GOLDEN’S VIEW TOWARD THE LIFE OF GEISHAS AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTERS IN GOLDEN’S MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra in English Letters

By

DESY WAHYU HASTIKA

Student Number: 994214021 Student Registration Number: 99005112010612021

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA 2007

Oh, God of dust and rainbows, help us see That without dust the rainbow would not be. Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

iv

This thesis is dedicated to

My Beloved Parents, Bapak B. Saparudin & Ibu T.M. Listifah Mas Didik Mbak Denny And those who love Japanese culture

v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This is a very special moment for me to express my greatest thanks to the people who have helped me in writing the thesis. Firstly, I would like to thank my lovely Jesus Christ for this unbelievable life. I will not forget to thank Mother

Mary for the love and help she gives me.

My greatest gratitude is dedicated to Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum as my advisor. I thank her for the patience to read and reread, give correction to my thesis, and also for her kindness to spend time for my thesis. I realize that without her help I cannot finish and improve my thesis. I am grateful to have Drs.

Hirmawan Wijanarka, M. Hum as my co-advisor for sparing his time to criticize and give helpful advice to this thesis.

My sincere thanks also go to all lecturers of The Department of English

Letters of Sanata Dharma University for the knowledge and guidance during my study. I also would like to give my big thanks to the secretariat and library staffs for the good service and patience.

My exceptional gratefulness goes to my family, Bapak B. Saparudin and

Ibu T.M Listifah, my brother who is also the main sponsor of my study Antonius

Didik (Black) Listiawan and my sister Denny Dwi Kristanti for their support, and never stop praying. Thanks for the opportunity given to me.

My special thanks go to my only family in Jogjakarta, Beo 34 community

Anna “Beo”, “Bronie” Kus, Citra “Cepu”, Widhie “Pepeng”, Agnes “Brindil”,

Lucy, Retti, Mbak Ida, Asti “Astot”, Diena, Tante Lisa, Josephine, Wiwied

vi “O’ong” thanks to be a place to share and to be the partner in crime and fellowship. I also want to thank Pondok MAPASADHA for the colors and adventures they give in my life especially for DRAGON’S family. My special big thank to Tilik (RIP) for the challenge and great experience.

I would like to thank Oh Lala Bistro and New Zealand Ice Cream crews for the laugh and big understanding and also Mrs. Ling Ling and Mas Denny for the duties entrusted to me. Without their help I would have never printed my thesis.

Thank to Neelam and Ita for checking my grammar, and also thank to Tri

Reno Purnomo “Ipunk” for the experience, the spirit and enjoyable togetherness.

And if there are people who have helped me but I have not mentioned their names on this page, I do apologize.

Desy Wahyu Hastika

vii TABLE CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE…………………………………………………………...……… i APPROVAL PAGE ……………………………………………………..……. ii ACCEPTANCE PAGE ……………………………………………….…….. iii MOTTO PAGE ………...……………………………………………….….… iv DEDICATION PAGE …………………………………………………..……. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS …………………………………………….…… vi TABLE CONTENTS ...... …...viii ABSTRACT ...... ix ABSTRAK ...... x

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION ……………………………………..………1 A. Background of the study ……………………………………..…….. 1 B. Problem Formulation ………………………………………..………3 C. Objectives of the Study ………………………………………..…… 3 D. Definition of Terms ……………………………………………..….. 4

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW …………………………...... 5 A. Review of Related Studies ……………………………………..……5 B. Review of Related Theories …………………………………...... 7 1. Theories of Character ...... …...... 7 2. The Relation between Literature and Society …...... 10 3. Theory on Society in the Novel ...... ….....11 C. Review of Geisha …………………………………………………..12 D. Theoretical Framework …………………………………………….18

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY …………………………………………20 A. Object of the Study …………………………………………………20 B. Approach of the Study …………………………………………….. 21 C. Method of the Study ………………………………………………..22

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS ………………………………………………….23 A. The Characterization of Sayuri, Hatsumomo, Pumpkin and Mameha ...... ….....23 . 1. Sayuri ……………………………………………………...23 2. Hatsumomo ...... …....28 3. Pumpkin ...... …....31 4. Mameha ...... …...... 33 B. The Life of Geisha as Reflected in the Novel ...…...... 35 C. Golden’s View toward the Geisha’s Life as Reflected in the Novel...... 45

CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION...……...... 55

BIBLIOGRAPHY...... 58

viii ABSTRACT

DESY WAHYU HASTIKA.(2007). GOLDEN’S VIEW TOWARD THE LIFE OF GEISHAS AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTERS IN GOLDEN’S MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2007.

Memoirs of A Geisha is a novel, written by an American in 1998. This novel talks about the social life of a geisha. The job as an entertainer demands the geisha to attract men in such parties every day. It makes the geisha is assumed as a prostitute. A bravery and tenacity are most needed to become a geisha. Geishas are placed in the house called Okiya, a house with strict rules where they learn much about the cultural tradition of Japan. A hard life, competition, authorization and loneliness are coloring the life of geisha which are full of elegance, glamour, and happiness. Through the characters of the novel, Arthur Golden gives a new view and depiction of the real life of geisha which is unexposed, referring to his experiences. In this thesis, the writer uses a literary research. The data are taken from the novel Memoirs of A Geisha, encyclopedias, some dictionaries and also some articles from internet which are related to the topic. The writer uses socio-cultural historical approach, because this novel is related to the Japanese culture and the thesis aims to give a depiction of the geisha’s life in the author’s view. The research result find out that Sayuri is depicted as a beautiful woman, a brave, a clever and also an optimistic person. Hatsumomo is depicted as an antagonist, arrogant, jealousy, and does not like to be competed. Mameha is an intelligent and a successful geisha. Pumpkin is a weak woman and a person who bears a grudge. From these characters, Arthur Golden gives a suggestion that a geisha is not the same as a prostitute as common people think. Strict rules, and demands on ability of dancing and singing are the most things which differentiate the geisha with the prostitute. Behaviors and politeness in the society make a geisha is respected as a person who is loyal to the tradition.

ix ABSTRAK

DESY WAHYU HASTIKA. (2007). GOLDEN’S VIEW TOWARD THE LIFE OF GEISHAS AS REFLECTED IN THE CHARACTERS IN GOLDEN’S MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA. Yogyakarta: Jurusan Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma, 2007.

Novel Memoirs of A Geisha ditulis pada tahun 1998 oleh seorang laki- laki yang berasal dari Amerika. Novel ini menceritakan tentang kehidupan sosial geisha, wanita penghibur Jepang. Pekerjaannya sebagai wanita penghibur yang harus menemani pria setiap hari membuat geisha dinilai sebagai kelompok sosial yang sama dengan prostitusi. Keberanian dan keuletan sangat dibutuhkan untuk menjadi seorang geisha. Para geisha ditempatkan dalam suatu rumah yang disebut okiya, rumah yang mempunyai peraturan yang sangat ketat, tempat dimana mereka belajar segala hal tentang tradisi budaya Jepang. Kehidupan yang keras, persaingan, ketidak bebasan dan kesendirian mewarnai kehidupan geisha yang penuh dengan kemewahan, keindahan dan kegembiraan. Melalui karakter-karakter dalam novelnya, Arthur Golden memberikan cara pandang dan gambaran tentang kehidupan geisha yang sebenarnya yang kurang terangkat berdasarkan pengalamannya. Dalam penulisan skripsi ini, penulis menerapkan studi pustaka. Data-data diambil dari novel Memoirs of A Geisha, ensiklopedia, kamus-kamus dan jaringan situs internet yang berhubungan dengan topik. Pendekatan yang digunakan penulis adalah pendekatan sejarah sosial budaya, karena novel ini sangat erat hubungannya dengan budaya Jepang dan tujuan dari skripsi ini adalah memberikan gambaran tentang kehidupan geisha dari sudut pandang pengarang. Hasil pencarian menunjukkan bahwa Sayuri digambarkan sebagai wanita yang cantik, berani dan pandai serta optimis. Harsumomo digambarkan sebagai antagonis, arogan, iri dan tidak mau tersaingi. Mameha adalah geisha yang cerdik dan sukses. Pumkin digambarkan sebagai geisha yang lemah, bodoh dan pendendam. Melalui karakter-karakter tersebut, ditemukan bahwa kehidupan geisha sangatlah berat. Calon geisha harus melalui berbagai tahap yang berat untuk menjadi geisha. Melalui gambaran-gambaran tersebut, Arthur Golden memberikan pendapat tidak sama seperti pelacur seperti anggapan orang-orang awam. Peraturan yang ketat serta tuntutan kemampuan dalam menari, menyanyi dan lain-lain adalah hal yang membedakan geisha dengan prostitusi. Tingkah laku dan nilai sopan santun berbudaya menjadikan geisha lebih dihargai dan dianggap sebagai orang yang teguh pada tradisi.

