Memoirs of Geisha

  For those who have not read the book or have seen the movie this is a little incent on this book, Memoirs of Geisha(I am still currently reading it).  Being a woman reading this book is very upsetting to me.  Don't get me wrong the book itself and the detail is amazing. Let me give a little summary: Chiyo is a young girl that lives with her parents and sister in a small fishing village.  Her mother becomes ill and her father is pretty old himself. The father knowing that his wife is going to die and he will soon follow, sells his daughters to a man that places them in homes in which they will geishas.  Her sister(not as pretty as her) is separated from her and is put in a very bad home where she sleeps with men for money(she is like 13 at the time i think).  This is where she begins the struggle of her life, she faces many obstacles of her growth into a geisha(which are women who entertain men for a price, they dance, pour tea for them, and sell their virginity to the highest bidder).  Basically they are high priced prostitutes.  Nothing to these girls seems sexual but everything to the Japanese men does.  Even as simple as a hair style means something to them...example: they wear a style called "peach" what does a peach really look like??? If a geisha is a virgin she must wear a patterned ribbon to symbolize this....after she loses her virginity it must be red.  The symbolism in the color red/blood.  The  back of the neck, the hands/arms are sexual objects to the Japanese men.  Their lives consist of going to parties(entertaining men), going to school to learn different dances, instruments, tea ceremonies, finding a danna(most like a pimp he pays for everything the women needs) but she is to serve him in anyway he wishes(use your imagination).  In those days there was no birth control except for a few herbal supplements and of course abortion.  This was a very common thing...because no danna wants a baby, you must get rid of it.  A geisha's main goal is to make enough money so that you are adopted by the "mother" that runs the home in which you live in.  And eventually when your "mother" dies it becomes yours.  The only way you can get her to adopt you is if you prove your a profitable aspect to her.  Chiyo's virginity was one of the highest bids ever recieved in that time....1930's.  Japanese money is YEN and the doctor spent 8000Y for her. What makes Chiyo so different and wanted is not only because she young and beautiful but it is her eyes/ are like mirrors that you can look into and see yourself.  They are a metallic silver color.  Chiyo secretly loves a man that is out of reach...exspecially since the mans best friend was bidding for as well.  The things this girl had to go through in her life are things I can never even imagine for myself.  I am yet finished but I will let you know what I think at the end of the book. But I must say as a women somethings in this book are very disheartening to me.  A women that lives her life for men and is paid for her body and company. 

9:48 AM - Jan. 24, 2006 - post comment

geisha...

i know its hard for westerners to understand the asian psyche. i watched the movie and wasnt really impressed with the storyline cause i guess it was already common knowledge for me. alot of asian ways and traditions may seem kinda fawked up... but i still have my asian pride. lolz.
C.

4everlostnalone - 4:26 PM - Jan. 25, 2006

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