The poem, The Journey, by Mary Oliveris about the journey one takes in order to become an individual in life. It describes the struggle of determination and perseverance. These two elements are key to success. This claim is supported, constantly, throughout the poem by elements such as diction and repetition. Word choice and word usage can emphasize and illustrate the importance of finding yourself and becoming your own success, not someone else’s. 

From the initial start of the poem we can see the use of repetition and the importance it plays throughout the duration of the literature. The word “though” is repeated four times. The use of the word “though” expresses the importance of determination. Even though things become tough or you're faced with an obstacle, it is ultimately your decision to keep going along your journey. The line, “though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice,” (line 3), expresses the importance of a clear mind and thinking positively. Listening to others who will try to put you down will only lead you down the wrong path. It is important to stay true to yourself; letting negativity get to you will only hold you back. The voices of others who cry for help will eventually be a setback The line, “though their melancholy was terrible.” (line 17), describes the emotional stress one can encounter along their journey through life. There are always people in need of care, but the journey requires us to continue on our way despite “their melancholy” cries of help. There can be a lot of mixed emotions when trying to find yourself and your individual path through life. There are a lot of decisions and obstacles one can face that can be overwhelming. As humans, we have a natural urge to help someone when they're in need, but at the same time, sometimes we need to care for ourselves too. The line, “though the old house began to tremble and you felt the old tug at your ankles. “mend my life!” each voice cried.” (line 6), follows a similar meaning. When people are relying on you and begging for help, sometimes it can take a toll on you and distract you from what the real goal is. It is the moral thing to help those in need but sometimes it is the right thing to put yourself first. Your own mental health and stability as well as your success is important as well. If you dropped everything for someone in need every single time, you would never advance on your journey. This poem is using repetition to tell us that it is okay to put ourselves first and to go after what we want because it is our journey. This journey is all about creating yourself.

Other phrases throughout The Journey also enforce the idea of perseverance. Throughout the poem, we are constantly reminded throughout the duration of the poem that we are who we wish to become. Others can and do not define us. Our journey is what we make it and the end result is what we want it to be. The line, “But you didn't stop. You knew what you had to do,” (line 12), illustrates the importance of your conscious. You, and only you, know what you have to do on your journey. Only you know what you want from life, no one can decide it for you. You have to motivate yourself to keep moving forward; it is no one else’s journey but yours. The line, “as you left their voices behind… there was a new voice, which you slowly recognized as your own,” (line 24), shows how blocking out the input from others allows you to focus on yourself and your own path. It is important to be in touch with yourself when becoming an individual in life. If you allow others to influence your journey, it will not be yours anymore. Your own voice is more important than anyone else’s.

As the poem goes on, the individual slowly becomes more and more their own person. They stray away from the house and the voices and become who they want to be. They embark on the journey of life. The diction throughout allows us to see this clearly with metaphors. The farther along the path you enter the deeper you get into the world “determined to do the only thing you could do— determined to save the only life you could save.” (line 34). You are the only person in charge of your life and only you can decide your fate. The layout of the poem illustrates the journey in which someone takes throughout life. 

The Journey, by Mary Oliver, is about the path one takes to discover themselves and who they wish to become. It illustrates the journey one takes in order to become an individual in life. This is the major theme of the poem, staying true to yourself and your goals despite the negativity of others. Perseverance and determination are also key elements throughout this poem. We are constantly reminded to keep moving forward on the path to success. The obstacles encountered are just bumps in the road and they cant distract you from the main goal. Word usage, along with diction, allows us to see this more clearly throughout the poem. Repetition allows for emphasis to prove the importance of a line or phrase as well as the significance. 
