http://reading-group-center.knopfdoubleday.com/2010/01/07/memoirs-of-a-geisha-guide/ Knopf Doubleday Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:01:21 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5.2 hourly 1 http://reading-group-center.knopfdoubleday.com/2010/01/07/memoirs-of-a-geisha-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-45707 Swee Fong Chung Sat, 23 Jul 2011 04:11:45 +0000 http://knopfdoubleday.com/?p=7008#comment-45707 The author has totally misinterpreted what it is to be a geisha. He wrote it from a man's point of view, where it seems like women were never able to escape from the tragic fate of becoming sexual play thing, but also used their sexuality as means of attaining power. "Geishas were not prostitutes", but all that the characters did was to use their beauty to win over rich, powerful men in order to secure their own positions. So, how much do they differ from the ways of prostitutes? Worst of all, he really romanticized in a western fashion, where everything is just very exotic, to the western eyes ofcourse. As an east asian who is not unfamiliar with the japanese culture, I felt that the author was just so mesmerized by the outer glamour of the geishas he has encountered, that he utterly failed to see their inner essence. Japanese cherish their geisha as national treasure. This certainly wouldn't be the case if geisha are merely sexual play things as portrayed in this book. Yes, geisha may have sex with a few of their selected customers, but no, it was never undertaken merely as a business affair. The geisha would be entering into a sort of romantic relationship with these selected few, but never ever settle down as married women, because they are like flowers that are meant to bloom and shine, like butterflies that have to keep on journeying and glamoring others with their beauty, not to be owned or encased by any men. This makes their romance ever more sad and beautiful. This is a very east asian ideology of romance and melodrama. The author has totally misinterpreted what it is to be a geisha. He wrote it from a man’s point of view, where it seems like women were never able to escape from the tragic fate of becoming sexual play thing, but also used their sexuality as means of attaining power. “Geishas were not prostitutes”, but all that the characters did was to use their beauty to win over rich, powerful men in order to secure their own positions. So, how much do they differ from the ways of prostitutes? Worst of all, he really romanticized in a western fashion, where everything is just very exotic, to the western eyes ofcourse. As an east asian who is not unfamiliar with the japanese culture, I felt that the author was just so mesmerized by the outer glamour of the geishas he has encountered, that he utterly failed to see their inner essence. Japanese cherish their geisha as national treasure. This certainly wouldn’t be the case if geisha are merely sexual play things as portrayed in this book. Yes, geisha may have sex with a few of their selected customers, but no, it was never undertaken merely as a business affair. The geisha would be entering into a sort of romantic relationship with these selected few, but never ever settle down as married women, because they are like flowers that are meant to bloom and shine, like butterflies that have to keep on journeying and glamoring others with their beauty, not to be owned or encased by any men. This makes their romance ever more sad and beautiful. This is a very east asian ideology of romance and melodrama.

]]> http://reading-group-center.knopfdoubleday.com/2010/01/07/memoirs-of-a-geisha-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-45413 vickie Tue, 03 May 2011 16:04:37 +0000 http://knopfdoubleday.com/?p=7008#comment-45413 I think Arthur Golden did an amazing job of protraying a Japanese geisha. I can't get over the sensitivities that emulated from a man protraying a woman! How would a man know to be so sensitive and intuitive into the female personality? It blows me away! LOVED this book! I think Arthur Golden did an amazing job of protraying a Japanese geisha. I can’t get over the sensitivities that emulated from a man protraying a woman! How would a man know to be so sensitive and intuitive into the female personality? It blows me away! LOVED this book!

]]> http://reading-group-center.knopfdoubleday.com/2010/01/07/memoirs-of-a-geisha-guide/comment-page-1/#comment-38532 alex Wed, 12 May 2010 02:02:18 +0000 http://knopfdoubleday.com/?p=7008#comment-38532 what are the answers?!?! what are the answers?!?!

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