Historical Novel: Memoirs of a Geisha Memoirs of a Geisha is a compelling novel that is centered on a young girl’s journey of maturing and becoming a prominent and successful geisha. The book was written by Author Golden and published in 1997. The story was based on the life of geisha in Japan during the 1930s and 1940s. Geisha literally translates into “art person.” Geisha are Japanese women that are trained to entertain men with singing‚ dancing‚ and conversation. The book itself was very
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Throughout Japanese history‚ the geisha has become a historical shrine passed on from generation to generation. From their refined repertoire of the arts to the intellectual conversations with clients‚ the geisha has various qualities of integrity to be recognized in Japanese history. Behind the perfectly painted face and overly constricted kimonos are the scars of true sacrifice towards this cultural profession‚ but is the true perseverance of the traditional geisha fading into the shadows of modern
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many‚” (Phaedrus) seems to be a recurrent theme throughout the novel‚ Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. Inspired by Mineko Iwasaki’s life‚ Golden spins the story of a young girl who is sold into “slavery” and is trained to be a geisha as WWII occurs. Sayuri‚ one of the most well regarded and famous geishas to ever exist‚ struggles with her transition from being a plebeian in a fishing village to a training geisha in an an okiya. However‚ during this time‚ Sayuri becomes acquainted with many different
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Alexandra Guerrero Composition I December 2‚ 2015 Geisha The geisha have long served as one of Japan’s oldest professions. They are female entertainers who act as hostesses and engage in conversation‚ perform traditional dance and music‚ and play games with their (usually male) clients.Dating back centuries‚ they have charmed patrons with their wit‚ humor‚ and proficiency in the traditional arts. The name term ‘Geisha’ comes from the two kanji symbols consisting of ‚ 芸 (gei) meaning
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traditions have grown over time. One distinguishing facet of the Japanese culture is the "geisha." The practice of the "geisha" tradition is elegant‚ stunning‚ and sophisticated while it empowers women simultaneously. This environment enabled the development for Japanese women to gain a form of influence or power that did not exist to the majority of women throughout the world. The Oxford English Dictionary defines “geisha” as “a Japanese girl whose profession is to entertain men by dancing and singing;
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Memoirs of a Geisha is full of admiration‚ primarily to Western readers who are unaccustomed with the spiritual Japanese geisha. As a geisha‚ you is positioned to entertain men with dance‚ conversation‚ and song. Many people believe geishas are considered as prostitutes‚ but really they represent the past of Japan more than they represent prostitutes. Marc Canter mentioned how these geishas go through a variety of changes in their roles in the past and are now absolutely different from where they
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Arthur Golden wrote this novel for a purpose and this was to inform the reader about this incredible secret culture he himself had discovered whilst interviewing a famous geisha Mineko Iwasaki and it was through the effectiveness of all the elements of his style that he achieved this purpose quite sufficiently. The language used in the novel is very clear and elegant. By using original Japanese words and detailed descriptions the author draws the most incredible pictures in the readers’ mind.
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Imagery Consistent with much Japanese art and literature‚ Memoirs of a Geisha includes a great deal of nature imagery. Traditionally‚ Japanese art features trees‚ insects‚ and bodies of water‚ just as poetry (most notably the haiku) often presents images from nature as metaphors for life’s lessons. Golden’s use of natural and Japanese imagery in Memoirs of a Geisha brings his fiction in line with this tradition and gives the novel a decidedly Japanese feel. Sayuri recalls a client who once mentioned
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one “key moment” in a person’s life‚ as in the case of Sayuri‚ the protagonist of the novel‚ Memoirs of a Geisha‚ by Arthur Golden. This historical fiction story tells of a young Japanese girl from a small fishing village‚ who is sent away to the big city of Gion in order to train to be a geisha. Throughout the novel‚ Sayuri sometimes loses her meaning and purpose in life‚ in being a geisha‚ but always eventually finds it; often times through encounters with other characters‚ sometimes by herself
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Today the make-up of geisha is one of the most recognizable characteristics about them‚ but historically this has not always been the case. The origins of white face make-up in Japanese culture are largely disputed. Some believe that the Japanese were inspired by "pale faced" European women‚ while others believe that it originated in China and was later adopted by the women in the Japanese court. The use of white make-up in Japanese history can be dated back as early as the Heian Era (794-1185 AD)
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