Memoirs of a Geisha | memoirs-of-a-geisha

Is a book about...

The realistic Cinderella story of Sayuri the Geisha as she goes from rags to riches and eventually finds her happily ever after. The novel is told by Sayuri the protagonist, as she recounts her long life from Chiyo the peasant daughter of a fisherman, to Sayuri the Geisha. The book is set in pre Second World War Japan during the Great Depression and ends in the late 19 hundreds.

It was first published in 1997 and quickly became a bestseller. Since then, it has been translated into more than twenty different languages and has sold over four million copies in English alone.

Part historical novel, part fairy tale, part Dickensian romance, Memoirs of a Geisha [is] not only a richly sympathetic portrait of a woman, but a finely observed picture of an anomalous a largely vanished world… An impressive and unusual debut.

The New York Times

Astonishing…a breathtaking performance… By the time you realize the extent of [the geisha’s] professional skill, you are seduced as completely as any of her clients, hungry for her story.

The Washington Post

Important Characters:

Chiyo/Sayuri

Born Chiyo in the small fishing village of Yorodio. She lived with her older sister, Satsu, and her parents. She inherited her mothers unusual grey eyes that distinguish her from others. Her eyes play the role of the glass slipper in Cinderella. She is clever, energetic, and imaginative. Her imagination is both an advantage and a disadvantage.

Chairman/Iwamura Ken

Plays the role of “Prince Charming”. Sayuri meets him when she is still Chiyo. His act of kindness towards her plays a big role in Sayuri’s future. He is the reason why she sets her mind and her heart on becoming a geisha. He founded his own electrical company; Iwamura Electric. His is partners and best friends with Nobu.

Hatsumomo

Plays the role of “Evil stepsister”. She is devastatingly beautiful but equally cruel. While entertaining, she can put on a charming disposition, but in reality she is scheming, manipulative, vain and cold. Hatsumomo’s character causes Sayuri to discover for herself what true beauty is.

Pumpkin

Only friend of Sayuri. Sayuri gives her the name “Pumpkin” as a nickname and it sticks. She is sweet natured, but not particularly intelligent and her will is easily overpowered.

Mameha

Plays the role of “Fairy Godmother”. One of the most successful geishas in Japan. Agrees to become Sayuri’s “big sister” and takes Sayuri under her wing. Her and Hatsumomo are rivals. She is not as beautiful as Hatsumomo, but she is kinder and wiser. Mameha is clever and knowledgeable about social politics.

Nobu/Toshikazu Nobu

He is the best friend and partner of the Chairman. He is perceptive, loyal, strict, and has a harsh demeanour which makes it him difficult to approach. He is a war hero who’s face and body have terrible burn scars from a bomb explosion. By being a hero, he also lost his arm. Some geishas nickname him “Mr. Lizard”, but not Sayuri. He and Sayuri become friends, and he falls in love with her.

Tanaka Ichiro

He is the wealthy owner of the Japan Coastal Seafood Company in Yorodio, where Sayuri was born and raised. He arranges the deal with Sayuri’s father to sell her and her sister into slavering in Kyoto. Sayuri is sold to a okiya (geisha house), while her sister is sold to a brothel (prostitution house). At first, Sayuri finds him very strong and kind, but she grows to hate him for planning and deciding her fate.