Why do author’s repeat words or phrases multiple times in their writing? What are they trying to convey by doing this? Also, how are symbols used in writing to bring out a bigger meaning?  In Mary Oliver’s, “The Journey”, the word “voices” is repeated on multiple occasions. She uses them in both a positive and negative manner. Why does she do this? It has to do with the theme of the poem. She uses the word “journey” to describe the transition from the negative voice to the positive voice. The poem says that the “journey” is to find yourself and your “voice” while not listening to the bad advice of the outside “voices”. The whole point of this poem is finding yourself and being yourself instead of conforming to society and their views. Then she uses symbols. They are used to put a different thought in the reader’s mind as they are reading the poem. These images, such as the road full of fallen branches, show a deeper meaning than what they come across as. They bring to life the meaning of the poem, and when used well can show the true meaning of the piece of writing without having to flat out say it.

She first mentions the voices when she said “the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice.” In this case, it is taken in a negative way. We see the voice as something that is only there for harm and not good. They keep shouting bad advice, wanting you to conform to them and become the person they want you to be. This is significant in the poem because Mary Oliver is trying to tell us that we can’t listen to these voices. That you had to do the only thing you could to, and that you are the only person that you can save. You can’t let these other voices hold you back. She even says that the voices are crying to you to “Mend their life!” The outside voices try to drag you down and help them, when you really can’t, as Oliver states. The best example of this is when someone tries to fit in with a crowd to where they have to change themselves. They hear the voices from the crowed they are trying to be a part of telling them how to act, what to like, and how to dress. These are the “bad” voices. The reason why I say bad in quotes is because the voices themselves aren’t bad. What is bad about them is that they attract people to themselves and make the person lose who they are as a person. 

The other instance of this is the positive voice. The voice she refers to as “your voice”. She references this voice after you have already left the other voices behind. She says that you will start to hear a new voice, which you will soon learn to recognize as your own. This voice, according to Oliver, is the voice that will stick with you as you continue on this journey to save yourself. This voice, obviously, is the voice the “journey” is supposed to lead you to. But who’s voice is it? Oliver makes it sound like it is your own voice. The whole time the poem refers to the bad voices as outside voices trying to pull the reader towards them. So when they leave the outside voices, what voices do they have left? Their inside voice. 

These contrasting voices impact the poem’s theme heavily. She uses these voices to tell you to block off the negative things in your life and to not listen to the voices that try to inhibit your happiness or your way of life. The author wants you to go through life living and thinking how you want to, and do what will make you happy. This is very relatable in society today. There are always instances of people trying to “fit in” and losing who they are as a person in the process. And she even admits that it is hard to not do that. She even says that you “felt the old tug at your ankles.” The tug is them trying to influence you to be like them, fit in with them, and do what they want. Eventually though, you learn to not do that. You learn to leave those voices behind and listen to your new voice, which is you. That is when you truly can save your life and start to enjoy your life for everything it has to offer you.

The next device seen in this poem is Mary Oliver’s use of symbolism. One example of these symbols is the road full of fallen branches and stones. This is used to symbolize the small hurdles and obstacles that try to hinder someone from reaching their journey. They don’t completely stop your progress; they just make it a little more difficult. This is how life is. Trying to attain an end goal will never be perfect. There will, for the most part, always be difficulties along the way. Another case of symbolism is when she uses the stars. Oliver states “The stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds.” She says this after you have left the voices behind. What this symbol is used for is to show how clear your mind and way of thought can be when you don’t base everything off the outside voices, and instead listen to your own voice. The clouds are a symbol for the other voices “clouding” your mind or way of thinking with their own. The stars are showing your voice after you have left the other voices behind. Then there is the wind. She describes it as the wind that is prying with its stuff fingers. Connect this symbol with the rock and sticks. These show the struggles that a person goes through throughout the journey. These symbols revolve around the theme of thinking on your own and being your own person. 

Oliver incorporates all of this into such a short poem to provide a deeper understanding of what this poem is trying to convey. Even Oliver herself says that poems are meant to be heard and read. These symbols such as the sticks and rocks, or the wind prying with stiff fingers bring the poem to life, and in turn, bringing the meaning to life. Even the journey itself is symbolic. There isn’t a set in stone journey. The journey is what the individual makes it. There are many different paths you can take on the journey, they just have the same end goal. The end goal is to find yourself, and learn how to be self-sufficient. Oliver wants the reader to be able to express themselves and live their own life, not the life someone else wants for them. 