AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
By
DESY WAHYU HASTIKA
Student Number: 994214021
Student Registration Number: 99005112010612021
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS
FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY
Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see
That without dust the rainbow would not be.
Langston Hughes (1902-1967)
This thesis is dedicated to
My Beloved Parents,
Bapak B. Saparudin & Ibu T.M. Listifah
Mas Didik
Mbak Denny
And those who love Japanese cul ure
t
people who have helped me in writing the thesis. Firstly, I would like to thank my
lovely Jesus Christ for this unbelievable life. I will not forget to thank Mother
Mary for the love and help she gives me.
My greatest gratitude is dedicated to Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum as
my advisor. I thank her for the patience to read and reread, give correction to my
thesis, and also for her kindness to spend time for my thesis. I realize that without
her help I cannot finish and improve my thesis. I am grateful to have Drs.
Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum as my co-advisor for sparing his time to criticize
and give helpful advice to this thesis.
My sincere thanks also go to all lecturers of The Department of English
Letters of Sanata Dharma University for the knowledge and guidance during my
study. I also would like to give my big thanks to the secretariat and library staffs
for the good service and patience.
My exceptional gratefulness goes to my family, Bapak B. Saparudin and
Ibu T.M Listifah, my brother who is also the main sponsor of my study Antonius
Didik (Black) Listiawan and my sister Denny Dwi Kristanti for their support, and
never stop praying. Thanks for the opportunity given to me.
My special thanks go to my only family in Jogjakarta, Beo 34 community Anna “Beo”, “Bronie” Kus, Citra “Cepu”, Widhie “Pepeng”, Agnes “Brindil”,
Lucy, Retti, Mbak Ida, Asti “Astot”, Diena, Tante Lisa, Josephine, Wiwied
thank to Tilik (RIP) for the challenge and great experience.
I would like to thank Oh Lala Bistro and New Zealand Ice Cream crews for the laugh and big understanding and also Mrs. Ling Ling and Mas Denny for
the duties entrusted to me. Without their help I would have never printed my
thesis.
Thank to Neelam and Ita for checking my grammar, and also thank to Tri
Reno Purnomo “Ipunk” for the experience, the spirit and enjoyable togetherness.
And if there are people who have helped me but I have not mentioned their names
on this page, I do apologize.
Desy Wahyu Hastika
MOTTO PAGE ………...……….….… iv
A. Review of Related Studies ………..……5
B. Review of Related Theories ………...7
1. Theories of Character ...…...7
2. The Relation between Literature and Society …...10
3. Theory on Society in the Novel ...…...11
C. Review of Geisha ………..12
A. The Characterization of Sayuri, Hatsumomo, Pumpkin and Mameha ...…...23
. 1. Sayuri ………...23
2. Hatsumomo ...…....28
3. Pumpkin ...…....31
4. Mameha ...…...33
B. The Life of Geisha as Reflected in the Novel ...…...35
C. Golden’s View toward the Geisha’s Life as Reflected in the Novel. ...45
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...……...55
BIBLIOGRAPHY...58
of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.
Memoirs of A Geisha is a novel, written by an American in 1998. This novel talks about the social life of a geisha. The job as an entertainer demands the geisha to attract men in such parties every day. It makes the geisha is assumed as a prostitute. A bravery and tenacity are most needed to become a geisha. Geishas are placed in the house called Okiya, a house with strict rules where they learn much about the cultural tradition of Japan. A hard life, competition, authorization and loneliness are coloring the life of geisha which are full of elegance, glamour, and happiness. Through the characters of the novel, Arthur Golden gives a new view and depiction of the real life of geisha which is unexposed, referring to his experiences.
In this thesis, the writer uses a literary research. The data are taken from the novel Memoirs of A Geisha, encyclopedias, some dictionaries and also some articles from internet which are related to the topic. The writer uses socio-cultural historical approach, because this novel is related to the Japanese culture and the thesis aims to give a depiction of the geisha’s life in the author’s view.
The research result find out that Sayuri is depicted as a beautiful woman, a brave, a clever and also an optimistic person. Hatsumomo is depicted as an antagonist, arrogant, jealousy, and does not like to be competed. Mameha is an intelligent and a successful geisha. Pumpkin is a weak woman and a person who bears a grudge. From these characters, Arthur Golden gives a suggestion that a geisha is not the same as a prostitute as common people think. Strict rules, and demands on ability of dancing and singing are the most things which differentiate the geisha with the prostitute. Behaviors and politeness in the society make a geisha is respected as a person who is loyal to the tradition.
MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2007.
Novel Memoirs of A Geisha ditulis pada tahun 1998 oleh seorang laki- laki yang berasal dari Amerika. Novel ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan sosial geisha, wanita penghibur Jepang. Pekerjaannya sebagai wanita penghibur yang harus menemani pria setiap hari membuat geisha dinilai sebagai kelompok sosial yang sama dengan prostitusi. Keberanian dan keuletan sangat dibutuhkan untuk menjadi seorang geisha. Para geisha ditempatkan dalam suatu rumah yang disebut okiya, rumah yang mempunyai peraturan yang sangat ketat, tempat dimana mereka belajar segala hal tentang tradisi budaya Jepang. Kehidupan yang keras, persaingan, ketidak bebasan dan kesendirian mewarnai kehidupan geisha yang penuh dengan kemewahan, keindahan dan kegembiraan. Melalui karakter-karakter dalam novelnya, Arthur Golden memberikan cara pandang dan gambaran tentang kehidupan geisha yang sebenarnya yang kurang terangkat berdasarkan pengalamannya.
Dalam penulisan skripsi ini, penulis menerapkan studi pustaka. Data-data diambil dari novel Memoirs of A Geisha, ensiklopedia, kamus-kamus dan jaringan situs internet yang berhubungan dengan topik. Pendekatan yang digunakan penulis adalah pendekatan sejarah sosial budaya, karena novel ini sangat erat hubungannya dengan budaya Jepang dan tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah memberikan gambaran tentang kehidupan geisha dari sudut pandang pengarang.
Hasil pencarian menunjukkan bahwa Sayuri digambarkan sebagai wanita yang cantik, berani dan pandai serta optimis. Harsumomo digambarkan sebagai antagonis, arogan, iri dan tidak mau tersaingi. Mameha adalah geisha yang cerdik dan sukses. Pumkin digambarkan sebagai geisha yang lemah, bodoh dan pendendam. Melalui karakter-karakter tersebut, ditemukan bahwa kehidupan geisha sangatlah berat. Calon geisha harus melalui berbagai tahap yang berat untuk menjadi geisha. Melalui gambaran-gambaran tersebut, Arthur Golden memberikan pendapat tidak sama seperti pelacur seperti anggapan orang-orang awam. Peraturan yang ketat serta tuntutan kemampuan dalam menari, menyanyi dan lain-lain adalah hal yang membedakan geisha dengan prostitusi. Tingkah laku dan nilai sopan santun berbudaya menjadikan geisha lebih dihargai dan dianggap sebagai orang yang teguh pada tradisi.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
A Memoirs of A Geisha is one of the literary works written by Arthur Golden. This novel talks about the story of a geisha. Although Arthur Golden is
an American, he has learned much about Japanese culture. Therefore, he succeeds
in bringing the reader entering a new dimension and time. This novel in narrative
way describes a woman’s life as a geisha from the point of view of Nitta Sayuri,
the main character and at the same time becomes the narrator of the story. The
novel describes the process of Sayuri becoming a top geisha starting from her
childhood, her training time to become the geisha, until she becomes the top
geisha, and then the story continues with her story in reaching her dream to live
with a man to whom she wants to be married.