x 1

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

A Memoirs of A Geisha is one of the literary works written by Arthur

Golden. This novel talks about the story of a geisha. Although Arthur Golden is an American, he has learned much about Japanese culture. Therefore, he succeeds in bringing the reader entering a new dimension and time. This novel in narrative way describes a woman’s life as a geisha from the point of view of Nitta Sayuri, the main character and at the same time becomes the narrator of the story. The novel describes the process of Sayuri becoming a top geisha starting from her childhood, her training time to become the geisha, until she becomes the top geisha, and then the story continues with her story in reaching her dream to live with a man to whom she wants to be married.

A Memoirs of A Geisha is the result of Golden’s studies on Japanese culture. He interviewed a top geisha in 1970s, Mineko Iwasaki to correct the misconception about geishas. He transforms his research result into fiction in order to depict the true concept of geishas and to give the correct information to the readers about the reality life of the geishas. Golden is successful in making the story of geishas in a simple language but strong description. His writing style is witty to strengthen the description of the characterization of the main character of the story which helps the reader to understand the life of the geishas. 2

In this novel, Nitta Sayuri is described as a famous geisha in 1930s. At the beginning of the story, Nitta Sayuri is depicted as a fishing village’s young girl.

She lives with her parents and her sister in the village. Because of the financial difficulties, Sayuri and her sister are sold into slavery. Luckily, Sayuri is sold into

Okiya, a place where the famous geishas are living. On the other hand, Sayuri’s sister is sold into prostitution.

Arthur Golden describes the rules of geisha’s society, which are different from common prostitution. The characters in the novel are portrayed briefly.

Hence, the readers will recognize whether the characters are the loyal geishas or not. Sayuri and Mameha are the pictures of the professional geishas at that time.

Geishas are the Japanese entertainers. The professions of geishas are entertaining men in some places. Therefore, some of the people think that geishas are similar to prostitutes. It is hard to concur that geishas’ life style is a kind of prostitution or not, because to become a geisha is not as easy as to become a prostitute. The geisha must be knowledgeable about Japanese culture; Japanese tradition and also the geisha should not have any personal relation with any man except her danna, the man who paid her virginity and also responsible on fulfill her needs.

There are three reasons why this novel is interesting to be analyzed. The first reason is the fact that the writer is an American but he understands well about

Japanese culture and geisha’s life. He wants to show to the readers about the genuine life of geishas. He makes a different point of view about geishas that is influenced by his knowledge and his educational background of Japanese culture. 3

The second reason is that many people do not understand much about the life of geishas since geishas’ world is not exposed. However, Golden gives detailed information about the geishas to the readers, thus the readers become understand about the geishas’ life after they read the novel. The last reason is that the existence of geishas are still become the topic of discussion up to now. There are pros and contras about their existence. In this thesis, the writer wants to analyze how the view of the author toward the geishas as it is reflected in the characters of the novel so it can contribute the new idea of geishas to the readers. However, geisha’s life states in the middle of prostitute and artist.

B. Problem Formulation

There are three questions formulated as the problem formulation which are interesting to be to discuss

1. How are the characteristics of the characters described in the novel?

2. How is the life of geishas described in the novel?

3. What is Golden’s view toward geisha’s life reflected in the novel?

C. Objectives of the Study

The objective of this study aims to answer the three questions above. The writer will describe each of the characters who have relation with the main character and have influence the main character. Then, the writer will describe the life of geishas as reflected in the novel by the characters of the novel. Finally, the 4

writer will describe the author’s point of view about the geisha’s life as reflected in the novel.

The analysis of the life of geishas and the author’s point of view as reflected through the characters in the novel are hoped to be useful for those who interested on geisha’s life.

D. Definition of Terms

In analyzing the novel, some terms need to be clarified, in order to provide a clear and accurate picture of the study. It will help the readers to understand this thesis.

A geisha, also known as geigi or geiko, is a woman skilled in classical dancing, singing, playing a banjo- like stringed instrument called the shamisen and witty conversation who entertain wealthy clients at banquets (Perkins, 1991:

111).

The definition of a geisha expands that geisha is also a bar girl today. She is a girl or unmarriageable woman who essentially works in company of professional female entertainment (Reischauer, 1988: 74).

In his novel, Golden tries to describe that a geisha is an entertainer woman whose life is very secret. A geisha can be available as a long-term kept mistress to a wealthy man for a significant sum of money.

5

CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

A. Review of Related Studies

In this thesis, the writer wants to analyze Arthur Golden’s novel entitled

Memoirs of A Geisha. The novel was published in 1998 by Vintage Publisher.

Many critics review in this novel. There are some criticisms and comments in this novel.

Steeve Green says that “Golden does a masterful job of enveloping the reader in the atmosphere of another time and place.” He judges Memoirs of A

Geisha as “having an interesting plot, well-drawn, and evocative language.”

(Steve Green, http://www2.chass.nesu.edu/shgreene/readwholelist.htm).

Pyco Lyer stated that Arthur Golden is knowledgeable in Japanese culture and Golden also understands woman’s life “I can’t still quite believe that an

American male can be such intelligent to enter the soul of a Japanese woman and to catch her world with its texture and its hopes with such perfection

(http://www.browse.com/index.cmf?page=titlle&titlleID:332).

This novel has some transformations in its story. The setting of the story at the beginning is pre-colonial transform to post colonial. The point of view of the author in the story shows the talent of the author. From the point of view of the author as a man, Golden is successful in transforming the story in the point of view of woman to depict the society of geisha. 6

Golden’s success in transforming the new world and new time from his point of view. Margareth Foster, an author also agrees about his success in transforming the world of a man into the world as a woman as follows

Memoirs of A Geisha is the sort of novel that novel – lovers yearn for, which is to say, so convincing that while reading it you become transported to another time, another place, and feel you’re listening and seeing with someone else’s ears and eyes (Margareth Foster, http://www.bookbrowse.com/index.cmf?page=author&authored=242&vie w=interviewrostitute)

Not all of the criticisms are proud with Golden’s novel. Some criticisms criticize about the unpleasant things inside the novel. Ann Hasting, CNN News writer criticized that Golden gives too much Japanese language in writing

Memoirs of A Geisha.

But while Golden captures your attention with information, this is also the book's minor downside. With so much detail you almost get bogged down by the numerous definitions of Japanese term. Golden explores the concept of freedom within a slavelike society as Chiyo uses her brains more than her beauty to make an independent life for herself. (http://edition.cnn.com/books/reviews/9805/25/index.html)

Dean H. Ruetzler, a fiction commentator stated that Golden can not develop the characters of the novel well. There are some characters that are supporting the existence of the main character are well developing, but a few of character do not show any movement. He also said that Golden gives a little description in his novel, because there are many term still in Japanese language.

For most of the book, Golden is doing a great job, but when the time comes to kick the book up a metaphorical notch, Golden did not succeed in my eyes. He could not build beyond the description, and bring the book to a conclusion that astonished me. He also did not develop a few of the characters in the book well. However, other characters do not fare as well in their development. "Auntie", "Mother" and "Granny", the owner/caretakers of Sayuri`s "okiya" (home/training 7

place/management/owners) really do not meet their full development. (http://www.hackwriters.com/Geishamemoirs.htm).

