The meaning of a certain text is not always obvious. Close reading a text can leave readers with the same, or many very different ideas about the message and what the author was trying to convey. In fact, it is up to the reader entirely to interpret the meaning. Not all of them will interpret things the same and have the same ideas about the text. Certain pieces and elements of the writing can stand out to some people and not to others. It can also depend on the readers thoughts and past experiences. The poem “The Journey”, by Mary Oliver is a perfect example of a text that can have multiple meanings. One common interpretation for this poem, however, is that it symbolizes your path through life and how you in the end find your own voice to follow. The poet uses devices such as repetition, symbolism, and striking imagery to convey this interpreted symbol of the text.

The word “voice” is repeated in the beginning, middle, and end of the poem. Each time the meaning is different but the symbol that they represent in the poem remains the same. You in the end are you're own guiding voice. The first use of the word “voice" comes when the poet says, “…though the voices around you kept shouting” (3-4). Here, “voices” represents the people and the advice you receive while you are young. At this point in your life this is all you hear which is why theses are aggressive and loud voices. They are shouting. A little further into the poem, and “voices” is used again. She says that, “each voice cried” (11). The fact that the voices are crying now is significant because they were before shouting. As you progress through your life journey those voices that were once shouting, are now crying. Crying implies begging. You are moving on to the next phase in finding your own guiding voice.  In the middle of the poem, Oliver uses that word again.  She says, “…as you left there voices behind” (24). This time the word voices is not so loud and aggressive. Instead of shouting you are leaving them behind. They are fading. This symbolizes the transition period to when you start to hear a new voice. Finally, in the end of the poem, Oliver explains that, “there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own” (27-29). In this final usage voices is used differently again. Instead of being some foreign voice its yours. One that you fully recognize as your own. This different use of voice supports the interpretation that in your path through life you will eventually be guided by your own voice rather than be plagued by the sound of others.

Symbolism is another way the poet was able to communicate this specific interpretation. There are countless symbols in the poem that represent certain aspects of life that go along with the journey through it. In the beginning of the poem Oliver says, “though the whole house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles…” (6-9). The tug at your ankles is a symbol of being held back while trying to move down your life path. Whats holding you back is the voices of bad advice, which are preventing you from hearing your own. Another symbol that supports the interpretation comes when the poet says, “the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds…” (25-26). This symbolizes the come into maturity and the stars burning through the clouds represents when you begin to hear and be guided by your own voice. The sheets of clouds stand in for the confusion you have initially about what voice to follow. With maturity, comes the breaking of those clouds and into a clear mind, one where you follow yourself. These symbols add a beauty to the poem and also help the reader to develop an interpretation. 

In combination with repetition and symbolism, the poet also uses sticking imagery. Images can be interpreted to mean one thing to one, and another to another. The imagery Oliver uses in her poem can help the reader to the interpretation of a life journey and the struggles that come along that path. One of the first examples of imagery comes when Oliver says, “though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations…” (14-15). This image of wind prying at you suggests that it is holding you back. The personification of the wind paints this picture that can be seen as a struggle or bump that you encounter in life. The wind prying and trying to pull you down at your foundation is what represents these bumps and struggles. Oliver also uses imagery when she says, “and the road full of fallen branches and stones” (21-22). Just like in the instance before she paints a picture. This one is of a road which is full of fallen branches and stones which need to be avoided. The road is that of your life, and the fallen stones and branches represent more struggles and obstacles that have to be overcome in order to continue moving. This road image with items obstructing the path really supports the interpretation that the poem represents a life journey and all that comes with it.

Throughout the poem, Mary Oliver uses all of these devices which all come together to make an interpretation of the poem. One that consists of the idea of a life path or journey that in the beginning is guided by someone other than yourself but through the obstacles and struggles in life you finally find your own voice to follow. While this is a very common interpretation there are many others that people can have. Each example could make some readers think of a different meaning. Meaning in any text is not obvious and is entirely up to the reader to look at the devices used to form their own ideas of the message the author is trying to convey. 