A Memoirs of A Geisha is the result of Golden’s studies on Japanese culture. He interviewed a top geisha in 1970s, Mineko Iwasaki to correct the
misconception about geishas. He transforms his research result into fiction in
order to depict the true concept of geishas and to give the correct information to
the readers about the reality life of the geishas. Golden is successful in making the
story of geishas in a simple language but strong description. His writing style is
witty to strengthen the description of the characterization of the main character of
In this novel, Nitta Sayuri is described as a famous geisha in 1930s. At the
beginning of the story, Nitta Sayuri is depicted as a fishing village’s young girl.
She lives with her parents and her sister in the village. Because of the financial
difficulties, Sayuri and her sister are sold into slavery. Luckily, Sayuri is sold into
Okiya, a place where the famous geishas are living. On the other hand, Sayuri’s sister is sold into prostitution.
Arthur Golden describes the rules of geisha’s society, which are different
from common prostitution. The characters in the novel are portrayed briefly.
Hence, the readers will recognize whether the characters are the loyal geishas or
not. Sayuri and Mameha are the pictures of the professional geishas at that time.
Geishas are the Japanese entertainers. The professions of geishas are
entertaining men in some places. Therefore, some of the people think that geishas
are similar to prostitutes. It is hard to concur that geishas’ life style is a kind of
prostitution or not, because to become a geisha is not as easy as to become a
prostitute. The geisha must be knowledgeable about Japanese culture; Japanese
tradition and also the geisha should not have any personal relation with any man
except her danna, the man who paid her virginity and also responsible on fulfill her needs.
There are three reasons why this novel is interesting to be analyzed. The
first reason is the fact that the writer is an American but he understands well about
Japanese culture and geisha’s life. He wants to show to the readers about the
genuine life of geishas. He makes a different point of view about geishas that is
The second reason is that many people do not understand much about the life of
geishas since geishas’ world is not exposed. However, Golden gives detailed
information about the geishas to the readers, thus the readers become understand
about the geishas’ life after they read the novel. The last reason is that the
existence of geishas are still become the topic of discussion up to now. There are
pros and contras about their existence. In this thesis, the writer wants to analyze
how the view of the author toward the geishas as it is reflected in the characters of
the novel so it can contribute the new idea of geishas to the readers. However,
geisha’s life states in the middle of prostitute and artist.
B. Problem Formulation
There are three questions formulated as the problem formulation which are
interesting to be to discuss
1. How are the characteristics of the characters described in the novel?
2. How is the life of geishas described in the novel?
3. What is Golden’s view toward geisha’s life reflected in the novel?
C. Objectives of the Study
The objective of this study aims to answer the three questions above. The
writer will describe each of the characters who have relation with the main
character and have influence the main character. Then, the writer will describe the
writer will describe the author’s point of view about the geisha’s life as reflected
in the novel.
The analysis of the life of geishas and the author’s point of view as
reflected through the characters in the novel are hoped to be useful for those who
interested on geisha’s life.
D. Definition of Terms
In analyzing the novel, some terms need to be clarified, in order to provide
a clear and accurate picture of the study. It will help the readers to understand this
thesis.
A geisha, also known as geigi or geiko, is a woman skilled in classical dancing, singing, playing a banjo- like stringed instrument called the shamisen and witty conversation who entertain wealthy clients at banquets (Perkins, 1991:
111).
The definition of a geisha expands that geisha is also a bar girl today. She
is a girl or unmarriageable woman who essentially works in company of
professional female entertainment (Reischauer, 1988: 74).
In his novel, Golden tries to describe that a geisha is an entertainer woman
whose life is very secret. A geisha can be available as a long-term kept mistress to
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
In this thesis, the writer wants to analyze Arthur Golden’s novel entitled
Memoirs of A Geisha. The novel was published in 1998 by Vintage Publisher. Many critics review in this novel. There are some criticisms and comments in this
novel.
Steeve Green says that “Golden does a masterful job of enveloping the
reader in the atmosphere of another time and place.” He judges Memoirs of A Geisha as “having an interesting plot, well-drawn, and evocative language.” (Steve Green, http://www2.chass.nesu.edu/shgreene/readwholelist.htm).
Pyco Lyer stated that Arthur Golden is knowledgeable in Japanese culture
and Golden also understands woman’s life “I can’t still quite believe that an
American male can be such intelligent to enter the soul of a Japanese woman and
to catch her world with its texture and its hopes with such perfection
(http://www.browse.com/index.cmf?page=titlle&titlleID:332).
This novel has some transformations in its story. The setting of the story at
the beginning is pre-colonial transform to post colonial. The point of view of the
author in the story shows the talent of the author. From the point of view of the
author as a man, Golden is successful in transforming the story in the point of
Golden’s success in transforming the new world and new time from his
point of view. Margareth Foster, an author also agrees about his success in
transforming the world of a man into the world as a woman as follows
Memoirs of A Geisha is the sort of novel that novel – lovers yearn for, which is to say, so convincing that while reading it you become transported to another time, another place, and feel you’re listening and seeing with someone else’s ears and eyes (Margareth Foster, http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cmf?page=author&authored=242&vie w=interviewrostitute)
Not all of the criticisms are proud with Golden’s novel. Some criticisms
criticize about the unpleasant things inside the novel. Ann Hasting, CNN News
writer criticized that Golden gives too much Japanese language in writing
Memoirs of A Geisha.
But while Golden captures your attention with information, this is also the book's minor downside. With so much detail you almost get bogged down by the numerous definitions of Japanese term. Golden explores the concept of freedom within a slavelike society as Chiyo uses her brains more than her beauty to make an independent life for herself.
(http://edition.cnn.com/books/reviews/9805/25/index.html)
Dean H. Ruetzler, a fiction commentator stated that Golden can not
develop the characters of the novel well. There are some characters that are
supporting the existence of the main character are well developing, but a few of
character do not show any movement. He also said that Golden gives a little
description in his novel, because there are many term still in Japanese language.
place/management/owners) really do not meet their full development. (http://www.hackwriters.com/Geishamemoirs.htm).