Thus, in this thesis, the writer wants to find out Golden’s view toward geishas’ life as described in the novel. The geishas’ life which is related to men and parties gives many opinions both of negative or positive by the common people. The geishas’ life style which is state in part of prostitution because there are part of a geisha’s level selling sexual services which is called mizuage; but geisha cannot says as prostitute because her job is entertaining such as an artist. It is interested to look up deeper about the life of geishas. In this novel, the view of the author is interesting to analyze because the novel is the result of his reservation which are make in fiction. Through the experiences of the narrator, the writer tries to understand the point of view of the author in differentiate geishas with prostitutes.

B. Review of Related Theories

1. Theories of Character

According to Abrams, a character is the person presented in a dramatic or narrative work who are interpreted by readers and being endowed with moral and dispositional qualities that are expressed in what they say or the dialogue and what they do or the action (Abrams, 1981: 20). The readers can interpret the character from the dialogue and the action in a story. The readers can learn something as people by studying the character in a story. Furthermore, Abrams says “as human being presented in a story, certain characters have some characteristics like real 8

human beings. They also have temperament and more nature. That is the basic for his/her speech and action that influence his/her motivation” (Abrams, 1981: 20).

Barnet, Berman and William Burto on their book Literature for

Composition give the definition of a character as “a figure in a literary work, and personalities or the mental and moral qualities of a figure. A figure in literary work means a person or individual in the literary work. Mental and qualities refer to the personalities of the figure or person in the literary work, for example, strong, weak, fussy, kind (1988: 71).”

According to Henkle, character can be divided into two: major and secondary character. Major characters are the most important and complex characters in a novel. They can be identified as such through the complexity of their characterization, the attention given to them (by the other characters), and the personal intensity that they seem to transmit. It is the major character who deserves our fullest attention because they perform a key structural function, upon them. We build expectations and desires, which in modification, shift or establish our values. Secondary characters are characters that perform more limited functions. They are limited in ways that the major characters are not. They may be less sophisticated, so that their responses to the experience are less complex and interesting (Henkle, 1977: 20).

In The Mirror and the Lamp, Abrams mentioned about the protagonist and the antagonist characters. Protagonist character is also called hero, is the chief character of a work, on which our interest centers. Antagonist is the character who is pitted against an important opponent (1971: 128). 9

A character does something to fulfill some motive, but in doing so he or she starts doing a sequence of action which gives certain effects on the characters.

The character is not always the same of the beginning until the end. Every character in the story, at the end of dramatic work, may be a very different person from the one at the beginning (Brooks, 1952: 11).

Murphy in his book gives the way in which the author attempts to make his characters to be understood so that the readers understand the character of his novel (Murphy, 1972: 11).

1. Personal description

The characters can be displayed through the appearance and clothes. The usage of adjective gives personal description of a character in more details and clearer.

Details mean to cover more than one part of the body, such as face, skin, eyes and clothing. While clear mean each aspect is described using good choice of adjective.

2. Character as seen by another

Through the eyes and opinions of another, the readers get the description as a reflected image.

3. Past life

The clues of the characters also can be known through his or her past life by using direct comment from the author, through the person’s thought, conversation or a medium of another person.

10

4. Speech

The character can also be seen in the way of a person give opinion and speak and also what person says.

5. Conversation of others

The author can also give us clues to a person’s character through the conversation of other people and the things they say about him or her. People do talk about other people and the things they say give us a clue to the character of a person spoken about.

6. Reactions

Reaction of characters or person in the story toward various situation and events can also show the characterization of the person.

7. Direct comment

The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly.

8. Thought

The different characteristic of person influences people’s way of thinking.

9. Mannerism

A character manners and habits can give us understanding about his or her character.

2. The Relation between Literature and Society

Wellek and Warren in the book of Theory of Literature stated that literature has usually arisen in close connection with particular social institutions and has also a social function, or use, which cannot be purely individual ( 1956: 11

94). According to them, the relation between literature and society beginning with a point that literature is an expression of society as De Bonald suggested.

Literature describes society as some social realities. Literature is not the mirrors of the current social institution. Literature mirrors or expresses life is even more ambiguous.

Further more Wellek and Warren said that a writer can expresses his experienced and total conception of life but it will be wrong to say that he expresses the whole life even the whole live at the time completely. In a specific evaluative reason saying that an author should express the life of his own time and that he should be representative of his age and society. The writer should be aware of specific social situation (1956: 95). Literature cannot be seen as a documentary.

Wellek and Warren said that the writer has been a citizen, has pronounced on questions of social and political importance, and has taken part in the issue of his time (1956: 97).

3. Theory on Society in the Novel

The society, as do all other aspects of novels, functions as an element in a structure, that is, at least, self-referential. Society is not only a concept and a construct in fiction, but also in life. Society in novel does not depend on points of absolute fidelity in and outside world in details of costume, setting, and locality because a novel’s society does not aim at a faithful mirror of any concrete, existent thing (Langland, 1984: 5). 12

Society in the novel cannot always be found in the real world, but there is possibility that we can find it in the real world, although it is not exactly the same.

The fact that society is a concept and constructs both in fiction and life shows that there is an intersection of art and life which is important. The society depicted in the novel has possibility in commenting on roles and possibilities of society in our lives. Langland defines society in a wider sense, not merely peoples and their closes, but also custom, conventions, beliefs and values, their institutions-legal, religious, and cultural- and their physical environment. In brief, society remains everything we have seen it to be –norms, conventions, codes, background, places, people, instructions- but its particular manifestations in a novel will be determined by its role within the world (Langland, 1984: 6-7).

C. Review of Geisha

The existence of geisha’s culture firstly, came up in Tokugawa period or it also called Edo period (1600-1869). First geisha appeared in the early 1600s.

They were men who become a geishas. In Tokugawa period, the rise of urban merchant culture is quite distinct from that of ruling Samurai class. The job of the geisha at that time is making the guest of samurai or warrior laugh. It centered on the amusement quarters of the cities, where merchants, who were essentially hardworking, sober moneymakers, and family men, went to relax in the company of a professional entertainers. In 1751, some customers in a Shimabara brothel were surprised when a female drum bearer came to their party. She was referred to 13

as geiko, the term still used in Kyoto instead of geisha. By 1780 female geisha outnumbered the men; by 1800, a geisha was a woman.

(http://www.mtholyoke.edu/~oaandrey/geisha/history.html).

The word of geisha was first used to describe female entertainer of the century who was skilled in singing, playing the traditional music instrument called shamisen and dancing. Over the decades, the training of geisha becomes more formalized and the status of geisha begins to rise. Since the social system in Japan is such that wives maintain the house works and do not participate with men in business or politics, they can not entertain their husbands’ business associates or host any related functions. Therefore, geisha becomes an integral part of business entertainment by serving as gracious host at the many ryokan (inns), ryotei

(restaurant) and o-chaya (teahouses) where banquet facilities are rented for this purpose. Well-to-do business men will rent these rooms, arrange for the food and drinks, and then hire geisha to entertain their associates with music, dance, and light conversation. Some businessmen become patron of a favorite geisha for which he paid handsomely. Because of economic hardship during the Second

World War, many geishas were forced to work in factories. Under the Occupation

Army, geisha entertainment was outlawed, however was soon reinstated once

Japan was stable. Since the war, a number of geishas were decline. In 1970, geisha numbered about 17,000 and today there are fewer than 1,000.

Contemporary geisha also studies the English language and sometimes are called upon to participate in special functions both in Japan and internationally

(http://www.japancorner.com/geisha.asp). 14

Dorothy Perkin in her book Encyclopedia of Japan stated the story of geisha as follows. Geisha also known as geigi or geiko;woman skilled in classical dancing, singing, playing a banjo- like stringed instrument called the shamisen and witty conversation who entertain wealthy client at banquets. Geisha means

“art person”. Geishas are knowledgeable about etiquette and wearing of elaborate kimono. Geisha as an occupational category originated in the 18th century in the floating world of government licensed pleasure quarter of large Japanese cities, such as the Yoshiwara in Edo, where geishas were hired to entertain at parties for courtesan and their client. By the 19th century geishas were considered trendsetters and influenced fashion with their elegant style, described as iki (chic). They also inspired the literary musical and graphic art, and were depicted by many artists of woodblock prints (Perkin, 1991: 111).

