Publisher: Vintage Books USA
Author's Facebook
Goodreads Page
Introduction
Sayuri was brought from a small fishing village to become a geisha--an artist who entertains men. Early on, he falls in love with the Chairman. Part of being a geisha is not loving at all, but Sayuri is determined to have something with him. As her position in Gion rises with her perseverance, WWII is approaching, threatening everything she has worked for.
Authenticity
There was much discussion regarding whether or not the book is historically accurate or a truthful description of geisha life. The following post is not going to focus on the truthfulness of this historical fiction/fictional memoir but as a launching point for essay/assignment ideas. When I was in high school taking an AP literature class, a student was tasked with comparing it with another book, and I believe it was Three Cups of Tea, which also has a scandal regarding its authenticity (see Three Cups of Deceit).
Essay Idea: Sexualized Orientalism/Women as Sexual Objects
"Golden treated Japanese culture and geisha as an object to be sexualized, exoticized, and romanticized." Orientalism and the Binary of Fact and Fiction in Memoirs of a Geisha, Kimiko Akita.
Despite trying to pound into the reader that geisha are not prostitutes, the sexualization and exchange of money are hard to ignore. They are educated young women, and still, their bodies are treated as marketable. Portions of the book are focused on how much flesh can be displayed to whom, and when. The end game of some geisha is to become a wealthy man's mistress (which can be seen as a prostitute attached to only one man). Hatsumomo's downfall accumulated with her probably becoming a prostitute, which is portrayed as negative. The conflicting ideology is tough to swallow. The label of prostitute is the absolute worst, yet the height of their careers is when they can exchange sex for money. A geisha's sale of her virginity is probably the highlight of her career, and people remember the sums they bring in.
The book depicts children/women as a burden. They are sold and whisked away to the city, where they become geisha or prostitutes (in the book, there's no mention of other possibilities, such as factory work, maids, etc.). When they do not earn as much as they used to, they are no longer valued and are seen as another mouth to feed (Hatsumomo). Hatsumomo and Pumpkin can be viewed as the outcome of such a life of exploitation.
See more here.
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| http://www.worldhistoria.com/oiran-vs-geisha_topic124658.html |
Essay Idea: Book VS Film
The film, in my opinion, focused too much on the scenery than on being a good film (but it was a gorgeous film!). Characters aren't introduced properly, and I'd wouldn't be surprised if viewers were confused. In the book, Sayuri pursues men of her own choosing (aside from the constant pursuit of the Chairman). In the film, she does not pursue men other than the Chairman (which can be read as predatory, as he was a married adult when he met her, and she was 12). There are a plethora of differences that can be discussed.
Essay Idea: Truth of the Geisha, Golden VS Iwasaki
This book was written by an American. He does have some impressive credentials, including a degree in art history (specializing in Japanese art) from Harvard, and a M.A. from Columbia University in Japanese history. He had to ask some geisha to break their secrecy for this novel, and apparently, Mineko Iwasaki asked to not be named...which he did. In the back of the book, he thanked her, which cause a scandal in the current geisha world. She has since released her own memoir (Geisha, a Life), as it is contested by many that Memoirs of a Geisha has a lot of misinformation. A compare and contrast of the books' geisha would be interesting (as of writing, I have not read Iwasaki's book, I am waiting for it to arrive).
It has been purposed that perhaps he conflated oiran with geisha. They were in the pleasure districts and it seems that Golden's geisha are a mixture of oiran and geisha.
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| http://villains.wikia.com/wiki/Hatsumomo |
The book gives some details about how Japan was changing before, during, and after WWII. If you like history, you can write about the Great Depression and the American Occupation. How were they affected in Gion, or were they sheltered? What about the traditions they held on to, or tried to hold on to?
Essay Idea: Female Characters & Identity
This book is full of women, both good and bad. Ultimately, they all seem to scheme, one way or another, to survive in their world. Who survives by being strong and independent, and who submits to the oppressive system to get by? Why doesn't Hatsumomo make it?
(In the reverse, it seems that all men are creeps, even, IMO, the Chairman. What does that say in the narrative, as it relates to the women?)
Also, the concept of identity is interesting in this book. The female geisha characters are born with one name (Chiyo), and when they become geisha, they get a name that usually connects them with their mentor (Sayuri). If they are adopted by their okiya, they get the family name (Nitta) as well. Sayuri narrates her life, and her older persona seems to have a new identity as well, detached from her former selves. Geisha have elaborate hair and makeup, masking them, shielding them, making them a fantasy. Their kimono give them an unnatural cylinder shape that is difficult to walk in. The obi of their kimono have to be tied by men. With the help of men, and for men, they have to shift their identities. (Unless men are adopted for business reasons, they never change their name.)
Perhaps shifting identities is the only way for these women to survive their society. Perhaps they needed it because just being a regular woman in society was a dangerous feat.
Essay Idea: The Translator's Note?
The beginning of the novel starts with a translator's note, which is just Golden framing the narrative. What does this add? Authenticity, especially when the book's truthfulness is questioned? A buffer for misconceptions? The book isn't really a memoir either.
And this is all I have come up with. Please let me know if any of this was helpful! This blog gets hits but I rarely get comments anymore, so I feel like I am screaming into the void here.
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