Thus, in this thesis, the writer wants to find out Golden’s view toward
geishas’ life as described in the novel. The geishas’ life which is related to men
and parties gives many opinions both of negative or positive by the common
people. The geishas’ life style which is state in part of prostitution because there
are part of a geisha’s level selling sexual services which is called mizuage; but geisha cannot says as prostitute because her job is entertaining such as an artist. It
is interested to look up deeper about the life of geishas. In this novel, the view of
the author is interesting to analyze because the novel is the result of his
reservation which are make in fiction. Through the experiences of the narrator, the
writer tries to understand the point of view of the author in differentiate geishas
with prostitutes.
B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theories of Character
According to Abrams, a character is the person presented in a dramatic or
narrative work who are interpreted by readers and being endowed with moral and
dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say or the dialogue and what
they do or the action (Abrams, 1981: 20). The readers can interpret the character
from the dialogue and the action in a story. The readers can learn something as
people by studying the character in a story. Furthermore, Abrams says “as human
human beings. They also have temperament and more nature. That is the basic for
his/her speech and action that influence his/her motivation” (Abrams, 1981: 20).
Barnet, Berman and William Burto on their book Literature for Composition give the definition of a character as “a figure in a literary work, and personalities or the mental and moral qualities of a figure. A figure in literary
work means a person or individual in the literary work. Mental and qualities refer
to the personalities of the figure or person in the literary work, for example,
strong, weak, fussy, kind (1988: 71).”
According to Henkle, character can be divided into two: major and
secondary character. Major characters are the most important and complex
characters in a novel. They can be identified as such through the complexity of
their characterization, the attention given to them (by the other characters), and
the personal intensity that they seem to transmit. It is the major character who
deserves our fullest attention because they perform a key structural function, upon
them. We build expectations and desires, which in modification, shift or establish
our values. Secondary characters are characters that perform more limited
functions. They are limited in ways that the major characters are not. They may be
less sophisticated, so that their responses to the experience are less complex and
interesting (Henkle, 1977: 20).
In The Mirror and the Lamp, Abrams mentioned about the protagonist and the antagonist characters. Protagonist character is also called hero, is the chief
character of a work, on which our interest centers. Antagonist is the character who
A character does something to fulfill some motive, but in doing so he or
she starts doing a sequence of action which gives certain effects on the characters.
The character is not always the same of the beginning until the end. Every
character in the story, at the end of dramatic work, may be a very different person
from the one at the beginning (Brooks, 1952: 11).
Murphy in his book gives the way in which the author attempts to make
his characters to be understood so that the readers understand the character of his
novel (Murphy, 1972: 11).
1. Personal description
The characters can be displayed through the appearance and clothes. The usage of
adjective gives personal description of a character in more details and clearer.
Details mean to cover more than one part of the body, such as face, skin, eyes and
clothing. While clear mean each aspect is described using good choice of
adjective.
2. Character as seen by another
Through the eyes and opinions of another, the readers get the description as a
reflected image.
3. Past life
The clues of the characters also can be known through his or her past life by using
direct comment from the author, through the person’s thought, conversation or a
4. Speech
The character can also be seen in the way of a person give opinion and speak and
also what person says.
5. Conversation of others
The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversation
of other people and the things they say about him or her. People do talk about
other people and the things they say give us a clue to the character of a person
spoken about.
6. Reactions
Reaction of characters or person in the story toward various situation and events
can also show the characterization of the person.
7. Direct comment
The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.
8. Thought
The different characteristic of person influences people’s way of thinking.
9. Mannerism
A character manners and habits can give us understanding about his or her
character.
2. The Relation between Literature and Society
Wellek and Warren in the book of Theory of Literature stated that literature has usually arisen in close connection with particular social institutions
94). According to them, the relation between literature and society beginning with
a point that literature is an expression of society as De Bonald suggested.
Literature describes society as some social realities. Literature is not the mirrors of
the current social institution. Literature mirrors or expresses life is even more
ambiguous.
Further more Wellek and Warren said that a writer can expresses his
experienced and total conception of life but it will be wrong to say that he
expresses the whole life even the whole live at the time completely. In a specific
evaluative reason saying that an author should express the life of his own time and
that he should be representative of his age and society. The writer should be aware
of specific social situation (1956: 95). Literature cannot be seen as a documentary.
Wellek and Warren said that the writer has been a citizen, has pronounced on
questions of social and political importance, and has taken part in the issue of his
time (1956: 97).
3. Theory on Society in the Novel
The society, as do all other aspects of novels, functions as an element in a
structure, that is, at least, self-referential. Society is not only a concept and a
construct in fiction, but also in life. Society in novel does not depend on points of
absolute fidelity in and outside world in details of costume, setting, and locality
because a novel’s society does not aim at a faithful mirror of any concrete,
Society in the novel cannot always be found in the real world, but there is
possibility that we can find it in the real world, although it is not exactly the same.
The fact that society is a concept and constructs both in fiction and life shows that
there is an intersection of art and life which is important. The society depicted in
the novel has possibility in commenting on roles and possibilities of society in our
lives. Langland defines society in a wider sense, not merely peoples and their
closes, but also custom, conventions, beliefs and values, their institutions-legal,
religious, and cultural- and their physical environment. In brief, society remains
everything we have seen it to be –norms, conventions, codes, background, places,
people, instructions- but its particular manifestations in a novel will be determined
by its role within the world (Langland, 1984: 6-7).
C. Review of Geisha
The existence of geisha’s culture firstly, came up in Tokugawa period or it
also called Edo period (1600-1869). First geisha appeared in the early 1600s.
They were men who become a geishas. In Tokugawa period, the rise of urban
merchant culture is quite distinct from that of ruling Samurai class. The job of the
geisha at that time is making the guest of samurai or warrior laugh. It centered on
the amusement quarters of the cities, where merchants, who were essentially
hardworking, sober moneymakers, and family men, went to relax in the company
of a professional entertainers. In 1751, some customers in a Shimabara brothel
as geiko, the term still used in Kyoto instead of geisha. By 1780 female geisha
outnumbered the men; by 1800, a geisha was a woman.
(http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~oaandrey/geisha/history.html).
The word of geisha was first used to describe female entertainer of the
century who was skilled in singing, playing the traditional music instrument called
shamisen and dancing. Over the decades, the training of geisha becomes more formalized and the status of geisha begins to rise. Since the social system in Japan
is such that wives maintain the house works and do not participate with men in
business or politics, they can not entertain their husbands’ business associates or
host any related functions. Therefore, geisha becomes an integral part of business
entertainment by serving as gracious host at the many ryokan (inns), ryotei (restaurant) and o-chaya (teahouses) where banquet facilities are rented for this purpose. Well-to-do business men will rent these rooms, arrange for the food and
drinks, and then hire geisha to entertain their associates with music, dance, and
light conversation. Some businessmen become patron of a favorite geisha for
which he paid handsomely. Because of economic hardship during the Second
World War, many geishas were forced to work in factories. Under the Occupation
Army, geisha entertainment was outlawed, however was soon reinstated once
Japan was stable. Since the war, a number of geishas were decline. In 1970,
geisha numbered about 17,000 and today there are fewer than 1,000.
