Mary Oliver The Swimming Lesson Essay

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Exploring the Depths of Nature In a world full of uncertainties, do we pause to decipher our journey in life as everything unfolds around us? As we delve deeper into life, we can come to an agreement that there are obstacles that can hinder us mentally and emotionally. However, as life goes on, we learn to become resilient and reflect on our experiences to overcome such challenges. The "The Swimming Lesson" by Mary Oliver explores the transformative nature of water and its profound meanings in everyday experiences. Known for her deep emotional insights and connection to nature, her poems often explore themes of introspection, wonder, and the interconnectedness of living things. Mary Oliver. "The Swimming Lesson" powerfully conveys the transformational nature of water, using its dynamic movements and depths as metaphors for personal growth. Oliver's powerful imagery urges readers to consider the fundamental parallels between nature's fluidity and the road of self-discovery. This poem tells us how individuals can adapt and learn life lessons from obstacles by engaging with their surroundings to better …show more content…

In the first verse, the speaker describes the water while swimming as “Feeling the icy kick, the endless waves.” This metaphorized the challenges in life, yet despite this, they kept pushing and moving, being resilient and determined. This can be proven by the following lines: “Reaching around my life, I moved my arms.” The speaker’s experience portrays how one can learn valuable lessons from things that hinder us by adapting and engaging with nature and our surroundings. By pushing through the “icy kick” and “endless waves”, we become more determined to face other conflicts in life. It is within one’s self to choose whether to give up, or to move on with deeper emotional and mental understanding of the journey we go