What’s inside the metal drum? : A critical analysis using feminism of the poem “The Conversion” by J. Neil Garcia

What’s inside the metal drum? : A critical analysis using feminism of the poem “The Conversion” by J. Neil Garcia.

            The discrimination of girl-hearted man inflicts acceptance.  In the past generations, they believed that a man being born biologically as a boy should act masculinity while a woman should act femininity. In that perception, I do believe that gays and lesbians are exist already yet endured and transgender that time are not yet introduced because of poor technology: maybe those are some of the factors why they can easily conceal who they really are, should I say, during those times we should act appropriately and accordingly to our biological sex. In the poem made by J. Neil entitled “The Conversion”, he was able to open up the readers’ eyes on how gay is discriminated from family’s and relatives refusal to rumors in the society, they believed that being gay is a scourge just like an epidemic. Specifically, the metal drum that I’m referring to is a place where the persona from the story of the poem got metanoia− a change in mind, from gay he was forced to decide to change by abusing him for what the people surrounds him wanted him to be for the best of him where was his father’s belief that if he became straight man he will be accepted in the community, he belongs. This critical analysis is discussing about the gay part of the persona in the poem inside the metal drum where the conversion happened from gay to straight man, we can say now that, this is anti-feminism because the feelings of the girl part of the persona was not given an importance, not fought and came with discrimination and denial. Also, the poem implies that a man have more power that woman and no equity in terms of roles, aptitude and rights.

            In the poem itself we can realize by reading then analyzing on how could we say that the gay was being discriminated and why this poem became anti-feminism. He was suspected by others based from his actions that he is a gay causing rumors spreading to all the people in their community together with his relatives, it hurts (from the lines of the poem 13-16). By just showing or acting who you are, others got issues at once. Those times, it’s too hard to socialize if you are different from them. Stated from the lines of the poem 21-38, what’s the process of the diversion and how he was being abused by his own father to change him forcefully. In particular, he was dragged by his father down the stairs by his hair, his father always kept booming, his father and his uncles punched him, bore him and drowned him in a metal drum full of water. All this happened to him, to the persona, even just the solution is acceptance but no one can be blamed if that is their culture and belief. Since we are tackling about anti feminism, after he was converted from gay to straight man, the proof of his manhood, transition is showed just like his father did to him, he has more power to discriminate his wife, he has order a lot, he hurt her, and his wife has more household chores and responsibility to do to his children while he is enjoying miserable life, as specified in the lines from the poem 47-63.

            The poem is anti-feminism because what’s inside the metal drum is an act or process of diversion, the conversion, but who is inside the metal drum is the girl side of the persona who experienced discrimination, anguish and life without love from others just him. The girl inside the metal drum needs sympathy and help if not too late before she decided to stay and let the boy’s freedom to live and came to more tragic situation. Also, the poem is anti-feminism regardless my point of view, I agree that there is an equity and equality between man and a woman. I just want to give emphasis the manners, culture and the impact of being gay in the society during this generation. I do believe that it has a relation why gays now are easily accepted than before. The belief of the people that surround us especially our love ones affects the decision we will make though we didn’t want it, we will do it, we will be the one to adjust but fighting for who we are, for what is right is more enthusiastic for us. Don’t think about how other people see you or think about you as soon as you’re comfortable then go live life to the fullest supporting someone who wants to bloom and fly without discriminating them.