Contemporary geisha also studies the English language and sometimes are called
upon to participate in special functions both in Japan and internationally
Dorothy Perkin in her book Encyclopedia of Japan stated the story of geisha as follows. Geisha also known as geigi or geiko;woman skilled in classical dancing, singing, playing a banjo- like stringed instrument called the shamisen and witty conversation who entertain wealthy client at banquets. Geisha means
“art person”. Geishas are knowledgeable about etiquette and wearing of elaborate
kimono. Geisha as an occupational category originated in the 18th century in the
floating world of government licensed pleasure quarter of large Japanese cities,
such as the Yoshiwara in Edo, where geishas were hired to entertain at parties for
courtesan and their client. By the 19th century geishas were considered trendsetters
and influenced fashion with their elegant style, described as iki (chic). They also inspired the literary musical and graphic art, and were depicted by many artists of
woodblock prints (Perkin, 1991: 111).
The geisha world is poetically known as karyukai, the flower and willow world. Geisha still wears beautiful, expensive kimono, and elegant hairstyles and
stylized white make up known as shiroi. Now, Japanese women wear western styles, geisha have changed from fashion innovators to be the conservators of
traditional Japanese styles. Their function has also been largely assume by bar
hostesses, who pour drinks and provide companionship for men, but who wear
expensive western dresses and do not engage in the difficult study of the
traditional arts (Perkins, 1991: 111).
in classical dancing, shamisen playing and several styles of singing. Many geishas also study flower arranging, the tea ceremony and calligraphy. A girl who is
apprenticing to become geisha is called a maiko (little dancers) She wears a special long sleeves kimono and particular hairstyle. In former time, poor girls
were often indentured to geisha houses by their parents and were required to work
hard as a maid before training to be a geisha. Now, women make their own choice
to become a geisha, and they are legally required to stay in school through age 15.
Many become geishas in their 20s without a period of apprenticeship (Perkin,
1991: 111). Each geisha districts has its own registry office which handles the
assignment for geisha to entertain at parties in private restaurant (ryotey, chaya, teahouse in Kyoto); also known as kashizhaziki, rental banquet room. The geisha union (geigi kumiai) regulated the time of attendance and the fees paid for geisha, who is called “mother” (okasan/okami). Customers hire geisha through the restaurants where they hold parties. The restaurant manager tells to the registry
officer how many geisha they require, and then the registry officers contact the
okiya. A geisha may be invited to more than one party in an evening. Geisha receives tips in addition to standard hourly wages (Perkin, 1991: 112).
Some geisha districts sponsor annual public stages performances of
There are some roles in the world of geisha. Naomi Graham Diaz in her
article Immortal Geisha (http://immortalsgeisha.com?ig/fag_geisha.cfm#fag) states some rules of the geisha life as follows:
1. Geishas must train themselves in various traditional arts such as classical
dancing, playing the shamisen, and several styles of singing in the hanamachi (geisha community).
2. Geishas work by entertaining guests at expensive teahouse. They will serve
drinks, talk with the guests, and perform.
3. Geishas maintain many different relationships with men. They are not
prostitutes. It is appropriate for a geisha to have a patron (danna), whom she is involved with emotionally, economically, and sexually, however it is up to the
geisha whether she wants or not.
4. Geishas wear their hair in a bun or a uniform style with a single comb and two
pins. They also wear elegant kimono and beautiful white make up.
5. Geishas also entertain at business banquet parties for a considerable amount of
money. There they engage the conversation and perform for the guest. Geisha will
either perform “Tachikata” which mainly does traditional Japanese dance or “Jikata” which mainly sings or plays an instrument. Tachikata are usually the maiko girls while jikata are older geisha women. They also pay greater attention to the guests of honor. Geisha also do not discuss anything that was said at a
parties or business meeting outside.
The life of geisha that relates into the glamorous, men and parties makes
incorrect view of geisha. For common people, geisha is state in one line or similar
to a prostitute. Actually, the existence of geisha has a bend meaningful
differentiation with prostitute.
To become a geisha, a woman should be attractive. She should have an
ability to entertain men. Thus, she should have ability in dancing, singing and
playing some instruments. As Marian said in her article below,
Geisha are expected to be excellent careers and entertainers of men; they should be refined in the art of conversation as well as more traditional art such as dancing or singing, most Kyoto Geisha are adept at the shamisen (a traditional Japanese 3 stringed instrument similar to a guitar) however this is a talent dying out amongst the Tokyo geisha
<http://marian.creighton.edu/~marian-w/academics/english/japan/geisha/becomegeisha.html.>
The training to be a geisha and the ability to be geisha that are closer to the
culture is the main point to differentiate the geisha with the prostitute. Geisha may
be more knowledgeable to the common Japanese woman as well as having more
glamorous lifestyle. Geishas have some way to make their life lack of restrictions
more than Japanese women at that time; of course it include some consequences
that they should be taken.
Prostitution is the sale of sexual service (typically manual stimulation, oral
sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for money or other kind of return, generally
indiscriminately with many persons. Geishas’ society is kind of legally exclusive
prostitution because there is time when the geisha should sell her virginity to the
man. Though, it should be done to one person in time. A professional geisha
danna). However, we cannot say that the geisha is the prostitute. A person selling sexual favor is a prostitute, a type of sex worker. In a more general sense of the
world, anyone selling their services for a cause thought to be unworthy can be
described as prostituting themselves. Although in the past the right to take their
virginity, an event called mizuage was sold, they were not oblige to have sex with any customers, even the men who paid dearly for their virginity
(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/geisha).
In the interviewed with CNN anchor Miles O’Brien on CNN’s Sunday Morning, Golden stated that a geisha is seemingly as a mistress than prostitute. Though the geisha sold her virginity, in her first debut, she won’t make herself
available to men on nightly basis. She just makes herself sexually available to her
patron or danna exclusively. This phenomenon might be unknown by the common people thus they have an idea that geisha is similar to prostitute. Thus,
geishas are states in the middle of prostitutes, mistress and entertainers or artists
(http://edition.cnn.com/books/dialogue/9903/golden.interview/).
D. Theoretical Framework
The writer uses theory of characters in order to know how the characters of
the novel are characterized. Theory of characters helps the writer to understand
the important of each character in the novel in depicting the life of geishas.
The review of geisha is used to help the writer in understanding how the
author reflects the life of the geishas in the novel. It is important to know how the
The way of the author portrays the life of geishas is reflecting the author’s view
toward the geishas itself.