The geisha world is poetically known as karyukai, the flower and willow world. Geisha still wears beautiful, expensive kimono, and elegant hairstyles and stylized white make up known as shiroi. Now, Japanese women wear western styles, geisha have changed from fashion innovators to be the conservators of traditional Japanese styles. Their function has also been largely assume by bar hostesses, who pour drinks and provide companionship for men, but who wear expensive western dresses and do not engage in the difficult study of the traditional arts (Perkins, 1991: 111).

A geisha usually has an intimate relation with the patron (danna). Geisha is also has a number favorite customers (gohiki) who hires geisha for parties and also helps geisha to pay the formidable expenses for kimono and ongoing lessons 15

in classical dancing, shamisen playing and several styles of singing. Many geishas also study flower arranging, the tea ceremony and calligraphy. A girl who is apprenticing to become geisha is called a maiko (little dancers) She wears a special long sleeves kimono and particular hairstyle. In former time, poor girls were often indentured to geisha houses by their parents and were required to work hard as a maid before training to be a geisha. Now, women make their own choice to become a geisha, and they are legally required to stay in school through age 15.

Many become geishas in their 20s without a period of apprenticeship (Perkin,

1991: 111). Each geisha districts has its own registry office which handles the assignment for geisha to entertain at parties in private restaurant (ryotey, chaya, teahouse in Kyoto); also known as kashizhaziki, rental banquet room. The geisha union (geigi kumiai) regulated the time of attendance and the fees paid for geisha, who is called “mother” (okasan/okami). Customers hire geisha through the restaurants where they hold parties. The restaurant manager tells to the registry officer how many geisha they require, and then the registry officers contact the okiya. A geisha may be invited to more than one party in an evening. Geisha receives tips in addition to standard hourly wages (Perkin, 1991: 112).

Some geisha districts sponsor annual public stages performances of singing and dancing such as the auntum Kamo River Dances (kamogawa odori) in

Pontocho. There are small numbers of regional chicho geisha in other Japanese cities. In addition, there are so called onsen geisha, who entertain or not spring resort (onsen) and engage in prostitution as well as entertaining customers

(Perkins, 1991: 112). 16

There are some roles in the world of geisha. Naomi Graham Diaz in her article Immortal Geisha (http://immortalsgeisha.com?ig/fag_geisha.cfm#fag) states some rules of the geisha life as follows:

1. Geishas must train themselves in various traditional arts such as classical dancing, playing the shamisen, and several styles of singing in the hanamachi

(geisha community).

2. Geishas work by entertaining guests at expensive teahouse. They will serve drinks, talk with the guests, and perform.

3. Geishas maintain many different relationships with men. They are not prostitutes. It is appropriate for a geisha to have a patron (danna), whom she is involved with emotionally, economically, and sexually, however it is up to the geisha whether she wants or not.

4. Geishas wear their hair in a bun or a uniform style with a single comb and two pins. They also wear elegant kimono and beautiful white make up.

5. Geishas also entertain at business banquet parties for a considerable amount of money. There they engage the conversation and perform for the guest. Geisha will either perform “Tachikata” which mainly does traditional Japanese dance or

“Jikata” which mainly sings or plays an instrument. Tachikata are usually the maiko girls while jikata are older geisha women. They also pay greater attention to the guests of honor. Geisha also do not discuss anything that was said at a parties or business meeting outside.

6. Geishas do not prepare or serve food. They also never have one- night stand. 17

The life of geisha that relates into the glamorous, men and parties makes incorrect view of geisha. For common people, geisha is state in one line or similar to a prostitute. Actually, the existence of geisha has a bend meaningful differentiation with prostitute.

To become a geisha, a woman should be attractive. She should have an ability to entertain men. Thus, she should have ability in dancing, singing and playing some instruments. As Marian said in her article below,

Geisha are expected to be excellent careers and entertainers of men; they should be refined in the art of conversation as well as more traditional art such as dancing or singing, most Kyoto Geisha are adept at the shamisen (a traditional Japanese 3 stringed instrument similar to a guitar) however this is a talent dying out amongst the Tokyo geisha

The training to be a geisha and the ability to be geisha that are closer to the culture is the main point to differentiate the geisha with the prostitute. Geisha may be more knowledgeable to the common Japanese woman as well as having more glamorous lifestyle. Geishas have some way to make their life lack of restrictions more than Japanese women at that time; of course it include some consequences that they should be taken.

Prostitution is the sale of sexual service (typically manual stimulation, oral sex, sexual intercourse, or anal sex) for money or other kind of return, generally indiscriminately with many persons. Geishas’ society is kind of legally exclusive prostitution because there is time when the geisha should sell her virginity to the man. Though, it should be done to one person in time. A professional geisha should have a mizuage (the time when geisha should lose her virginity for her 18

danna). However, we cannot say that the geisha is the prostitute. A person selling sexual favor is a prostitute, a type of sex worker. In a more general sense of the world, anyone selling their services for a cause thought to be unworthy can be described as prostituting themselves. Although in the past the right to take their virginity, an event called mizuage was sold, they were not oblige to have sex with any customers, even the men who paid dearly for their virginity

(http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/geisha).

In the interviewed with CNN anchor Miles O’Brien on CNN’s Sunday

Morning, Golden stated that a geisha is seemingly as a mistress than prostitute.

Though the geisha sold her virginity, in her first debut, she won’t make herself available to men on nightly basis. She just makes herself sexually available to her patron or danna exclusively. This phenomenon might be unknown by the common people thus they have an idea that geisha is similar to prostitute. Thus, geishas are states in the middle of prostitutes, mistress and entertainers or artists

(http://edition.cnn.com/books/dialogue/9903/golden.interview/).

D. Theoretical Framework

The writer uses theory of characters in order to know how the characters of the novel are characterized. Theory of characters helps the writer to understand the important of each character in the novel in depicting the life of geishas.

The review of geisha is used to help the writer in understanding how the author reflects the life of the geishas in the novel. It is important to know how the life of geishas because most of the setting in the novel is taken on the geisha’s life. 19

The way of the author portrays the life of geishas is reflecting the author’s view toward the geishas itself.

The theory of character is used to understand how the characters in the novel are described. It is important to know the characters of the novel, because the author gives his view through the characters in the novel. The author is characterizing the characters in the novel in order to make a depiction of his view toward the life of geisha.

This thesis analyze about the view of the author toward the life of geishas, which are in the novel becomes the society in the novel. The society of geishas is also finding in the real world. Therefore, the writer needs the theory of society and the relation between the literature and society in order to get the criticisms of the author toward the life of the geisha as reflected to the novel.

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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

A. Object of the Study

The object of the study in this thesis is a novel, written by Arthur Golden entitled Memoirs of A Geisha. This novel contains of 428 pages, published in

1998 by Vintage Publisher. Arthur Golden was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

He studied and received the title in art history, especially in Japanese art in

Harvard College. His educational background strengthens him in understanding the Japanese culture. In writing his novel, he was influenced by the information he got from Mineko Iwasaki, a famous geisha at sixties and seventies. She was the woman who corrected his misconception about geishas. Therefore, through his novel Golden tries to give the truth information through the reader so there is no misconception about geisha. Memoirs of A Geisha is the novel about woman who has a career as an entertainer woman in Japan. It is a story about a girl living in poverty who later becomes a famous geisha. Her ups and downs of the main character, Nitta Sayuri (or Chiyo- her child name) are cleverly depicted by the author. The novel begins with Sayuri’s childhood in which she was sold into slavery by his father. She became a slave at the okiya, a geisha’s house. Luckily, she entered the geisha’s training helped by Mameha; a top geisha who gave interest in Chiyo. A hard training, discipline, and rivalry condition makes Sayuri feel depressed in her difficulties.

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B. Approach of the Study

To conduct this study, the writer use socio-cultural historical approach.

This approach is appropriate to answer the three problem formulation above.

