Rochelle R. Ravago English 260-Afro-Asian Literature
BSEd 3-3 September 16, 2014

A. CONTENT

1. What value of the Japanese does Sayuri and Mameha represent?

Sayuri and Mameha represent one of the most valued values of the Japanese people it is hospitality. Sayuri and Mameha entertains the men from drinking in the tea house, they are the one who pours tea on their tea cup. In Japan we can see in their culture that women are dancing sign that those people are welcome. They preserve traditional arts such as dance and song.

2. How will you characterized Hatsumomo?

Hatsumomo was the only working geisha in the whole house when Chiyo arrived in Nitta-Okiya. She was the only one who worked and brought an income in the house. Although she was a beautiful woman, she was very rude to Chiyo and she looks Chiyo as a threat on her future. Hatsumomo set her mind on destroying Chiyo/Sayuri’s future as a geisha. She always tried to humiliate or embarrassed Sayuri in every opportunity Sayuri could get but in the end her selfishness and hate lead her into her down fall.

3. What does Chairman Ken Iwamura convey of Japanese men?

Chairman Ken Iwamura carries a Japanese men characteristic of being kind and gentleman. Kind in a way that even though she don’t even know the child Chiyo, he gave her a flavoured crashed ice and a coin together with his handkerchief, that inspired Chiyo to become a geisha because she wanted to be with the Chairman. Another is being a gentleman although he knew that Sayuri was a geisha and he loves her he did not take it as an advantage to become Sayuri’s danna. He waited for the right time to reveal his feelings. It also says in the movie that he is the one who asked Mameha to find the girl with blue eyes.

4. Why was the war necessary in the story?

The war is necessary in the story because it’s just telling us that Geisha’s on this time changed their way of living because the American forced them to closed the Geisha’s district. But once a geisha always a geisha, Sayuri returned from being a geisha and entertained the American Finance minister that is important for the company of the Chairman and Nobu. Another is that war symbolizes time and Sayuri’s feeling for the Chairman that after many years of not seeing him, her feelings did not change and always wishing for Chairman’s safety.

5. What is the “immoral” in which a geisha could do?

Chiyo learned the good manners a geisha must portray in front of the people and she learned it with the help of Mameha. After they became a fully geisha, they will going to date and accompany men in the tea house and entertain them then there is a bidding that will happen. The men will bid for the geisha’s virginity and whoever the highest bidder will be the danna. What is immoral a geisha could do is to give her virginity to the man who is not involved in the bidding because once there is a bidding a geisha must protect their self. Another immoral thing is once a geisha has a danna she wasn’t allowed to accompany other men just like what happened in the movie when Sayuri intentionally slept with the minister to offend Nobu, who happened to be her danna, but it is Chairman who saw them and when Nobu knew that he was really angry and doesn’t want to see her again. It seems that once you have a danna it means that he own you so that it is immoral to a geisha to sleep and make love to other man. For geishas love is only an illusion and not available for them.

6. What/who is a geisha’s equal in the Philippine society? Why?

Geishas are a Japanese woman who entertains men from drinking. Geishas equal in the Philippine society are the prostitutes who also entertain men that will pay them to make love with them. Mameha was the one who decides who will be Sayuri’s danna and urge her to do things that pleases men just like in the Philippine society people like Mameha is called “bugaw”. Geishas are wearing kimono and make up while prostitutes are wearing seductive clothes to catch the eyes of men. Geishas and Prostitutes are the same in some ways, they are not the wife or the girlfriends of their dannas but only patrons them because of the pleasure they could give in return to money. Tea house is where geisha entertains their costumer in the Philippines it is called “beer house”.

7. Explain the transformation of a geisha.

To become a fully geisha Chiyo must overcome all the transformation she needed. A geisha must know how to bow to others properly as a sign of respect. Geisha is known as an artist, a purveyor of gentle graces so she must have proper posture and graceful walk that whoever could pass them would be amaze. Mameha taught Chiyo little walks so that the girl could be seen and remembered by many people. She learned also to walk with a very high heeled slipper but at first she can’t manage. She also mastered the ability to stop a man in his carriage with a single glance that may be a sign that a man was attracted with her charm. When she perfectly did it Mameha told her that she was ready. Another is how to properly pour a tea in a tea cup and Chiyo made it full of grace and passion relieving her inner wrist while pouring the tea. Mameha also taught her how to sleep properly for her hair not to be ruined she slept with a wood only supporting her nape. These are just some of the manners Mameha had taught to Chiyo. But ist doesn’t end with that Chiyo needs a full transformation. She must learn the meticulous art of being a geisha that involves wearing a kimono and putting a make-up to be more presentable with the men. Lastly, she learned to sing and dance that is in a culture of Japanese people.

B. FORM

1. Is narration effective in the story?

The narration is very effective in the story because it adds more details. The scene where Sayuri only acted was narrated by the narrator. In fact the narrator in the movie was Sayuri. In the use of narration you will know what Sayuri thinks at that time.

2. What made the movie have a distinct style?

It is the thought that it is a memoir. We all know that a memoir is like our diary, based on our own experiences. It is distinct because it is not easy to make a movie portraying what really happened. Also it is hard to remember all that happened in the past. Lastly, it is distinct in style because there are Japanese cultures shown in the movie.

3. How did the timeline affect the plot?
The timeline affect the plot in a good way. The story was told chronologically but in fact the whole story is a flashback because it is told after it happened. Sayuri/Chiyo looks back on her days as a geisha. And there is a narrator that explains some part in the story.

II. What episode or scene would you illustrate as most significant to get the plot moving? And write a 2 sentence caption.

The most significant scene for me is the waves in the ocean or the water because everyone who Sayuri acquainted says she was full of water, which symbolizes hope and destiny. And I think it makes the plot moving because the flow symbolizes time.