The theory of character is used to understand how the characters in the
novel are described. It is important to know the characters of the novel, because
the author gives his view through the characters in the novel. The author is
characterizing the characters in the novel in order to make a depiction of his view
toward the life of geisha.
This thesis analyze about the view of the author toward the life of geishas,
which are in the novel becomes the society in the novel. The society of geishas is
also finding in the real world. Therefore, the writer needs the theory of society and
the relation between the literature and society in order to get the criticisms of the
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study in this thesis is a novel, written by Arthur Golden
entitled Memoirs of A Geisha. This novel contains of 428 pages, published in 1998 by Vintage Publisher. Arthur Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
He studied and received the title in art history, especially in Japanese art in
Harvard College. His educational background strengthens him in understanding
the Japanese culture. In writing his novel, he was influenced by the information he
got from Mineko Iwasaki, a famous geisha at sixties and seventies. She was the
woman who corrected his misconception about geishas. Therefore, through his
novel Golden tries to give the truth information through the reader so there is no
misconception about geisha. Memoirs of A Geisha is the novel about woman who has a career as an entertainer woman in Japan. It is a story about a girl living in
poverty who later becomes a famous geisha. Her ups and downs of the main
character, Nitta Sayuri (or Chiyo- her child name) are cleverly depicted by the
author. The novel begins with Sayuri’s childhood in which she was sold into
slavery by his father. She became a slave at the okiya, a geisha’s house. Luckily, she entered the geisha’s training helped by Mameha; a top geisha who gave
interest in Chiyo. A hard training, discipline, and rivalry condition makes Sayuri
B. Approach of the Study
To conduct this study, the writer use socio-cultural historical approach.
This approach is appropriate to answer the three problem formulation above.
Rohrberger stated a socio-cultural historical approach attempts to relate the
novel to the society. Critics whose major interest is socio-cultural historical
approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in the reference to the
civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions
as its subject matter (Rohrberger and Wood, 1971: 9).
Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature stated that socio-cultural historical approach is an approach that studies a literary work
from its social background and literary work (Guerin, 1979: 272). It means that
this approach is applied to see a literary work as reflection and commentaries on
something certain society. There is an interaction between social milieu and
literary work.
The socio-cultural historical approach is suitable to apply in this thesis
because the culture of geishas is the part of the culture of Japan and Arthur
Golden tries to give his point of view toward this tradition through his novel. This
approach is suitable to understand how the author related his story into the real
C. Method of the Study
In analyzing this thesis, the writer does some steps before taking the
conclusions. The first step the writer read the novel Memoirs of A Geisha as the primary data in several times to find the theme and the message.
The second step was the writer tried to find an interesting topic that might
appeared in the novel to discuss. After finding the problem formulation, the writer
found the secondary data to help the writer in order to find the answer of the three
problems formulation. The secondary data were taken from some books and some
articles from the internet. The book of Encyclopedia of Japan helped the writer to know all about Japanese tradition and cultures. Some articles from the internet are
also needed to help to know much more about Japanese geisha.
The third step was the writer tried to analyze the problem formulation that
appeared in the novel. The data helped the writer to answer the problem
formulations. After the question in the problem formulation answered, the writer
CHAPTER IV ANALYSIS
Golden’s Memoirs of A Geisha is a novel about Japanese geishas. Golden does not define geishas as prostitutes. This novel, therefore, explains and focuses
on the habitual lifestyle of the geishas. To capture geishas’ experiences in the art
of fiction, Golden spent his 10 years with Mineko Iwasaki (a famous geisha) in
order to get the true information about geishas. He also shared and discussed all
about geishas’ culture with her and other geishas.
The use of narrative method in this novel enables the readers to feel
geishas’ life as if the readers were the geishas themselves. Nitta Sayuri, the
narrator of the story gives the true experience of her life as a little girl until she
becomes a triumphant geisha. The narrative point of view gives the real
experience to the readers. Golden tries to give his view throughout his major
character in criticizing and analyzing the life of a geisha.
A. The Characterization of Sayuri, Hatsumomo, Pumpkin and Mameha 1. Sayuri
In the novel, Nitta Sayuri’s stages of life are divided into three different
periods; the young Nitta Sayuri or called Chiyo, the geisha Nitta Sayuri and the
old Nitta Sayuri. The society and time have changed her main characteristics.
Nitta Sayuri comes from a poor family, who was sold to be a slave and later
The young Nitta Sayuri (or Chiyo) is an independent and a smart girl.
Physically, the young Nitta Sayuri is a beautiful girl and has unordinary eyes with
green color: a unique color which is rarely possessed by a Japanese woman. Her
eyes are the same as her mother’s. The quotation below shows the evidence of her
unordinary eyes.
I was very much like my mother and hardly at all like my father or older sister. My mother said it was because we were made just the same, she and I- and it was true we both had the same peculiar eyes of a sort you almost never see in Japan. Instead of being dark brown like anyone else’s, my mother’s eyes were a translucent gray, and mine just the same (Golden, 1998: 9).
Her extraordinary eyes become the most interesting part of Sayuri. Many
poeople in the story agree that her eyes are pretty. Aunty also adores Sayuri’s eyes
from the first time they met.
“Heavens! What startling eyes! You’re a lovely girl, aren’t you? Mother will be thrilled. (Golden, 1998: 18)”
Awajiumi, a clerk on Gion Registry Officer is also surprised to see Sayuri’s eyes. “You should have told me sooner what a pretty girl you brought
with you. Her eyes…. They’re the color of mirror (p. 60).” Because of her pretty
face, Sayuri is also oftenly becomes a model for posters of Dances of the Old Capital which are made by Uchida Kosaburo, a famous poster creator.
Nitta Sayuri is a smart girl. It can be seen from the way she imagines and
describes something. As an example, she calls her house as a tipsy house, for it is
almost falling down as well as propped up by the timber boat. In her imagination,
it looks like a man who had drunk too much so he cannot stand well. She also has
unique color of her eyes is caused by somebody’s peeking to her mother’s eyes.
Her analysis on the history of her eyes’ color has proving that she is a clever girl.
As an apprentice geisha, Sayuri is talented in doing some art activities
such as singing and dancing. Sayuri is able to learn all of the lessons in the
geisha’s school more than her friends are.
Besides her cleverness, Nitta Sayuri is also rigid in facing her life. She
lives under pressure in the okiya. The strict rules, the seniority and also the debt of loan makes somebody feel stressful; but Sayuri faced all her difficulties by using
her logics and her ability in problem solving. She realized that she must survive to
get the triumph and reaching her dreams.
As a young girl, Sayuri has a great spirit to keep on survival through her
rebellion. Nobody is with her to face her hard days.
I had no doubt life would never again be the same… and I wondered day after day when I might Satsu again. I was without my father, whthout my mother- without even the clothing I’d always worn. Yet somehow the thing that startled me most, after a week or two had passed, was that I had in fact survived (Golden, 1998: 45).