Rohrberger stated a socio-cultural historical approach attempts to relate the novel to the society. Critics whose major interest is socio-cultural historical approach insist that the only way to locate the real work is in the reference to the civilization that produced it. They define civilization as the attitudes and actions as its subject matter (Rohrberger and Wood, 1971: 9).

Guerin in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature stated that socio-cultural historical approach is an approach that studies a literary work from its social background and literary work (Guerin, 1979: 272). It means that this approach is applied to see a literary work as reflection and commentaries on something certain society. There is an interaction between social milieu and literary work.

The socio-cultural historical approach is suitable to apply in this thesis because the culture of geishas is the part of the culture of Japan and Arthur

Golden tries to give his point of view toward this tradition through his novel. This approach is suitable to understand how the author related his story into the real

Japanese society instead.

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C. Method of the Study

In analyzing this thesis, the writer does some steps before taking the conclusions. The first step the writer read the novel Memoirs of A Geisha as the primary data in several times to find the theme and the message.

The second step was the writer tried to find an interesting topic that might appeared in the novel to discuss. After finding the problem formulation, the writer found the secondary data to help the writer in order to find the answer of the three problems formulation. The secondary data were taken from some books and some articles from the internet. The book of Encyclopedia of Japan helped the writer to know all about Japanese tradition and cultures. Some articles from the internet are also needed to help to know much more about Japanese geisha.

The third step was the writer tried to analyze the problem formulation that appeared in the novel. The data helped the writer to answer the problem formulations. After the question in the problem formulation answered, the writer made a conclusion.

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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

Golden’s Memoirs of A Geisha is a novel about Japanese geishas. Golden does not define geishas as prostitutes. This novel, therefore, explains and focuses on the habitual lifestyle of the geishas. To capture geishas’ experiences in the art of fiction, Golden spent his 10 years with Mineko Iwasaki (a famous geisha) in order to get the true information about geishas. He also shared and discussed all about geishas’ culture with her and other geishas.

The use of narrative method in this novel enables the readers to feel geishas’ life as if the readers were the geishas themselves. Nitta Sayuri, the narrator of the story gives the true experience of her life as a little girl until she becomes a triumphant geisha. The narrative point of view gives the real experience to the readers. Golden tries to give his view throughout his major character in criticizing and analyzing the life of a geisha.

A. The Characterization of Sayuri, Hatsumomo, Pumpkin and Mameha

1. Sayuri

In the novel, Nitta Sayuri’s stages of life are divided into three different periods; the young Nitta Sayuri or called Chiyo, the geisha Nitta Sayuri and the old Nitta Sayuri. The society and time have changed her main characteristics.

Nitta Sayuri comes from a poor family, who was sold to be a slave and later becomes a triumphant geisha at that time. 24

The young Nitta Sayuri (or Chiyo) is an independent and a smart girl.

Physically, the young Nitta Sayuri is a beautiful girl and has unordinary eyes with green color: a unique color which is rarely possessed by a Japanese woman. Her eyes are the same as her mother’s. The quotation below shows the evidence of her unordinary eyes.

I was very much like my mother and hardly at all like my father or older sister. My mother said it was because we were made just the same, she and I- and it was true we both had the same peculiar eyes of a sort you almost never see in Japan. Instead of being dark brown like anyone else’s, my mother’s eyes were a translucent gray, and mine just the same (Golden, 1998: 9).

Her extraordinary eyes become the most interesting part of Sayuri. Many poeople in the story agree that her eyes are pretty. Aunty also adores Sayuri’s eyes from the first time they met.

“Heavens! What startling eyes! You’re a lovely girl, aren’t you? Mother will be thrilled. (Golden, 1998: 18)”

Awajiumi, a clerk on Gion Registry Officer is also surprised to see

Sayuri’s eyes. “You should have told me sooner what a pretty girl you brought with you. Her eyes…. They’re the color of mirror (p. 60).” Because of her pretty face, Sayuri is also oftenly becomes a model for posters of Dances of the Old

Capital which are made by Uchida Kosaburo, a famous poster creator.

Nitta Sayuri is a smart girl. It can be seen from the way she imagines and describes something. As an example, she calls her house as a tipsy house, for it is almost falling down as well as propped up by the timber boat. In her imagination, it looks like a man who had drunk too much so he cannot stand well. She also has her own story to explain her unordinary eyes. As a child, Sayuri thinks that her 25

unique color of her eyes is caused by somebody’s peeking to her mother’s eyes.

Her analysis on the history of her eyes’ color has proving that she is a clever girl.

As an apprentice geisha, Sayuri is talented in doing some art activities such as singing and dancing. Sayuri is able to learn all of the lessons in the geisha’s school more than her friends are.

Besides her cleverness, Nitta Sayuri is also rigid in facing her life. She lives under pressure in the okiya. The strict rules, the seniority and also the debt of loan makes somebody feel stressful; but Sayuri faced all her difficulties by using her logics and her ability in problem solving. She realized that she must survive to get the triumph and reaching her dreams.

As a young girl, Sayuri has a great spirit to keep on survival through her rebellion. Nobody is with her to face her hard days.

I had no doubt life would never again be the same… and I wondered day after day when I might Satsu again. I was without my father, whthout my mother- without even the clothing I’d always worn. Yet somehow the thing that startled me most, after a week or two had passed, was that I had in fact survived (Golden, 1998: 45).

From the quotation above, Sayuri, is young girl who becomes an orphan.

She feels lonely in the world because of her parents’ death and her missing of her only sister. In the difficult situation, Sayuri still has a spirit that she can pass through the difficulties. She believes that she can change her life now to be better

She believes, her life will never be the same as that day. The spirit makes Sayuri become a brave girl to face her future. She is never afraid of anything. Never does she try to escape from the reality she is facing.

The past was gone. My mother and father were dead and I could do notheing to cange it. But I suppose that for the past year I’d been dead in a 26

way too. And my sister... yes, she was gone; but I wasn’t gone. I’m not sure this will makes a sense to you, but I felt as though I’d turn around to look different direction, so that I no longer faced backward toward the past, but forward the future. And now the question confronting me was this: What would the future be? (Golden, 1998: 108)

Nitta Sayuri is a high motivated person. She has some motivations to keep on surviving through her life. Her motivations are the only things that support her life. The quotation below shows some of her’s motivations in life.

There I threw the coins into the offertory box- coin that might have been enaugh to take me away from Gion- and announced my pressence to the gods by clapping three times and bowing. With my eyes squeezed tightly shut and my hands together, I prayed that they permit me to become a geisha somehow. I would suffer through any training, bear up under any hardship, for a chance to attract the notice of a man like the Chairman again (Golden, 1998: 114).

The quotation above depicts that Sayuri has a motivation to become a geisha in order to meet a good person like Chairman, the only good man whom she ever met since she lived in Kyoto. Her motivation leads her to go through all the difficulties in her life.

“Oh, maam... I’d give anything to undo my mistakes,” I said. “It’s been more than two years now. I’ve waited so patiently in the hopes that some opportunity might come along (Golden, 1998: 125).”

The quotation above is about Sayuri’s regret. She wants to change her destiny. Sayuri still hopes whenever there is a chance for her to become a geisha although it is impossible for a girl like her who has run away from the okiya.

Running away from the okiya is regarded as a very big mistake because it will cause a bad reputation for the okiya itself and also for the owner if other okiya know about it. 27

Sayuri is a hard worker. During the war, all the geisha districts are closed by the government. Sayuri is sent into a kimono factory to earn some money for her life. It is a hard work for Sayuri as a geisha, who has used to work to entertain men in several tea houses, doing some hard jobs in making silks kimonos and colouring them.This job causes problems to Sayuri’s hands. Her hands suffer whenever she colours the silk.

Sayuri is a lucky person. There are many persons who love her. Aunty, who always keeps Sayuri from the mistakes and helps her to run away from the mother’s punishment. Mameha, who helps Sayuri to be a geisha and teaches her many things about geisha. Yasuda-san, a man who falls in love with Sayuri, and has an affair with her. Nobu-san, a bussiness man who always loves Sayuri and helps Sayuri from her difficulties. Mr. Chairman, a man who actually asks

Mameha to help Sayuri to get the better life.

