Gion was Japan’s most competitive district. In those days, women had to fight hard for their rights and receive the best gifts. A girl s virginity could be sold to the highest bidder. A woman could not imagine happiness with a man. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden) tells of Sayuri’s struggle to survive in Gion s cruel hierarchy, and her race to become a top geisha. Sayuri’s story demonstrates the importance she places on wealth and appearances.
Sayuri is already a geisha in Gion. She considers the person’s exterior a key factor in judging someone. This type of judgement helps her to trust and respect people based on how they dress, talk, and how wealthy they are. Yoroido holds Mr. Tanaka-Ichiro in high regard. He knew things she wouldn’t know, and he had an elegance that she couldn’t have. His blue Kimono was better than any thing she could wear. (pg. 20. Sayuri doesn’t like Mr. Tanaka’s peasant attire, but rather a quality, kimono. Sayuri has a lot faith in him. But, Sayuri discovers that she is sold to a Mrs. Nitta. She tries to convince herself that this was a temporary placement and that Mr. Tanaka would return to adopt her. He will make a lot of money selling Sayuri, an extremely beautiful girl, to a geisha family. In her eyes, money equals compassion. Sayuri also compares herself to other people who are more wealthy and polished than she. Kuniko, Mr. Tanaka’s daughter, notices Kuniko’s clothes are more elegant than mine. I, however, was a village girl, so I chased her to the woods naked (pg. 27) She thinks she’s ignorant because she’s a village girl. She doesn’t see Kuniko’s genuine friendliness as the reason she wants to chase her. Sayuri is not impressed by Kuniko’s graceful attire. Sayuri was raised around peasant clothes and smelled of fish. Gion in Kyoto is the geisha district. A woman, most likely a Geisha, is not important if her beauty or charm is lacking. Wealthy men are not often noticed by Sayuri. An okiya refers to a geisha home. The top priority is given to the geisha who is most beautiful and most required to entertain men in teahouses. Sayuri was first introduced to the okiya by Hatsumomo. She was one of Gion’s most well-known geishas. She had never seen a woman more beautiful than her. Sometimes, men would stop and look at her from the street. (pg. 48-49. Because of her beauty, she can treat slaves like Sayuri with cruelty and give instructions to elders in okiya. Today, a senior citizen would consider it disrespectful to command one. Hatsumomo used Sayuri’s innocence to make her get into trouble. He also led Mother of the okiya who they call Mother, to believe that Sayuri had stolen Hatsumomo’s expensive comb. Hatsumomo claimed the truth, no matter what Sayuri thought. Mother tells Sayuri later that she’d earned more over the past six month than Hatsumomomo, Pumpkin and all of them combined. This means that Mother suggested it was time to swap rooms with them. (pg. 317) Hatsumomo falls in a split second and Sayuri takes her place as the slave master. Mother is not happy to give her the special privileges she allows, it is because she is now a very beautiful young lady. A danna is selected for a role as a geisha. It is essential that her husband is financially secure enough to pay her all her expenses and give her exquisite gifts. Sayuri chose a danna as her last resort, even though it wasn’t really her choice. Mother was worried about running out of supplies in the Okiya so she preferred the idea of Sayuri’s danna being General Tottori, who is the man responsible for all military resources. Because General Tottori’s position could be very beneficial to the Okiya, she disregards Sayuri’s desire for happiness. (pg. (302) However, General Tottori’s wealth is temporary. Sayuri could not find a safe place to live during the war. Nobu, however, does. Sayuri is taken advantage of by Mother’s judgement of people based on their wealth and their own greed.
Gion’s importance is temporary, because beauty and wealth are not permanent.
Sayuri is a slave to materialistic values and can only benefit from manipulating others using her superficial talents. Sayuri, a geisha, is attracted to men who have great power by her exotic beauty. Sayuri’s beauty alone can make any man lose his possessions. It took her hours to prepare, to dress in intricately-designed silk kimonos, to apply thick makeup and to choose the right accessories. As an apprentice geisha she visited a teahouse. One man commented that he didn’t get a good impression of her but that she was beautiful. (pg. 182) Sayuri’s politeness and her intelligence in speaking are not important to the man. He instead takes great pleasure in her beautiful beauty. A man can be captivated by the right body language. A man will be happy if he can see the parts of his body that no one else is able to. A tea-tea-tea-tea-tea-tea-maker apprentice to the geisha’s trade will make every man lose hope. (pg. 168) Sayuri discovers that the right way of pouring tea is to show off the lower part of the arms. Gion men are only interested in one thing, and that is the sensuality displayed by a woman. Sayuri must show men that she is attractive beyond her physical beauty. She puts on an act, trying her best to make herself look weak (pg. 216) to draw the attention of a certain doctor who frequents teahouses frequently. Sayuri is a teahouse hostess who uses subtle flattery to win over men. She teases the Minister, complaining about how she doesn’t like him anymore. I have not seen you in over a year. Is this because Nobusan hasn t taken you to Gion as frequently as he should, or is it unkind? (pg. 382) Sayuri obviously doesn’t like the Minister’s company. Nobu is her friend and she has to use flattery and words to influence his thoughts. Sayuri, as a geisha must organize a faade to fulfill everyone else’s needs. Slowly her hopes of meeting a man who accepts her as she is begin to fade.
Sayuri lived her entire life in a constant quest to please everyone. Although she is known for her stunning beauty, it is not enough to impress others. She is so preoccupied with her own beauty, that she fails to appreciate the humanity of others. She writes in the last paragraph that she now knows that the world we live in is only temporary, like a wave rising up on the ocean. (pg. 428) Sayuri soon realizes the value of traits she once admired in others is fleeting. Only kindness and compassion are lasting qualities that last a lifetime.
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