From the quotation above, Sayuri, is young girl who becomes an orphan.
She feels lonely in the world because of her parents’ death and her missing of her
only sister. In the difficult situation, Sayuri still has a spirit that she can pass
through the difficulties. She believes that she can change her life now to be better
She believes, her life will never be the same as that day. The spirit makes Sayuri
become a brave girl to face her future. She is never afraid of anything. Never does
she try to escape from the reality she is facing.
way too. And my sister... yes, she was gone; but I wasn’t gone. I’m not sure this will makes a sense to you, but I felt as though I’d turn around to look different direction, so that I no longer faced backward toward the past, but forward the future. And now the question confronting me was this: What would the future be? (Golden, 1998: 108)
Nitta Sayuri is a high motivated person. She has some motivations to keep
on surviving through her life. Her motivations are the only things that support her
life. The quotation below shows some of her’s motivations in life.
There I threw the coins into the offertory box- coin that might have been enaugh to take me away from Gion- and announced my pressence to the gods by clapping three times and bowing. With my eyes squeezed tightly shut and my hands together, I prayed that they permit me to become a geisha somehow. I would suffer through any training, bear up under any hardship, for a chance to attract the notice of a man like the Chairman again (Golden, 1998: 114).
The quotation above depicts that Sayuri has a motivation to become a
geisha in order to meet a good person like Chairman, the only good man whom
she ever met since she lived in Kyoto. Her motivation leads her to go through all
the difficulties in her life.
“Oh, maam... I’d give anything to undo my mistakes,” I said. “It’s been more than two years now. I’ve waited so patiently in the hopes that some opportunity might come along (Golden, 1998: 125).”
The quotation above is about Sayuri’s regret. She wants to change her
destiny. Sayuri still hopes whenever there is a chance for her to become a geisha
Sayuri is a hard worker. During the war, all the geisha districts are closed
by the government. Sayuri is sent into a kimono factory to earn some money for
her life. It is a hard work for Sayuri as a geisha, who has used to work to entertain
men in several tea houses, doing some hard jobs in making silks kimonos and colouring them.This job causes problems to Sayuri’s hands. Her hands suffer
whenever she colours the silk.
Sayuri is a lucky person. There are many persons who love her. Aunty,
who always keeps Sayuri from the mistakes and helps her to run away from the
mother’s punishment. Mameha, who helps Sayuri to be a geisha and teaches her
many things about geisha. Yasuda-san, a man who falls in love with Sayuri, and
has an affair with her. Nobu-san, a bussiness man who always loves Sayuri and
helps Sayuri from her difficulties. Mr. Chairman, a man who actually asks
Mameha to help Sayuri to get the better life.
Besides her success to be a geisha, Sayuri is an inhibition person. Sayuri is
under the mother’s authority. It is because of her position as a geisha who still
lives in okiya, so she should give a distribution to a mother. She becomes the mother’s daughter in the okiya so she is still under the mother’s authority. It is stated at the time when Nobu-san wants Sayuri to go back to Ichiriki after the war has finished.
“To tell the truth, the decission is not mine. I’ve been waiting for Mother to reopen the okiya. I’m as eager to get back to Gion as Nobu-san is to have me there (Golden, 1998: 352).”
Sayuri is positioned as Mameha’s sister who is in fact just as camouflage
becomes Mameha’s playing doll. Everything that Sayuri does during the training
to be an apprentice geisha is arranged by Mameha. Mameha makes a good plan
for Sayuri, in fact it is also to defeat Hatsumomo, and makes Hatsumomo’s career
as a geisha breaks down.
2. Hatsumomo
Hatsumomo is the antagonist in this story. She is a beautiful famous
geisha. All people in the Nitta Okiya where she lives should respect her because she is the bread winner for Nitta Okiya. Hatsumomo is the only geisha who has a lot of clients at the tea house, though she does not have any patrons.
Becoming the most important asset makes Hatsumomo gets more
attentions from all the okiya’s dwellers. The maids and all the apprentice geishas should respect Hatsumomo, for the bread winning reason. The mother of the okiya also gives a special treatment to Hatsumomo. They are intended just to make her
feel comfortable, so that the mother can get her money continuosly run the okiya. The special treatment makes Hatsumomo becomes an arrogant person.
She thinks that she is the most important person, the highest person in the okiya. She acts like a princess who is always be served everything she needs. She often
gets angry or abuses other peoples with no reasons. Hatsumomo’s arrogance is
depicted when Sayuri meets Hatsumomo for the first time in okiya as follows. “Mr. Bekku, could you take out the garbage later? I’d like to be on my way.”
The quotation above shows how arrogant she is. It is the dialogue between
Hatsumomo and Mr. Bekku, her dresser. The word “garbage” here is for Chiyo.
Hatsumomo called Chiyo as a garbage because of her appearance. Chiyo dresses
as a fishing village girl. It is very different from Hatsumomo’s style as a famous
geisha, who wears an extraordinary kimono, and beautiful hairdo.
Hatsumomo is also a rigid person. She often insults others. She often hurts
Chiyo with her speech. Hatsumomo said that Chiyo will never be a geisha and she
is not beautiful enough to be a geisha.
While Hatsummomo was rinsing out her brushes, she glanced several times at my reflection in the mirror. Finally she said to me:
“I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking you’ll never be so beautiful. Well, it’s perfectly true.”
“I’ll have you know,” said Aunty, “that some people find Chiyo-chan quite a lovely girl.”
“Some people like the smell of rotting fish,” said Hatsumomo (Golden, 1998: 63).
Hatsumomo often acts like she wants to show or to teach something to
Chiyo but actually she only wants to abuse her. It happens for example when
Hatsumomo asks Chiyo to come, and she explains some kinds of her make up
properties. After that she asks Chiyo
“Now why do you suppose I’ve shown you these things?’ “So I’ll understand how you put on your make up,” I said.
“Heavens, no! I’ve shown them to you so you’ll see there isn’t any magic involved. What a pity for you! Becauseit means that make up alone won’t be enough to change poor Chiyo into something beautiful (Golden, 1998: 62)”
Hatsumomo is a very unconfident person. She often traps Sayuri into
difficulties. It is because she does not want anybody to compete with her as a
people to know that she is the best geisha. She envy with somebody’s success.
The conversation between Hatsumomo and her friend, Korin below shows how
Hatsumomo hates other geishas
“ …Well, it doesn’t. It belongs to none other than the geisha we both hate worse than anyone else on earth.”
“Oh, Hatsumomo…you’re so genius. But how did you get Satoka’s kimono?”
“I’m not talking about Satoka! I’m talking about…Miss Perfect!” “Who?”
“Miss ‘I’m-So-Much-Better-Than-You-Are’…that’s who!”
