READING RESPONSE:

HISTORICAL FICTION
Memoirs of a Geisha
by Arthur Golden

Julie Ann Germino

MUST DO
 Describe the setting(s) of the story. Can you make any
connections to the settings(s)?
The story happened in Kyoto, Japan particularly in Nitta okiya, which is
basically a boarding house for geisha. Geisha are women trained to
entertain men with the conversation, dancing, and singing. Nitta okiya
is run by a house mother, they go to parties, and there are hazing
rituals. Girls must first work their way up the ranks, starting as a maid,
before they end up geisha. Nitta okiya is like a modern-day sorority
house or a clubhouse where the girls will sing and dance to entertain
the boys. The boys will then give money to them. This is the job of a
Chiyo "Sayuri" Sakamoto in Japan which we also know that there were
some girls nowadays who do this job to earn money for a living.
 Describe the most important event. Give at least three
reasons why you think it is the most important event.
Most important event
The most important event is when Sayuri's group went to an island near Okinawa for
a weekend vacation. In this part, Sayuri realizes that if Nobu stumbles upon her
sleeping with Sato, then Nobu will think that she has dishonored herself and
withdraw his proposal to be her danna. Sayuri hopes that this will leave her free to
pursue a relationship with the Chairman. Sayuri arranges to meet Sato at an
abandoned theater and tells Pumpkin to bring Nobu at a set time. Pumpkin, however,
brings the Chairman instead, who sees Sayuri and Sato having sex. Thinking that her
chances are ruined with the Chairman, Sayuri feels crushed and utterly despondent.
However, few days after returning to Kyoto, Sayuri receives an invitation to meet the
Chairman at a teahouse. At the teahouse, the Chairman confesses that he fell in love
with Sayuri the moment he saw her as a young girl crying by the stream.
 Three This is the most important event
Reasons why since this is the climax.

it is the most Although Chairman sees Sayuri

important with another man, he still
confesses his love toward Sayuri.
event Sayuri's dream to pursue a
relationship with the Chairman
happened.
CHOOSE
TWO
What are the two main emotions the main character has
felt? What do you think made the main character feel
that way?
Chiyo "Sayuri" felt sad, homesick, and devastated
since her father sell her to an okiya. Sayuri tried to
run away because she felt homesick but was caught
so she was devastated as she worked as a maid. At
the end of the story, Sayuri felt happy as she become
the Chairman's danna. Since then, Chairman and
Sayuri live happily together over the next few years
and they immigrate to New Yor City.
Describe the central theme (meaning/message) of your
story.
Memoirs of a Geisha was so popular when it came out is
because it opened a window into the super-secret world
of the geisha. Throughout the novel, Sayuri must navigate
the social terrain of these customs, learning when to
abide by tradition and when to flout it. In this novel, the
practical use of tradition suggests that geisha know that
the established practices of their profession are
oppressive towards women.