Book Review: "Memoirs Of A Geisha"
Book: Memoirs Of A Geisha (1997)
Author: Arthur Golden
Publisher: Vintage Books USA
LB Rating: 3/5 (old rating: 7/10)
Memoirs Of A Geisha follows the story of Nitta Sayuri and her rise as a geisha of Gion District, Japan. In Sayuri's childhood she was Chiyo Sakamoto, a curious girl taken away from her impoverished senile parents and sold off to a geisha house in Gion. After many years and many more hardships, she would become Nitta Sayuri, the most celebrated geisha in the district. Sayuri would realize later that her success bound her from determining her future or from falling in love. When the second world war came, the geishas were no more as they were reduced into laborers and survivors. It was at this point when Sayuri would passionately sought for a way to reclaim to control her life even at the cost of losing things she used to held dear.
Memoirs is a typical Asian drama at its face--the main character is beaten to a pulp by numerous hardships in life, only to come out satisfyingly victorious in the end. However, while the mainstream Asian drama I grew up with that gives its main characters unrealistic problems for the sake of conflict, Memoirs stood out of the genre's stereotypical structure by exuding realism and painting nuances. Let me recall how Golden does these through the following points:
Plot of details - I think that the details in the story made Memoirs appear realistic. To be fair, Memoirs is upfront in telling the readers that it's supposed to be a fictional biographical account or a realistic biography of a fictional character. This means that while Nitta Sayuri is fictional, her life seems to have been the life of a geisha in the pre-World War II Japan because the details, time, and place appear to be historically accurate. This is supported by the claims that Arthur Golden actually did a lot of research on the culture and history of geisha. However, the appearance of realism is debunked by the outrage of Mrs. Mineko Iwasaki, an accomplished geisha in 1960s who Golden cited to be his source. Mrs. Iwasaki denied many of details presented in Memoirs, especially since she saw that the main character's story is strongly patterned on her life. Golden contended that by virtue of artistic freedom, he made up the details Mrs. Iwasaki claimed to be untrue: but this only proved that Memoirs is not as historically or culturally accurate as it presents itself to be.
Despite these claims that Memoirs is mostly fabricated (to which I concede), on the standpoint of literary entertainment, I maintain my view that the allure of Memoirs come from its realistic depiction of the geisha life and culture. Even if Memoirs isn't factually accurate, it still appears to be, thanks to the effective placing of adequate details in the novel. The story would always find itself digressing so that the world-building can ensue. The details go beyond appearances and activities of geisha but also with the apparent Japanese superstitions, the power relations among the geisha, and emotional state of the nation during and after the war. These nuances preserve the allure of realism in the story. I am not saying that Memoirs is factually accurate; I am saying that the novel appears to be accurate, even if it isn't, because of good storytelling. Therefore, I appreciate the storytelling of Memoirs.
I am aware of the backlash of such allure. The problem is that people who do not know better nor are unwilling to research may consider Memoirs as an historical account because of how realistic it seems. This may result in cultural misrepresentation, especially when readers are biased to the point that they would consider Memoirs true despite evidences that claim otherwise. The danger of cultural misrepresentation makes me understand the criticisms against the novel which claim that Golden mystified Japanese culture in the same way most Western literary depictions of the East tend to. Therefore, I implore fellow readers to be critical with literature and recognize which is fiction and which isn't. For instance, I wouldn't really consider Memoirs as a representation of geisha culture. If I really wanted such, I would read Mrs. Mineko Iwasaki's biography (which is listed in my to-be-read books).
Plot of compromise - Contributing to the realism of Memoirs is not only the facts that can be fact-checked but also through the development of the plot. I think this is the crucial element in my reading that made me feel as if Memoirs is an organic story of an individual. The development of the plot made me sympathize with the main character Sayuri, in contrast to most Asian drama to which I do not feel attachment at all. The difference is that plot is developed through compromise.
What I meant by compromise is providing wins and losses to the main character. Sayuri is not always losing, like most Asian drama main characters--she also wins. She may have lost important people and things in her life, but she recognized that she had made loyal friends and patrons. Sayuri had been plunged in an ugly world, but she was still appreciative of the beauty of such world. The conclusion of the plot best illustrates this, (Major spoilers!) as she finally ends up with her love interest after many sacrifices, but only on the level of an illegitimate lover. Even then, she is content and happy. That's too darn realistic for me in contrast with the all-or-nothing stories that either gifts the protagonist the "happily ever after" card or dooms the protagonist with Shakespearean tragedy. Since I found that the allure of Memoirs is how real it feels, I find this plot of compromise extremely effective in contributing to such allure.
Idioms - I also love the idioms in Memoirs. I believe that idioms are products of cultural context or the lifestyle of certain societies. For example, I never fully understood the idiom "chip on your shoulder" at first glance because we never really use it locally in our Asian community. Conversely, I don't think Westerners would also fully understand the extent of shame when one "loses face" as much as Asians do because of how certain Asian communities' consider family pride as an essential value. My point is that idioms in Memoirs feel organically Eastern yet still relatable for non-Eastern people. I think that it is good writing to be able to translate local culture to a wider audience.