Besides her success to be a geisha, Sayuri is an inhibition person. Sayuri is under the mother’s authority. It is because of her position as a geisha who still lives in okiya, so she should give a distribution to a mother. She becomes the mother’s daughter in the okiya so she is still under the mother’s authority. It is stated at the time when Nobu-san wants Sayuri to go back to Ichiriki after the war has finished.

“To tell the truth, the decission is not mine. I’ve been waiting for Mother to reopen the okiya. I’m as eager to get back to Gion as Nobu-san is to have me there (Golden, 1998: 352).”

Sayuri is positioned as Mameha’s sister who is in fact just as camouflage for Mameha to win the rivalry against Hatsumomo. In other words, Sayuri 28

becomes Mameha’s playing doll. Everything that Sayuri does during the training to be an apprentice geisha is arranged by Mameha. Mameha makes a good plan for Sayuri, in fact it is also to defeat Hatsumomo, and makes Hatsumomo’s career as a geisha breaks down.

2. Hatsumomo

Hatsumomo is the antagonist in this story. She is a beautiful famous geisha. All people in the Nitta Okiya where she lives should respect her because she is the bread winner for Nitta Okiya. Hatsumomo is the only geisha who has a lot of clients at the tea house, though she does not have any patrons.

Becoming the most important asset makes Hatsumomo gets more attentions from all the okiya’s dwellers. The maids and all the apprentice geishas should respect Hatsumomo, for the bread winning reason. The mother of the okiya also gives a special treatment to Hatsumomo. They are intended just to make her feel comfortable, so that the mother can get her money continuosly run the okiya.

The special treatment makes Hatsumomo becomes an arrogant person.

She thinks that she is the most important person, the highest person in the okiya.

She acts like a princess who is always be served everything she needs. She often gets angry or abuses other peoples with no reasons. Hatsumomo’s arrogance is depicted when Sayuri meets Hatsumomo for the first time in okiya as follows.

“Mr. Bekku, could you take out the garbage later? I’d like to be on my way.” There was no garbage in the entry way; she was talking about me (Golden, 1998: 17)

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The quotation above shows how arrogant she is. It is the dialogue between

Hatsumomo and Mr. Bekku, her dresser. The word “garbage” here is for Chiyo.

Hatsumomo called Chiyo as a garbage because of her appearance. Chiyo dresses as a fishing village girl. It is very different from Hatsumomo’s style as a famous geisha, who wears an extraordinary kimono, and beautiful hairdo.

Hatsumomo is also a rigid person. She often insults others. She often hurts

Chiyo with her speech. Hatsumomo said that Chiyo will never be a geisha and she is not beautiful enough to be a geisha.

While Hatsummomo was rinsing out her brushes, she glanced several times at my reflection in the mirror. Finally she said to me: “I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking you’ll never be so beautiful. Well, it’s perfectly true.” “I’ll have you know,” said Aunty, “that some people find Chiyo-chan quite a lovely girl.” “Some people like the smell of rotting fish,” said Hatsumomo (Golden, 1998: 63).

Hatsumomo often acts like she wants to show or to teach something to

Chiyo but actually she only wants to abuse her. It happens for example when

Hatsumomo asks Chiyo to come, and she explains some kinds of her make up properties. After that she asks Chiyo

“Now why do you suppose I’ve shown you these things?’ “So I’ll understand how you put on your make up,” I said. “Heavens, no! I’ve shown them to you so you’ll see there isn’t any magic involved. What a pity for you! Becauseit means that make up alone won’t be enough to change poor Chiyo into something beautiful (Golden, 1998: 62)”

Hatsumomo is a very unconfident person. She often traps Sayuri into difficulties. It is because she does not want anybody to compete with her as a geisha. Hatsumomo hates anybody who is more talented than her. She wants 30

people to know that she is the best geisha. She envy with somebody’s success.

The conversation between Hatsumomo and her friend, Korin below shows how

Hatsumomo hates other geishas

“ …Well, it doesn’t. It belongs to none other than the geisha we both hate worse than anyone else on earth.” “Oh, Hatsumomo…you’re so genius. But how did you get Satoka’s kimono?” “I’m not talking about Satoka! I’m talking about…Miss Perfect!” “Who?” “Miss ‘I’m-So-Much-Better-Than-You-Are’…that’s who!” There was a long pause, and then Korin said, Mameha! Oh my goodness, it is Mameha’s kimono…(Golden, 1998: 71).

The quotation above reflects that Hatsumomo does not only hate one or two people but almost all of them. If she only hates Mameha, Korin will not guess falsely the clue given by Hatsumomo. Hatsumomo hates a lot of people merely because of her jealousy to them or even by no reason at all.

Hatsumomo is a famous geisha at that time though she does not have good reputations in the society. Hatsumomo is a famous and a popular geisha but actually she is not a successful geisha. It is because she does not have any danna.

She still lives in an okiya. A successful geisha should be independent, have a benefit danna, have her own living place and should give a lot of income to the mother. The criteria of the successful geisha are explained by Mameha as follows.

“I didn”t say popular,” Mameha replied. ”I said successful. Going to a lot of parties isn’t everything. I live in a specious apartment with two maids of my own, while Hatsumomo- who probably goes to as many parties as I do- continues to live in the Nitta Okiya. When I say successful, I mean a Geisha who has earned her independence. Until a geisha has assembled her own collection of kimono- or until she’s been adopted as the daughter of an okiya, which is just about the same thing- she’ll be in someone else’s power all her life…(Golden, 1998: 146).”

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From the quotation above, it is clear that Hatsumomo is not included in the category of a successful geisha even though she is very popular. On the other hand, Mameha is a successful geisha. This is the reason why Hatsumomo hates

Mameha very much.

3. Pumpkin

Pumpkin is a simple person. She is at the same age as Sayuri. In reaching her debuts, Pumpkin chooses to play safely. She tries not to make any mistakes.

She tries not to make the mother and other important people in the okiya angry.

Pumpkin comes from a lower class society in Sapporo. She was sent by her uncle because of the economical difficulties.

Pumpkin is not a clever girl. She finds some difficulties in her lessons as playing shamisen and singing. Because of her stupidity, she keeps on living in okiya because living in okiya means following other’s instruction. She does not have to make a decision for her life which is, of course, difficult for her. It is depicted when Chiyo asks her to run away from Gion.

“My uncle was a very nice man,” she said. “Here’s the last thing I heard him say before he sent me away. ‘Some girls are smart and some girls are stupid,’ he told me. ‘You’re a nice girl, but you’re one of the stupid ones. You won’t make it on your own in the world. I’m sending you to a place where people will tell you what to do. Do what they say, and you’ll always be taken care of.’ So if you want to go out on your own Chiyo-chan, you go. But me, I’ve found a place to spend my life. I’ll work as hard as I have to so they don’t send me away. But I’d sooner throw myself off a cliff than spoil my chance to be a geisha like Hatsumomo (Golden, 1998: 53).”

The quotation above depicts clearly when Pumpkin realizes her stupidity and she will not make her life becomes more difficult by leaving the okiya. What 32

she needs is only a place to live and to eat. She does not have any spirit or courage to create her happy life with her own ability. Fortunately, because of her hard effort, Pumpkin finally becomes an apprentice geisha and has a new name called

Hatsumiyo. Her apprentice name is not so popular because people still called her

Pumpkin. Therefore, Pumpkin is not included in the list of popular geishas.

Pumpkin is a weak girl actually. She feels very depressed to be an apprentice geisha. She loses her freedom because Hatsumomo, as her old sister, gives too many regulations and instructions. Pumpkin is a girl who does not has any self confidence. She feels that she was a stupid girl. She also puts her jealousy to Sayuri, because all the things she hopes to happen to her was never realized. On the other hand, Sayuri can reach all of geishas’dreams. She should deserve as the daughter of the okiya , but she is never be. It is Sayuri who at least becomes the daughter of the okiya. As a result, she hates Sayuri because of her disappointment and tries to make a revenge for her jealousy.

