The poem has a long and flowing rhythm. The writer entices her readers with the notion they you need to stand up and fix whatever is wrong with their lives. The flow of the poem could be compared to life’s flow and the many journeys that people can accumulate over their lifetime. Often times many people wonder through life just flowing along, not really living. They can dive deeper and deeper into an abyss that takes over their journey and not realize what is taking place. If they are lucky, they can “Mend their life” as suggested by Oliver (line 10, Oliver 92)

Oliver’s syntactic arrangement forces the reader to think, which lends it self well to the message that she is trying to convey to the readers. The writing style is obvious, this Oliver does purposely to lead the readers on a path to discover their true selves. The sentences are significant yet simple, complex because they present a deeper meaning, and simple because they are easy to understand. Oliver also wants the reader to ignore the voices telling us that we cannot change, which is simple to understand, but the complex part that might be difficult to grasp is that self-doubt is the enemy to a well-lived life. 

Persuasion is the style that Oliver uses in “The Journey”. She is trying and succeeding in inviting the readers to take control of their lives. Oliver does a fantastic job in helping the readers realize that society can be cruel and it is up to the individual to be aware of societal pitfalls that can leave lasting consequences if not managed. . She invites us to take control and realize who we are. Though taking control is not easy, life is a marathon, not a sprint, and the journey is to be enjoyed.  

Throughout the poem the punctuation and syntax have followed the overall theme of the poem, which flowed nicely as the message is conveyed. Things change toward the end of the poem, where there is one long sentence that seems to run on. This conveys to the reader that as the end approaches, Oliver wants to be certain that the message is clear even if she has to continue talking without pause. Oliver wants the readers to be deliberate and passionate about their lives and the choices they make because if one is deliberate, nothing can stand in the way of a well-lived life. 

Life is not easy; in fact, for many life is extremely difficult. However, there is always a choice to be made in the quality of life people lead. Oliver’s poem forces the reader to look at what their life is and encourages the reader with some urgency to make changes if necessary to be fulfilled. This can be accomplished by forgetting what society thinks and doing what is best for that individual. Besides, normal is overrated and what exactly is normal anyway? Life is meant to be enjoyed and Oliver conveys that beautifully in her masterpiece. 

 