The Memoirs Of a Geisha

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Memoirs of a Geisha By: Anna Rubiec The novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, depicts the life and turmoils of being a geisha. The story demonstrates the honorable aspects of trained artists such as dancers, musicians and entertainers. Women as Geishas are well recognized as valued companions for influential men in the society in Japan. The author, Arthur Golden, wrote “It is not for Geisha to want. It is not for Geisha to feel. Geisha is an artist of the floating world. She dances. She sings. She entertains you, whatever you want. The rest is shadows. The rest is secret.” The novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, demonstrates that Sayuri determines the difference between reality and illusion revealing that nothing is what it appears to be. She is encouraged by her role models to never give up hope when pursuing her dreams. Chiyo starts to realize that her life will not change following a fairy tale story, instead it will develop many changes from her childhood to the moment of being sold into slavery and training as geisha apprentice revealing change occurring throughout her life stages. As Chiyo’s mother was getting weak and sick, Chiyo had met Mr. Tanaka whom gave her a helping hand in her time of need; unfortunately, he had deceived her, and rather than taking her in for adoption, he had instead taken her away from her family to Gion, Japan where she was sold to an okiya as a soon-to-be geisha. Sadly, Chiyo’s sister, Satsu wasn’t so fortunate; Satsu was instead taken to a brothel where she would be a prostitute. When Chiyo had first arrived at the okiya, she had met a highly renowned geisha named Hatsumomo. She is easily compared to the element of ‘fire’ as a young woman having a fiery temper with anyone she despises or happens to get in her way of being a popular geisha. Hatsumomo attempts to sabotage Chiyo’s chance of becoming the daughter of the okiya by trying

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