“Pumpkin,” I said, “I asked you to bring Nobu, not the Chairman. I don’t understand-“ “Yes it must be hard for you to understand, Sauri, when life doesn’t work out perfectly!” “Perfectly? Nothing worse could happened… did you mis- understand what I was asking you?” “You really do think I’m stupid!” she said. I was bewildered, and stood a long moment in silence. “I thought you were my friend, I” I said at last. “I thought you were my friend too, once. But that was a long time ago.” You talk as if I’ve done something to harm you, Pumpkin, but-“ No, you’d never do anything like that, would you? Not the perfect Miss Nitta Sayuri! I suppose it doesn’t matter that you took my place as the daughter of the Okiya? (Golden, 1998: 406).

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Pumpkin is a sensitive and desperate person. Her weakness makes her choosing to be a prostitute during the depression. When Sayuri wants to help her,

Pumpkin embraces her and thinks that Sayuri has insulted her.

“… But of course, you’ve changed your mind now that you’ve seen me.” “Why, no.” I said. “I don’t know why you say thtt. Nobu Toshikazu and the Chairman- Iwamura Ken, I mean… Chairman Iwamura- would appreciate your company greatly. It’s simple that. For a moment Pumpkin just knelt in silence, peering down at the mats. “I’ve stopped believing that anything in life is as simple as that,” she said at last. I know you think I’m stupid- (Golden, 1998: 367)”

From the quotation above, it is clear that Pumpkin hates Sayuri because of

Sayuri’s succeed. Pumpkin is jealous with Sayuri because Sayuri had taken the chance to be adopted by the mother.

4. Mameha

Mameha is a beautiful and famous geisha. When she was sixteen, Mameha started her debut. She was very lucky because she has a famous older sister. In geishas’ society, the older sister influences the apprentice geisha’s career, because the apprentice geisha will be promoted and introduced to the older sister’s clients.

Mameha becomes famous when she is chosen to be a model of international advertising campaign. She becomes the model of that poster, which is displayed in big cities all over the world in many different languages.

Mameha is also a good dancer. The most important thing in entertaining is dancing. Therefore, the geishas with their dance capability will be respected more than other geishas. Mameha becomes a famous dancer because she often dances in 34

Kabuki Theatre in Tokyo which is usually attended by the Prime Minister and other great people.

Her great connections have made Mameha adorable by other people in the geisha society or other. Her honorable is reflected at the time when Mameha visits the Nitta Okiya. Mother and all of the maids are very busy to prepare the room for

Mameha’s visiting. Mother says to Aunty to fix her appearance, and then she said to Mameha “I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, Mameha-san. What an honor to have a visit from you! (p. 131).” When Mameha said that she wants to adopt

Chiyo as her sister, mother said “A geisha as popular as you, Mameha-san…you could have any apprentice in Gion as your younger sister (p. 133).” This quotation shows that Mameha is a successful geisha and she belongs to a highest class of geisha society.

Mameha is not only famous but also a successful geisha because she can prove her independence. She does not live in Gion, but she lives in her own house with two maids. She has a lot of private collections of kimono. Mameha has a generous danna as she said to Chiyo

“… My danna is a generous man and brought me most of these robes. That’s why I’m more successful than Hatsumomo. I have a wealthy danna. She hasn’t had one in years (Golden, 1998: 147).”

Mameha and Hatsumomo are rivals in the geisha society. Mameha is also clever as Hatsumomo but Mameha does not have bad reputation as Hatsumomo.

She adopts Chiyo in order to make Hatsumomo jealous. She wants to make

Hatsumomo is defeated by the existence of Chiyo. Mameha is clever in making 35

the strategy how to make Sayuri grows to be a great geisha so that she can defeat

Hatsumomo.

B. The Life of Geisha as Reflected in the Novel

Golden’s Memoirs of A Geisha is very close to the geishas’ society.

Through the characters of the novel, Golden tries to depict the life of geishas which is still unexposed. Golden understands about geishas because he did some researches and has interviewed a geisha before he writes this novel. The narratives description also helps the readers to come easily as if they were the character themselves.

There are four societies in a geisha’s world. They are maid society, geisha society, okami or okasan society and customer’s society. Maid’s society is the society whose job is serving geishas and the okami. Maids do not have any chances to get a better life or career. The higher position they could reach is only to become the head of the maids. Most of the maids in geisha’s house, actually those of the girls who has failed to be a geisha because of their problems with the okami, or because of their irresponsibility to learn the basic skills to be a geisha.

Geisha society is the most exclusive society. Geishas are the extraordinary person in the okiya. They are related to a fascination, beauty, and entertainment. The jobs of the geishas are earning money for the okiya and for their own debts. Geisha is a person who pay all the needs of the okiya included the foods for the maids, okami and herself. The Okami or okasan is the owner of the okiya. The job of the okami is managing the geisha to be the best investment for the okiya. The okami sends 36

the geisha into a geisha school, makes a good relation with some people of the tea houses and also makes a good relation with the clients. The customers or the clients are the men, especially business men who come from a high society. The customers will pay the geisha whenever they want to be entertained. Usually the men ask the geisha to accompany them for a business meeting.

The novel tells about the life of geishas. Geisha’s background is depicted from many backgrounds in the novel. Sayuri is told that she comes from a poor family in the fishing village. She is described as the girl from the poor family in the small fishing village. It happens commonly to the poor Japanese society at that time to sell her daughter for a better life. Because of her family’s economical difficulties, Sayuri and her sister were sold as slaves by her father. Actually, the father does not want to sell his daughters but the economic condition forces him to do so. A rich person at the village proposes to bring Sayuri and her sister to be adopted. Though it is hard for Sayuri’s father, he wants his daughters to have a better life.

“So, Sakamoto, what do you think of my proposal?” “I don’t know sir,” said my father. “I can’t picture the girls living anywhere else.” “I understand, but they’d be better off, and so would you. Just see to it they come down to the village tomorrow afternoon.”(p.21)

As a father, Sakamoto should be responsible to his family. The poverty and the old age have forced him to sell his daughters, although it seems that he avoids his responsibility of being a father. With his physical condition, it is impossible to take care for his two daughters by himself with his weakness.

Therefore, he cannot do anything except letting the daughters leave him. 37

Being different from Sayuri, Pumpkin comes from Sapporo. She is sent to okiya because of her economical difficulties. A geisha named Raiha, whose mother is a geisha and her father is a member of merchant family is also sent to okiya.

The society where geishas live is a hard society. The apprentice geishas should have several lessons in geisha school from the early morning. After that, they should do some works continuously like what the maids do. They will go to bed late in the night. The bedroom for the apprentice geishas is the same room with the maid’s. They sleep together in one room. They only sleep for three or four hours a day. The apprentice geishas are demanded to work hard as they do and understand to learning the lessons in the Geisha School. Therefore, the life of geisha is hard. It is also happen to Chiyo and Pumpkin has the same treatment. So they should work hard and doing all of the job as what okami says,

“Well, little girl,” Mother told me, “you’re in Kyoto now. You’ll learn to behave or get beating. And it’s Granny gives the beating around here, so you’ll be sorry. My advices to you are work very hard, and never leave the okiya without permission. Do as you’re told; don’t be too much trouble; and you might begin learning the arts of a geisha two or three months from now. I didn’t bring you here to be a maid. I’ll throw you out, if it comes to that (Golden, 1998:.43).

What the okami wants the girl to do is to follow the rules and never make any mistakes and problems with others or to make some difficulties with the mother. However, the girls should be ready to lose her right to find her own life.

It is clearly portrayed in the novel that the girls do not have any options to decide what they want. Okami has bought the girls so that the girls do not have any rights for their own life decission. What the girls can do to save their life is they should 38

follow the okami or the senior of okiya. They should obey the rules which are very strict. Starting from the beginning when the girls enter the geisha school, the girls are trained to be a discipline persons. It is viewed on how they should put their shoes on the rack depending on their level positions. The girls are not allowed to come late to the class. If it happens to the apprentice geishas or the girls, they will not be permitted to join the class. Those rules show that the geisha trainings are meant to discipline the geishas to be well-behaved.

