Memoirs of a Geisha: An Analysis

Every writer uses unique ways to accentuate their book. Some accomplish an interesting read through the very theme of the book; adventure, sci-fi, fantasy. Arthur Golden, however, has made the very realistic life of Natti Sayuri interesting to read with the sheer eloquence of his writing. Golden uses a variety of literary devices throughout his novel, including metaphors, allegory, and imagery. 

The entire book is based on the metaphor of water versus wood. Throughout it, there are many references to how Sayuri, the main character, has an unusual amount of water in her personality, and that this makes her journey easier. "Water flows from place to place and always finds a crack to spill through. Wood, on the other hand, holds fast to the earth (Golden, 9.)" This is, essentially, foreshadowing for Sayuri's life; although she is often thrown from place to place, she always finds a way around her problems. Golden uses this metaphorical writing quite often to describe Sayuri's actions. "I pictured myself flowing up the stairs to the second-floor landing, and from there up the ladder, through the trapdoor, and onto the roof beside the gravity-feed tank (Golden, 93)." This excerpt is from when Chiyo is observing water and is attempting to escape the okiya. The writing here is metaphorical to water, as i when water finds itself with an obstacle, it can simply flow around it. 

Symbols are a very big part of the book as well. One example of symbolism here is Sayuri's process of changing from a young, frightened girl, to a strong geisha. This is symbolic to a butterfly emerging from a dark pod. Sayuri herself sees this, when she sheds the same 'Chiyo'. "The mistress of the teahouse asked me a question, and when I heard her call me “Sayuri,” I realized what was bothering me. It was as if the little girl named Chiyo, running barefoot from the pond to her tipsy house, no longer existed.  I felt that this new girl, Sayuri, with her gleaming white face and her red lips, had destroyed her (Golden, 167)." Another symbolic piece in Memoirs of a Geisha is the symbol for geishas' virginity. Apprentice geisha give men they are fond of rice cakes in a velvet box, as an offer for them to bid for their mizuage. "...they have a dimple in the top with a tiny red circle in the center; some people think they look very suggestive (Golden, 238)." 

 Sayuri goes through an incredible character development. To portray this to us, Golden not only writes it through her words and actions, but also through her descriptions of the world around her. In the beginning of the book, she's a small girl who is frightened of everything around her and describes all she sees as big and amazing. "I felt terrified as evening settled in around us; but I was never so astonished by anything in my life as by my first glimpse of city lights. (Golden, 36)." Chiyo is describing the world around her as as something astonishing. Sayuri, however, sees the world as a woman grown.Even her name symbolizes her character development; at the beginning, she's Chiyo Sakamoto. At the end however, she's Nitta Sayuri. 

Golden has used a variety of literary devices to strengthen his novel. The reader gets a really good sense of Sayuri's life through the metaphors, symbols, and descriptions he uses throughout the novel.

Works Cited 

Golden, Arthur. Memoirs of a Geisha. New York: Knopf, 1997.
"Significant Quotes." Memoirs of a Geisha: A Scholarly  Discussion. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 July 2014.
 "Memoirs of a Geisha." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 July 2014. Web. 31 July 2014.