In “The Journey” by Mary Oliver, the poem focuses on how the narrator uses different examples of figurative language as a way to make her poem more powerful. Oliver also chooses to writes in a faster rhythm which allow for her to convey the main theme of the poem, which is that giving up is never the answer, in a more hurried tone. By writing in a hurried tone it allows for Oliver to be more repetitive to readers, as well as allowing for her to wrap up the poem in a more effective way, similar to that of a traditional novel. Oliver also chooses to set up some lines to be longer than others which serves as a way for her to cause readers to stop and think about a line longer than previous lines. By looking at The Journey by Mary Oliver we are able to notice how she uses figurative language as a way to illustrate the theme of “never giving up” to readers by showing how the narrator overcomes the obstacles and challenges that she is faced with. It was evident how she was able to utilize different figurative language techniques, such as repeating the word “you” and by using words that are generally associated with a negative connotation to develop a more powerful theme.

After taking an initial look at the passage it became evident how Oliver utilized specific words that were associated with a negative meaning which allowed for her to set up the setting of the poem more effectively. In particular, Oliver goes on to write “though the wind priedwith its stiff fingers at the very foundations though their melancholy was terrible” (Oliver 14). Oliver intentionally incorporates the words “melancholy” and “terrible” which serve as words that further establish the setting of the poem, which is mysteriousness. In contrast to the rest of the poem, these words allow for Oliver to further emphasize the tone of sadness that is being displayed. By establishing the setting early on in the poem it allows for her to contrast the tone at the end of the poem. By contrasting the tone at the end of the poem it allows for readers to observe the theme easier since Oliver is able to set up a more powerful ending. Oliver also chooses to incorporate words with double meanings as a way to communicate multiple meanings at once. When Oliver talks about a “tug at her ankles” she is talking about how it represents a small obstacle that the reader has to overcome since it is only a small tug at the ankles, but it also has a double meaning. The “tug at her ankles” also refers to how other people can drag down the narrator and halt them from completing their journey.

Oliver not only uses word choice to communicate specific themes to readers but she also writes the poem in short lines which causes readers to read the poem in a much faster tone. This is a major part of the poem since it forces readers to go on “the journey” with Mary Oliver, and it presents the poem like a story. Oliver incorporates many short sentences throughout the poem. The sentences act as a double meaning to readers, since it shows how life can go by faster than expected, just like the poem. By treating the poem like a story it also allows for Oliver to give a conclusion at the end of the poem which is when she switches the tone and talks about a more positive viewpoint on life. Moreover, Oliver makes the last two lines of the poem longer than the other lines, and she also repeats the words “the only” and “save”. By using repetition and rhyme in the last two lines it allows for Oliver to build a more impactful and powerful ending. The use of repetition in the last two lines also functions as a way for Oliver to reinforce the theme of “never give up”. Oliver depicts the last two lines in a positive light since it allows for her to show how by “never giving up” the narrator was able to successfully complete her journey.

Along with the uses of repetition and the tone that Oliver uses, she also employs multiple types of language to allow herself to be more descriptive and impactful throughout the poem. One of the most common and powerful types of language that Oliver uses is narration. Narration was crucial to the poem since it allowed for Oliver to put the reader in the shoes of the narrator who is going through the journey. Oliver is able to accomplish this by repeating the word “you”, which allows for her to build up the first person point of view for the readers. By repeating the word “you” it allows for Oliver to emphasize and build upon the point of view every time that she incorporates it. Narration functions as a way for her to communicate the theme of “never give up” better since it shows the reader the obstacles that the narrator and the reader go through. The use of “you” causes the reader to face these obstacles alongside the narrator, which makes the theme more effective. Another one of the key types of language used during the poem is description. Mary Oliver chooses to describe the multiple obstacles and challenges that the narrator has to overcome throughout the course of her journey. When Oliver describes these obstacles it serves as a way to better communicate the setting of the poem to readers. By showing readers a more descriptive setting it shows the stress and pressure that the narrator is having to overcome during the journey. Oliver intentionally builds up the numerous obstacles that the narrator has to face during the poem, this allows for her to reiterate her theme of “never giving up” since it shows how the narrator was able to overcome the adversity she dealt with.

Not only does Oliver utilize narration and other key types of language but it was also evident how she conveyed the theme of “never giving up” by utilizing various techniques and styles of writing. To emphasize the theme more effectively, Oliver used short lines and first person word choice to bring readers along for the “journey” that the narrator is experiencing. By employing short lines and a specific word choice it allowed for Oliver to highlight specific parts of the poem to readers, which led to a more powerful and effective theme. She also utilized repetition, which allows for Oliver to build up her theme, since she could emphasize and build upon the same point of view throughout the entire poem. By utilizing repetition readers are led to believe that the repeated words and phrases are critical parts of the poem. Throughout “The Journey”, Mary Oliver set up the poem in a specific way that allowed for her to demonstrate a more effective theme to readers by using various instances of figurative language.