There was a long pause, and then Korin said, Mameha! Oh my goodness, it is Mameha’s kimono…(Golden, 1998: 71).
The quotation above reflects that Hatsumomo does not only hate one or
two people but almost all of them. If she only hates Mameha, Korin will not guess
falsely the clue given by Hatsumomo. Hatsumomo hates a lot of people merely
because of her jealousy to them or even by no reason at all.
Hatsumomo is a famous geisha at that time though she does not have
good reputations in the society. Hatsumomo is a famous and a popular geisha but
actually she is not a successful geisha. It is because she does not have any danna. She still lives in an okiya. A successful geisha should be independent, have a benefit danna, have her own living place and should give a lot of income to the mother. The criteria of the successful geisha are explained by Mameha as follows.
From the quotation above, it is clear that Hatsumomo is not included in the
category of a successful geisha even though she is very popular. On the other
hand, Mameha is a successful geisha. This is the reason why Hatsumomo hates
Mameha very much.
3. Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a simple person. She is at the same age as Sayuri. In reaching
her debuts, Pumpkin chooses to play safely. She tries not to make any mistakes.
She tries not to make the mother and other important people in the okiya angry. Pumpkin comes from a lower class society in Sapporo. She was sent by her uncle
because of the economical difficulties.
Pumpkin is not a clever girl. She finds some difficulties in her lessons as
playing shamisen and singing. Because of her stupidity, she keeps on living in okiya because living in okiya means following other’s instruction. She does not have to make a decision for her life which is, of course, difficult for her. It is
depicted when Chiyo asks her to run away from Gion.
“My uncle was a very nice man,” she said. “Here’s the last thing I heard him say before he sent me away. ‘Some girls are smart and some girls are stupid,’ he told me. ‘You’re a nice girl, but you’re one of the stupid ones. You won’t make it on your own in the world. I’m sending you to a place where people will tell you what to do. Do what they say, and you’ll always be taken care of.’ So if you want to go out on your own Chiyo-chan, you go. But me, I’ve found a place to spend my life. I’ll work as hard as I have to so they don’t send me away. But I’d sooner throw myself off a cliff than spoil my chance to be a geisha like Hatsumomo (Golden, 1998: 53).”
The quotation above depicts clearly when Pumpkin realizes her stupidity
she needs is only a place to live and to eat. She does not have any spirit or courage
to create her happy life with her own ability. Fortunately, because of her hard
effort, Pumpkin finally becomes an apprentice geisha and has a new name called
Hatsumiyo. Her apprentice name is not so popular because people still called her
Pumpkin. Therefore, Pumpkin is not included in the list of popular geishas.
Pumpkin is a weak girl actually. She feels very depressed to be an
apprentice geisha. She loses her freedom because Hatsumomo, as her old sister,
gives too many regulations and instructions. Pumpkin is a girl who does not has
any self confidence. She feels that she was a stupid girl. She also puts her jealousy
to Sayuri, because all the things she hopes to happen to her was never realized. On
the other hand, Sayuri can reach all of geishas’dreams. She should deserve as the
daughter of the okiya , but she is never be. It is Sayuri who at least becomes the daughter of the okiya. As a result, she hates Sayuri because of her disappointment and tries to make a revenge for her jealousy.
“Pumpkin,” I said, “I asked you to bring Nobu, not the Chairman. I don’t understand-“
“Yes it must be hard for you to understand, Sauri, when life doesn’t work out perfectly!”
“Perfectly? Nothing worse could happened… did you mis-understand what I was asking you?”
“You really do think I’m stupid!” she said.
I was bewildered, and stood a long moment in silence. “I thought you were my friend, I” I said at last.
“I thought you were my friend too, once. But that was a long time ago.”
Pumpkin is a sensitive and desperate person. Her weakness makes her
choosing to be a prostitute during the depression. When Sayuri wants to help her,
Pumpkin embraces her and thinks that Sayuri has insulted her.
“… But of course, you’ve changed your mind now that you’ve seen me.”
“Why, no.” I said. “I don’t know why you say thtt. Nobu Toshikazu and the Chairman- Iwamura Ken, I mean… Chairman Iwamura- would appreciate your company greatly. It’s simple that.
For a moment Pumpkin just knelt in silence, peering down at the mats. “I’ve stopped believing that anything in life is as simple as that,” she said at last. I know you think I’m stupid- (Golden, 1998: 367)”
From the quotation above, it is clear that Pumpkin hates Sayuri because of
Sayuri’s succeed. Pumpkin is jealous with Sayuri because Sayuri had taken the
chance to be adopted by the mother.
4. Mameha
Mameha is a beautiful and famous geisha. When she was sixteen, Mameha
started her debut. She was very lucky because she has a famous older sister. In
geishas’ society, the older sister influences the apprentice geisha’s career, because
the apprentice geisha will be promoted and introduced to the older sister’s clients.
Mameha becomes famous when she is chosen to be a model of international
advertising campaign. She becomes the model of that poster, which is displayed in
big cities all over the world in many different languages.
Mameha is also a good dancer. The most important thing in entertaining is
dancing. Therefore, the geishas with their dance capability will be respected more
Kabuki Theatre in Tokyo which is usually attended by the Prime Minister and other great people.
Her great connections have made Mameha adorable by other people in the
geisha society or other. Her honorable is reflected at the time when Mameha visits
the Nitta Okiya. Mother and all of the maids are very busy to prepare the room for Mameha’s visiting. Mother says to Aunty to fix her appearance, and then she said
to Mameha “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Mameha-san. What an honor to
have a visit from you! (p. 131).” When Mameha said that she wants to adopt
Chiyo as her sister, mother said “A geisha as popular as you, Mameha-san…you
could have any apprentice in Gion as your younger sister (p. 133).” This quotation shows that Mameha is a successful geisha and she belongs to a highest class of
geisha society.
Mameha is not only famous but also a successful geisha because she can
prove her independence. She does not live in Gion, but she lives in her own house with two maids. She has a lot of private collections of kimono. Mameha has a
generous danna as she said to Chiyo
“… My danna is a generous man and brought me most of these robes. That’s why I’m more successful than Hatsumomo. I have a wealthy danna. She hasn’t had one in years (Golden, 1998: 147).”
Mameha and Hatsumomo are rivals in the geisha society. Mameha is also
clever as Hatsumomo but Mameha does not have bad reputation as Hatsumomo.
She adopts Chiyo in order to make Hatsumomo jealous. She wants to make
the strategy how to make Sayuri grows to be a great geisha so that she can defeat
Hatsumomo.
B. The Life of Geisha as Reflected in the Novel
Golden’s Memoirs of A Geisha is very close to the geishas’ society. Through the characters of the novel, Golden tries to depict the life of geishas
which is still unexposed. Golden understands about geishas because he did some
researches and has interviewed a geisha before he writes this novel. The narratives
description also helps the readers to come easily as if they were the character
themselves.
