Memoirs of a Geisha: First Half 

Choosing to read Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden for my lit circle this past week has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Oftentimes, I'm accustomed to reading literature concerning America or Europe, and it's usually not very difficult to visualize what is taking place in the story. Unlike most of the literature I have experienced before, this novel put me in Japan within an exotic culture - a culture clouded by wide misconceptions. I admire the author of this novel greatly because he is able to not only help me understand the customs of a completely different world, but also write in the point of view of a girl flawlessly. While reading, the main question that came up in the novel regards the nature of pursuing the path towards becoming a geisha. Is it good or is it bad? Does it help Chiyo to become Sayuri or will it simply lead to her objectification? 

In her path towards becoming a geisha, it seems that Sayuri often undergoes many moments of self reflection - obviously, that would seem like a good thing. Pursuing her path towards becoming a geisha allows Sayuri to think about her place within the world, the nature of her own destiny and fate within the grand realm of the world. Yet, there is one quote I found extremely significant in the novel. When Sayuri first gets her name change she says, "It was as if the little girl named Chiyo, running barefoot from the pond to her tipsy house, no longer existed. I felt that this new girl, Sayuri, with her gleaming white face and her red lips, had destroyed her" (Golden 167). This is one of the first descriptions that we encounter after Sayuri takes a big step towards becoming a geisha. When reading this, I thought of the whole "mask" and "veil" idea that is prevalent throughout the novel. Oftentimes, a "gleaming white face" and "red lips" are features that are prominent in a doll. A doll never changes her face and outer appearance - similar to a mask, which hides inner feelings by sticking to one outer appearance. Could pursuing this path actually be beneficial and morally sound if it strips Chiyo of her ability to express herself? Furthermore, the quote uses the word "destroyed" in it, which leads to the idea of death and loss - a negative connotation. I interpreted this as a metaphorical death of Chiyo and the birth of Sayuri - but should we be happy that Chiyo has been replaced? Not only does the transition mimic a sort of loss of innocence, but it is also presented and described in a very negative way. 

Apart from this quote, I could not help but notice the life of geisha in general. There is a quote in which Sayuri says, "I was finding it difficult to believe that these men - who has paid so considerably to be there, among women wrapped in expensive, beautiful robes - really wanted to hear the same sorts of stories children back in the pond in Yoroido might have told" (Golden 174). What really are the perks of being a geisha? Although you may be admired by the community in general, unveiling a first impression exposes the objectification that takes place. Geisha are not perceived by men to be human - they are a representation of men's wealth and power. Chiyo was always so clever - I can't imagine her truly letting this happen to herself. Are geisha ever happy? I haven't seen any geisha that are happy in this novel so far...could this be the "wrong kind of living" as Chiyo once thought of Granny's life? 

I'm definitely looking forward to completing the novel and hope to answer some of these questions in our next lit circle!