Social commentary on inequality (minor) - I don't think Memoirs is supposed to be a commentary regarding class and gender inequality, but it certainly does show implications of the realities of inequality. The novel showed the disparity between the rich who are able to indulge themselves with artistic performances and the poor who are shoved into being artisans because it's their only way out of poverty. However, during the war, such disparity is blurred. Everyone is equal when the country is on war; everyone needs help and has seen brighter days. I feel like Memoirs painted a good picture of poverty and the effects of war. I had many uncomfortable sensations in my stomach while reading because of I empathized with the impoverished main characters. Such good picture is a doorway to discussions on class inequality and war that I would leave it to you to ponder on.
Memoirs also has implications on the reality of gender inequality. I would however argue that I saw empowerment, not disempowerment. It is true that women were placed in an inferior situation in the story and that the success of geisha revolved not mostly on their art but their sexuality. Yet, it is still important to recognize that the story is in the context of poverty. In extreme poverty, you cannot expect fair treatment nor entitlement due to gender; you have to do what you can to survive, even if it means objectifying your sexuality. Now I'm not saying that sexual objectification and abuse is justified because of necessity in the face of poverty--rather, that they are the unfortunate consequences of poverty, consequences that desperation to survive pushes us towards. All these means that while there is disempowerment on basis of gender, the real disempowerment is on the basis of class disparity.
Empowerment is where main characters are able to become great women despite their disadvantages and limitations. Instead of sulking around because of how they are enslaved and sexualized, they actually used their disadvantage to gain a formidable position of power. When Sayuri gained success as a geisha, I had nothing but admiration for her efforts and Mameha's cunning. At the very least, I laud their courage to survive in a world that would gladly let them die, and I think that it's an empowerment beyond the genders but also for the voiceless.
All in all, I find Memoirs Of A Geisha an interesting book with an effective storytelling and an enjoyable emotional roller coaster ride for a plot. While the writing is not as excellent as the top-notch writers I admire like Tolkien and Gaiman, it succeeded in alluring me with realism both in its nuances and its compromising story line. However, I warn readers to take in Memoirs strictly as fiction, as it may misrepresent Japanese culture to a certain extent.
Author: Arthur Golden
Publisher: Vintage Books USA
LB Rating: 3/5 (old rating: 7/10)
Memoirs Of A Geisha follows the story of Nitta Sayuri and her rise as a geisha of Gion District, Japan. In Sayuri's childhood she was Chiyo Sakamoto, a curious girl taken away from her impoverished senile parents and sold off to a geisha house in Gion. After many years and many more hardships, she would become Nitta Sayuri, the most celebrated geisha in the district. Sayuri would realize later that her success bound her from determining her future or from falling in love. When the second world war came, the geishas were no more as they were reduced into laborers and survivors. It was at this point when Sayuri would passionately sought for a way to reclaim to control her life even at the cost of losing things she used to held dear.
Memoirs is a typical Asian drama at its face--the main character is beaten to a pulp by numerous hardships in life, only to come out satisfyingly victorious in the end. However, while the mainstream Asian drama I grew up with that gives its main characters unrealistic problems for the sake of conflict, Memoirs stood out of the genre's stereotypical structure by exuding realism and painting nuances. Let me recall how Golden does these through the following points:
Plot of details - I think that the details in the story made Memoirs appear realistic. To be fair, Memoirs is upfront in telling the readers that it's supposed to be a fictional biographical account or a realistic biography of a fictional character. This means that while Nitta Sayuri is fictional, her life seems to have been the life of a geisha in the pre-World War II Japan because the details, time, and place appear to be historically accurate. This is supported by the claims that Arthur Golden actually did a lot of research on the culture and history of geisha. However, the appearance of realism is debunked by the outrage of Mrs. Mineko Iwasaki, an accomplished geisha in 1960s who Golden cited to be his source. Mrs. Iwasaki denied many of details presented in Memoirs, especially since she saw that the main character's story is strongly patterned on her life. Golden contended that by virtue of artistic freedom, he made up the details Mrs. Iwasaki claimed to be untrue: but this only proved that Memoirs is not as historically or culturally accurate as it presents itself to be.
Despite these claims that Memoirs is mostly fabricated (to which I concede), on the standpoint of literary entertainment, I maintain my view that the allure of Memoirs come from its realistic depiction of the geisha life and culture. Even if Memoirs isn't factually accurate, it still appears to be, thanks to the effective placing of adequate details in the novel. The story would always find itself digressing so that the world-building can ensue. The details go beyond appearances and activities of geisha but also with the apparent Japanese superstitions, the power relations among the geisha, and emotional state of the nation during and after the war. These nuances preserve the allure of realism in the story. I am not saying that Memoirs is factually accurate; I am saying that the novel appears to be accurate, even if it isn't, because of good storytelling. Therefore, I appreciate the storytelling of Memoirs.
