Everyone travels a path in life, but it is often not an easy one. The poem “The Journey” written by Mary Oliver is a story about taking control of your own life. Oliver uses strong metaphors, rich imagery, and repetition to provide the reader with a compelling argument that you must listen to your own voice instead of other voices around you, and by doing so you will become your true self. 

In the first four lines of the poem the speaker states “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice” (Oliver 92). “You” is used in repetition to connect the reader to the poem. By doing so, the author allows the reader to get his or her own perspective from early on in writing. The poem is based on finding one’s own voice and direction in life. By connecting with the writer, the reader is forced to understand the text in terms of his or her own life. This allows Oliver to later reiterate her point that “you” are the one who has the power to take control of your own life. The line “though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice.” (Oliver 92) is used as a metaphor for bad decisions and influences in your life. The speaker’s use of “kept” implies there will always be tempting, persistent things trying to holding you back.  Everyone has things that have a negative impact on their life at some point. While some negativity is constant, there are also some situations where it’s present for merely a few minutes. Yet, just because it was a short experience does not mean you won’t likely be confronted with similar situations in the future. Oliver wants the reader to understand that most problems in life will not be easy to overcome and you must listen to yourself in order to do what’s right for you.

From lines 6-16 the speaker states “though the whole house began to tremble…though the wind pried with its stiff fingers at the very foundations” (Oliver 92).  The house, foundation, and wind are used as metaphors to portray the influence of others around you. These metaphors represent a determined mindset and the things that try to stop you from trusting yourself and accomplishing what you want. Foundations are the most important part of any house and without a strong foundation the entire structure can become weak and if tested past its limits may collapse. Foundations are used as an example of the determination you must have to get where you want to be in life. Wind prying at the “very foundations” symbolizes the hardships and obstacles that occur in everyday life and how these can affect the path of achievement. Without a strong will to make a change, the author implies that you will collapse the same way as a house with a weak foundation would if tested by harsh conditions.

Oliver uses “As you left their voices behind, the stars began to burn through the sheet of clouds, and there was a new voice which you slowly recognized as your own” (Oliver 92) as a way to show that you must do what is best for you by listening to yourself. As you push away negativity brought on by others and listen to yourself, you start to approach situations in a way that works best for you. You can’t worry about what others think, their problems, or the negative influences they have on your life. The use of strong imagery in the lines “the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds” gives meaning to what Mary Oliver is trying to get across. The stars represent you and the sheets of clouds represent the negative influences on your life. As you start to separate yourself from the negative things in your life, you will start to see yourself for how you truly want to be.  

There is only one person who can genuinely change your life, and that person is you. In the lines “determined to do the only thing you could do, determined to save the only life you could save.” (Oliver 92) Mary Oliver reiterates the importance of understanding and believing that you can make a change in your life. The only real way for someone to make a change is for him or her to accept the need for change and to take this on themselves. What Oliver is trying get across in this poem is that you can give someone all the advice in the world, but unless that person has the mindset to change, it will never happen and vis-versa. She wants the reader to realize that the only person that you can have absolute influence over is yourself. What you choose to do with that will determine the outcome of almost any situation you choose to put yourself into.

Mary Oliver’s “The Journey” is a poem that focuses on the importance of listening to yourself and disregarding the negative inputs of others. Oliver’s quality metaphors and picturesque imagery allow the reader to get a solid grasp on the message she is trying to get across. She uses numerous examples such as “determined to do the only thing you could do, determined to save the only life you could save.” (Oliver 92) along with others, to show the reader that you must listen to yourself in order to become the person you want to be. She wants the reader to understand that only “you” can make a change in your life. That there will always be persistent problems and negative influences in your life, but with determination and the will to overcome the adversity of negativity, you will see yourself for how you truly want to be. 
