Analysis: Memoirs Of A Geisha

Memoirs of Geisha: A Close Textual Analysis of Female Stereotypes in Japan

I. Introduction

Memoirs of a Geisha is a well-known novel by Arthur Golden in 1997. The novel is narrated in the first person perspective which tells the story (before and after the World War II) about a geisha working in Kyoto, Japan. In several different ways, Memoirs of a Geisha is a typical romance story of a girl who strive hard to become a woman of her time. Indeed, her charm and views in life had captured readers in which they later understood what this novel is all about.

In 1929, a 9 year old girl named Chiyo living in a fishing village was sold to a geisha house in Kyoto and was then treated brutally by the owners and the head of the geishas, Hatsumomo. She

It’s the personal teaching and learning philosophy theory that deals with the processes in teaching strategies grounded within the feminism and gender equality. The novel Memoirs of a Geisha strongly depicts how Japanese women, especially those geishas that don’t have the ability or capacity to choose their own lives or fate.

This kind of theory is a principle in which it extends feminism to theoretical and philosophical discourse. Feminist theory is the support of gender equality for men and women. Even if feminists fight for gender equality, there are still different ways and various ideas that comprise this said theory. It’s still an ongoing process up to this day. Feminism is not just about the difference of gender, but also about the responsibility of each person to accept and respect one another regardless of differences.

Furthermore, this aims to help in developing and opening mindset about freedom and other abilities in taking constructive actions through learning and applying philosophy (Grosz, 2010). It is therefore a unique form of learning and teaching way because it focuses mainly on gender and also aligns itself in different critical pedagogy like ethnicity, races, globalization and the

Nonetheless, the lessons behind the story of a geisha are somewhat worthy to discern of because those lessons confer the readers with the right to imagine or envision how humans can improve their way of life by simply reiterating to them the good example of how geishas battle for their own lives and struggles they have to conquer and endure in order to attain the life they are predestined to subsist.

Due to the formidable way of life of the geisha and the inevitable changes in the world, geishas’ numbers are decreasing. This is because of the competition with bars, karaoke and other entertainment joints. Also, teahouses nowadays have less restrictions as they freely welcome new customers, foreign or locals.

Moreover, the novel was turned into film in 2015. More people then able to watch it and became aware about this world of geisha and their contributions to the Japanese culture. The people who are able to read the novel or watch the film have identified the essence of this