I am aware of the backlash of such allure. The problem is that people who do not know better nor are unwilling to research may consider Memoirs as an historical account because of how realistic it seems. This may result in cultural misrepresentation, especially when readers are biased to the point that they would consider Memoirs true despite evidences that claim otherwise. The danger of cultural misrepresentation makes me understand the criticisms against the novel which claim that Golden mystified Japanese culture in the same way most Western literary depictions of the East tend to. Therefore, I implore fellow readers to be critical with literature and recognize which is fiction and which isn't. For instance, I wouldn't really consider Memoirs as a representation of geisha culture. If I really wanted such, I would read Mrs. Mineko Iwasaki's biography (which is listed in my to-be-read books).
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| This is cover of the copy of Memoirs Of A Geisha that I have. I bought it, surprisingly, on a canteen that suddenly decided to sell old books at a very cheap price. (Image source: Google) |
Plot of compromise - Contributing to the realism of Memoirs is not only the facts that can be fact-checked but also through the development of the plot. I think this is the crucial element in my reading that made me feel as if Memoirs is an organic story of an individual. The development of the plot made me sympathize with the main character Sayuri, in contrast to most Asian drama to which I do not feel attachment at all. The difference is that plot is developed through compromise.
What I meant by compromise is providing wins and losses to the main character. Sayuri is not always losing, like most Asian drama main characters--she also wins. She may have lost important people and things in her life, but she recognized that she had made loyal friends and patrons. Sayuri had been plunged in an ugly world, but she was still appreciative of the beauty of such world. The conclusion of the plot best illustrates this, (Major spoilers!) as she finally ends up with her love interest after many sacrifices, but only on the level of an illegitimate lover. Even then, she is content and happy. That's too darn realistic for me in contrast with the all-or-nothing stories that either gifts the protagonist the "happily ever after" card or dooms the protagonist with Shakespearean tragedy. Since I found that the allure of Memoirs is how real it feels, I find this plot of compromise extremely effective in contributing to such allure.
Idioms - I also love the idioms in Memoirs. I believe that idioms are products of cultural context or the lifestyle of certain societies. For example, I never fully understood the idiom "chip on your shoulder" at first glance because we never really use it locally in our Asian community. Conversely, I don't think Westerners would also fully understand the extent of shame when one "loses face" as much as Asians do because of how certain Asian communities' consider family pride as an essential value. My point is that idioms in Memoirs feel organically Eastern yet still relatable for non-Eastern people. I think that it is good writing to be able to translate local culture to a wider audience.
Social commentary on inequality (minor) - I don't think Memoirs is supposed to be a commentary regarding class and gender inequality, but it certainly does show implications of the realities of inequality. The novel showed the disparity between the rich who are able to indulge themselves with artistic performances and the poor who are shoved into being artisans because it's their only way out of poverty. However, during the war, such disparity is blurred. Everyone is equal when the country is on war; everyone needs help and has seen brighter days. I feel like Memoirs painted a good picture of poverty and the effects of war. I had many uncomfortable sensations in my stomach while reading because of I empathized with the impoverished main characters. Such good picture is a doorway to discussions on class inequality and war that I would leave it to you to ponder on.
Memoirs also has implications on the reality of gender inequality. I would however argue that I saw empowerment, not disempowerment. It is true that women were placed in an inferior situation in the story and that the success of geisha revolved not mostly on their art but their sexuality. Yet, it is still important to recognize that the story is in the context of poverty. In extreme poverty, you cannot expect fair treatment nor entitlement due to gender; you have to do what you can to survive, even if it means objectifying your sexuality. Now I'm not saying that sexual objectification and abuse is justified because of necessity in the face of poverty--rather, that they are the unfortunate consequences of poverty, consequences that desperation to survive pushes us towards. All these means that while there is disempowerment on basis of gender, the real disempowerment is on the basis of class disparity.
Empowerment is where main characters are able to become great women despite their disadvantages and limitations. Instead of sulking around because of how they are enslaved and sexualized, they actually used their disadvantage to gain a formidable position of power. When Sayuri gained success as a geisha, I had nothing but admiration for her efforts and Mameha's cunning. At the very least, I laud their courage to survive in a world that would gladly let them die, and I think that it's an empowerment beyond the genders but also for the voiceless.
All in all, I find Memoirs Of A Geisha an interesting book with an effective storytelling and an enjoyable emotional roller coaster ride for a plot. While the writing is not as excellent as the top-notch writers I admire like Tolkien and Gaiman, it succeeded in alluring me with realism both in its nuances and its compromising story line. However, I warn readers to take in Memoirs strictly as fiction, as it may misrepresent Japanese culture to a certain extent.
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