Memoirs of a Geisha

Franklin D. Roosevelt was once quoted saying, “Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds”. Within this world of endless possibilities, nothing is certain but the unforeseen. Every person is given the extraordinary power to compose their course of existence, presuming that the individual can summon up the courage to challenge one’s fate. In Arthur Golden’s novel Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri Nitta recalls her experiences throughout her journey of becoming a geisha. Sayuri Nitta, whose original name was Chiyo Sakamoto, is a strikingly beautiful girl who grew up in an impoverished fishing family in Yoroido. At the age of nine, she was sold by her troubled father to a geisha house in Gion, while her older sister Satsu was…

The book I chose, was Memoirs Of A Geisha by Arthur Golden. It starts with a young girl, Chiyo San. She lives in a old house, with an older sister, father, and very ill mother. He father cant keep paying for the two girls, and keep his wife healthy. So in order to buy his wife‘s medicine, he sells the two girls to a man who pays for young girls, to be shipped to a geisha house. Her sister and her are split and both plan to run away from their houses. Chiyo then runs into a famous geisha, who…

The ending of Memoirs of a Geisha conveys a bittersweet feeling to the audience. On one hand she ultimately gets what she wants, but at what price? Through the films camera placement, and mise-en-scène, which incorporates the use of water, and the overall contrasting setting of both the beginning and ending, we have limited perception that creates the overall feeling of incompleteness in a story that will inevitably start again. In a dimly lit rainy scene we follow a train traveling into the…

The film “Memoirs of a Geisha” certainly Dion Beebe’s meaning of an “artistic film,” a film that utilises visual impacts to deliver a particular impression of time, place, and story. For many viewers, Memoirs of a Geisha’s appeal lay in its remarkable representation of geisha life. Neither spouse nor a prostitute, geisha in pre-war Japan were greatly trained entertainers respected for their abilities in dance, music and discussion. The film celebrates geisha by clearly differentiating their…

Memoirs of a Geisha Few decades ago, Japan hit its golden time by conquering some of the Asia Pacific regions. Japanese people were so courageous to work hard, which lifted their life to become better. Although Great Depression gave huge effects to the country, the society could manage themselves not to fall beyond their limit. Around that time, Japanese culture and tradition were strongly embraced by them. Japanese culture and tradition blended among the society and held inside their soul. One…

The duty and role of a geisha is very important to the Japanese culture. They have entertained noble and wealthy people since the 1600s in the Edo period. Most people think that geisha are just women who wear too much makeup, wear kimonos, and wooden slippers. There is a lot more to them and their craft than people think. In fact, it takes many years of training and studying to be able to entertain for the higher class. Geisha usually work and entertain people at teahouse and parties. They are…

Biopsychosocial Model/ Trauma History Memoirs of a Geisha reveals the mysterious customs of the geisha culture for each us to see. Prior to watching this film, I had no knowledge of the geisha culture. Through this movie, I learned that a geisha is a female Japanese entertainer. Moreover, a geisha works in teahouses, dances, play musical instruments and participates in other forms of entertainment to occupy her clients (Marshall et al., 2005). This film depicts the trials and tribulations of a…

Kyoto: The Heart of the Geisha Community If you’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be a geisha or if you want to meet one in the flesh, then it’s high time you book a ticket to Japan. Seeing a geisha in action is definitely a unique and memorable experience. In case you’re a fan of the book and film, Memoirs of a Geisha, you’ll be thrilled to experience it all in Kyoto. First, here’s everything you need to know about the life of a geisha. The Makings of a Geisha A geisha is a…

Memoirs of a Geisha This report is about the film “Memoirs of a Geisha” which portrays the life of Chiyo, a young Japanese girl, who was sold to a geisha house, in Kyoto in the 1930s because of her family’s financial difficulties. Her geisha training is almost near to the life of slavery. Chiyo finds herself working as a maid to a despiteful geisha naming Hatsumomo. Chiyo’s unique beauty attracted Hatsumomo’s jealousy. Hatsumomo then made little Chiyo’s life miserable. One day, as Chiyo weeps by…

In filmmaking and storytelling, a common saying is that “a story is only as good as its antagonist”--and a good film will not only tell the story of its hero, but also its villain. In Memoirs of a Geisha, Hatsumomo (as a character) plays a large importance in Sayuri’s career, from the beginning at the okiya as a maid to the end of Hatsumomo’s own career. The passage where Hatsumomo confronts Sayuri and Mameha for following her (pg. 324-325) would not only translate well to film, but is also…