There are four societies in a geisha’s world. They are maid society, geisha
society, okami or okasan society and customer’s society. Maid’s society is the society whose job is serving geishas and the okami. Maids do not have any chances to get a better life or career. The higher position they could reach is only
to become the head of the maids. Most of the maids in geisha’s house, actually
those of the girls who has failed to be a geisha because of their problems with the
okami, or because of their irresponsibility to learn the basic skills to be a geisha. Geisha society is the most exclusive society. Geishas are the extraordinary person
the geisha into a geisha school, makes a good relation with some people of the tea
houses and also makes a good relation with the clients. The customers or the
clients are the men, especially business men who come from a high society. The
customers will pay the geisha whenever they want to be entertained. Usually the
men ask the geisha to accompany them for a business meeting.
The novel tells about the life of geishas. Geisha’s background is depicted
from many backgrounds in the novel. Sayuri is told that she comes from a poor
family in the fishing village. She is described as the girl from the poor family in
the small fishing village. It happens commonly to the poor Japanese society at that
time to sell her daughter for a better life. Because of her family’s economical
difficulties, Sayuri and her sister were sold as slaves by her father. Actually, the
father does not want to sell his daughters but the economic condition forces him to
do so. A rich person at the village proposes to bring Sayuri and her sister to be
adopted. Though it is hard for Sayuri’s father, he wants his daughters to have a
better life.
“So, Sakamoto, what do you think of my proposal?”
“I don’t know sir,” said my father. “I can’t picture the girls living anywhere else.”
“I understand, but they’d be better off, and so would you. Just see to it they come down to the village tomorrow afternoon.”(p.21)
As a father, Sakamoto should be responsible to his family. The poverty
and the old age have forced him to sell his daughters, although it seems that he
avoids his responsibility of being a father. With his physical condition, it is
impossible to take care for his two daughters by himself with his weakness.
Being different from Sayuri, Pumpkin comes from Sapporo. She is sent to
okiya because of her economical difficulties. A geisha named Raiha, whose mother is a geisha and her father is a member of merchant family is also sent to
okiya.
The society where geishas live is a hard society. The apprentice geishas
should have several lessons in geisha school from the early morning. After that,
they should do some works continuously like what the maids do. They will go to
bed late in the night. The bedroom for the apprentice geishas is the same room
with the maid’s. They sleep together in one room. They only sleep for three or
four hours a day. The apprentice geishas are demanded to work hard as they do
and understand to learning the lessons in the Geisha School. Therefore, the life of
geisha is hard. It is also happen to Chiyo and Pumpkin has the same treatment. So
they should work hard and doing all of the job as what okami says,
“Well, little girl,” Mother told me, “you’re in Kyoto now. You’ll learn to behave or get beating. And it’s Granny gives the beating around here, so you’ll be sorry. My advices to you are work very hard, and never leave the okiya without permission. Do as you’re told; don’t be too much trouble; and you might begin learning the arts of a geisha two or three months from now. I didn’t bring you here to be a maid. I’ll throw you out, if it comes to that (Golden, 1998:.43).
What the okami wants the girl to do is to follow the rules and never make any mistakes and problems with others or to make some difficulties with the
mother. However, the girls should be ready to lose her right to find her own life.
It is clearly portrayed in the novel that the girls do not have any options to decide
follow the okami or the senior of okiya. They should obey the rules which are very strict. Starting from the beginning when the girls enter the geisha school, the girls
are trained to be a discipline persons. It is viewed on how they should put their
shoes on the rack depending on their level positions. The girls are not allowed to
come late to the class. If it happens to the apprentice geishas or the girls, they will
not be permitted to join the class. Those rules show that the geisha trainings are
meant to discipline the geishas to be well-behaved.
Whenever apprentice geishas become geishas, they are also busy every
day. They have to attend some parties in some places. In the morning geishas also
have a lesson in the geisha school. After that they prepare themselves for some
parties. The maids and the geishas’ dresser help the geishas in preparing all the
geishas’ need such as make up properties, kimono, the hairdo.
To be a high-quality geisha, the apprentice geihsa should pass some steps.
After the girl becomes maid, she enters into a geisha school and then becomes an
apprentice geisha (maiko). In this step, commonly the senior geisha promotes the apprentice geisha to the customers. The senior geisha becomes her older sister.
Every step of geisha’s training has some steps of ritual or ceremony in the
geishas’ society. When the girl becomes an apprentice geisha or maiko, the girl should have some preparations. For example, going to the hair stylist, cleaning her
body, and dressing as an apprentice geisha. The dress for the apprentice geishas is
different from the geishas. The obi for the apprentice geishas is brighter than her kimono. The hair of the apprentice geishas is ornamented with a red ribbon in the
middle of their coil. Before they go out to attend some parties with their older
sisters, they have a ceremony; the mother flares up the matches behind the
apprentice geisha and the geisha.
Whenever an apprentice geisha is ready for the mizuage, the apprentice geisha gives a sweet rice cake called ekubo to the rich men which are substantial for paying the mizuage. After the mizuage, the apprentice geisha totally becomes a geisha. She will has a different performance.
Geisha is always related to something beautiful. Becoming a geisha, a
woman is demanded to have an attractive performance. Physically, geisha should
be perfectly beautiful. In the novel, the famous geishas are depicted to have a
pretty face. Their perfect performance also becomes the commodity for the geisha
to get a lot of clients. Sayuri in the novel also loses herself-confidence when her
hands break.
My delicate dancer’ees hands, which I’d once nurtured with the finest creams, now began to peel like the papery outside of the onion, and were stainedall over the color of a bruise (p. 350).
The appearence of geisha becomes the important thing of the world of
geisha. It is impossible to attract men if their appearence is bad. Geishas always
wear beautiful kimonos, put sophisticated make up and live in enchanting society.
The performances of geishas are very different with common women or
housewives. Geishas perform to attract men. It is not only the performance of their
dresses but the way they move their body is also needed to give the sense of
sensuality. They should give a beautiful bow to say thank you or apologize.
Ordinary Japanese people never do what geishas do. The common people might
not think how their bow is, but geishas always pay attention to the details on how
they make their bow. When they are on their knees, they should straighten up their
arms and put their only finger tip, not the whole of their tips onto the mats in front
of them. There must be no space between their fingers and then they should bow
as low as they can and keep their neck perfectly straight. It is the simple example
of how the geisha keep their body language elegantly.
Geisha is described as an interesting person and a beautiful woman. The
geisha is always performed in beautiful and luxurious kimonos. The kimonos are
very glamorous and different from the kimonos which are worn by an ordinary
woman. An ordinary housewife wears kimono with so many padding, but a geisha
do not need any padding or some if it needed. A geisha keeps the kimono in a
particular position which makes her underrobe is exposed accidentally. Geisha’s
kimonos are usually made from silk, full color with an attractive motives on that