Whenever apprentice geishas become geishas, they are also busy every day. They have to attend some parties in some places. In the morning geishas also have a lesson in the geisha school. After that they prepare themselves for some parties. The maids and the geishas’ dresser help the geishas in preparing all the geishas’ need such as make up properties, kimono, the hairdo.

To be a high-quality geisha, the apprentice geihsa should pass some steps.

After the girl becomes maid, she enters into a geisha school and then becomes an apprentice geisha (maiko). In this step, commonly the senior geisha promotes the apprentice geisha to the customers. The senior geisha becomes her older sister.

When the girls are famous enough, maiko will enter into the second steps, the virginity auctioin which is called mizuage. Her virginity will be a commodity of the auction. The man who wins it will become her danna, or her only intimate relation person. The danna is responsible for the geisha’s daily need, and also her responsibility in an okiya. Therefore, the old sister and okami of okiya are very careful in choosing her danna. 39

Every step of geisha’s training has some steps of ritual or ceremony in the geishas’ society. When the girl becomes an apprentice geisha or maiko, the girl should have some preparations. For example, going to the hair stylist, cleaning her body, and dressing as an apprentice geisha. The dress for the apprentice geishas is different from the geishas. The obi for the apprentice geishas is brighter than her kimono. The hair of the apprentice geishas is ornamented with a red ribbon in the middle of their coil. Before they go out to attend some parties with their older sisters, they have a ceremony; the mother flares up the matches behind the apprentice geisha and the geisha.

Whenever an apprentice geisha is ready for the mizuage, the apprentice geisha gives a sweet rice cake called ekubo to the rich men which are substantial for paying the mizuage. After the mizuage, the apprentice geisha totally becomes a geisha. She will has a different performance.

Geisha is always related to something beautiful. Becoming a geisha, a woman is demanded to have an attractive performance. Physically, geisha should be perfectly beautiful. In the novel, the famous geishas are depicted to have a pretty face. Their perfect performance also becomes the commodity for the geisha to get a lot of clients. Sayuri in the novel also loses herself-confidence when her hands break.

My delicate dancer’ees hands, which I’d once nurtured with the finest creams, now began to peel like the papery outside of the onion, and were stainedall over the color of a bruise (p. 350).

“ Nobu –san, my hands are the least of my problems. I’m not sure I can go back to Gion at all (p.355).”

40

The appearence of geisha becomes the important thing of the world of geisha. It is impossible to attract men if their appearence is bad. Geishas always wear beautiful kimonos, put sophisticated make up and live in enchanting society.

The performances of geishas are very different with common women or housewives. Geishas perform to attract men. It is not only the performance of their dresses but the way they move their body is also needed to give the sense of sensuality. They should give a beautiful bow to say thank you or apologize.

Ordinary Japanese people never do what geishas do. The common people might not think how their bow is, but geishas always pay attention to the details on how they make their bow. When they are on their knees, they should straighten up their arms and put their only finger tip, not the whole of their tips onto the mats in front of them. There must be no space between their fingers and then they should bow as low as they can and keep their neck perfectly straight. It is the simple example of how the geisha keep their body language elegantly.

Geisha is described as an interesting person and a beautiful woman. The geisha is always performed in beautiful and luxurious kimonos. The kimonos are very glamorous and different from the kimonos which are worn by an ordinary woman. An ordinary housewife wears kimono with so many padding, but a geisha do not need any padding or some if it needed. A geisha keeps the kimono in a particular position which makes her underrobe is exposed accidentally. Geisha’s kimonos are usually made from silk, full color with an attractive motives on that silk. The geisha’s style is described in the novel clearly. The elegant performance 41

of a geisha appears when Sayuri meets Hatsumomo at the first time. She described

Hatsumomo as what is shown by the quotation below.

… I’d been impressed with the kimono worn by the young bucktoothed geisha in Mr. Tanaka’s village of Senzuru; but this one was water blue, with swirling lines in ivory to mimic the current in a stream. Glistening silver trout tumbled in the current, and the surface of the water was ringed with gold wherever the soft green leaves of tree touched it…(Golden, 1998: 36)

The quotation above shows that the geisha’s kimonos are beautiful and elegant. The color is good, bright and eye catching. The fabric is chosen from the best quality in its class. The motifs are elegant. All of those parts are arranged in a good composition so the geisha looks more attractive than other ordinary women

… And her clothing wasn’t the only extraordinary thing about her; her face was painted in a kind of rich white, like the wall a cloud when it lid by the sun. Her hair, fashioned into lobes, gleamed as darkly as lacquer, and was decorated with ornament carved out of amber, and with a bar from which tiny silver strips dangled, shimmering as she moved (Golden, 1998: 37).

The hairstyle and its ornaments make geishas look elegant. It needs a good hairstylist for the geishas to make their hair tidy. The ornament of the hair becomes a private thing for the geishas. The more ordinary their ornaments are the lower their dignities.

The life of geishas is closer to arts, beauty and glamour. Each of the geishas is trained to be good in dancing, singing and playing traditional instruments. Geishas are identical to beauty. They are dressed in a beautiful kimono, using sophisticated make up to make their face beautiful. They also speak with beautiful voices and use beautiful words to attract and to entertain men. Their body languages are arranged to make some attractively sensual senses to the 42

customers. The real geishas must know well about Japanese culture. Geishas must understand how to be polite. Geishas have to understand how to play the traditional instruments, how to sing well and how to be a good player. That is why apprentice geishas are sent to the geisha‘s school to learn geishas’manners and traditional arts. In that school it is not only the apprentice geishas who learn some songs, dances and instruments but also the senior geishas. The art of the body language is also completely important to the geishas. Geishas are trained to entertain the clients especially the men. They should attract the clients with their skills and their personal attraction with their body. It is related to sensuality of women. Geishas move their body in a certain way so it might give sensual imagination to the men. The novel shows that geishas have their own personal technique to attract the men to give kind of sensual imagination as follows.

I long ago developed a very practice smile, which I call my “Noh Smile” because it resembles as a Noh mask whose features are frozen. Its advantage is that men can interpret it however they want (Golden, 1998: 8).

The quotation above shows that Sayuri is practicing a kind of smile that becomes her special smile. Sayuri’s “Noh Smile” is her speciality used to attract men. Other geishas may have other tricks to attract the men.

The body language of geishas sends a message of sexual imagination to the men. For example, how they should pour the sake in such way so that the men adore her beautiful leg. Another example is how they arrange their flirty eyes to catch men’s attention. In the novel, a successful geisha, Mameha tells about how important the body expression is. 43

“You’re going to make a fine geisha, “ she said, “but you’ll make an even better one if you put some thought into the sorts of the statements you make with your eyes (p. 158).” “… The’re the most expressive part of a woman’s body, especially in your case. Stand here a moment, and I’ll show you (Golden, 1998: 159).”

Mameha teaches how to make a man spellbound to her toward her eyes glisten. Eyes could send many messages to a man, and it will be good for geisha to let the men guess the meaning. Besides the body expression, another important thing to entertain is the capability of dancing. The geisha will have more point if she is able to dance beautifully. As Mameha said, most of the successful geishas come from the dancers.

“Dance has everything to do with it,” she told me. “If you look around at the most successful geisha in Gion, every one of them is a dancer (Golden, 1998: 150).”

All apprentice geisha must study dance, but, as I say, only the promising and attractive ones will be encouraged to specialize and go on to become true dancer, rather than shamisen players, or singers (Golden, 1998: 150).

The art of a dance is performed in every party, and also every moment in the life of geisha. There is also a time for showing the capability of dances. There are theatrical shows every season, and performed in front of the important people.

Because of this reason, the connection of the geisha dancer is more substantial for them.

The life of geisha is competitive. Every geisha competes to be the best geisha, to be a famous geisha and also competes to get the great danna. Therefore

Hatsumomo tries hard to make some traps to make Sayuri and all the geishas fall.

In the geishas society, there are some award given to geisha. Award for the most popular apprentice geisha, which is based on the money a geisha can get. There is 44

also award for the mizuage. The most expensive mizuage of the year will get the award.

A geisha can be said to be materialistic. It is reflected on the way how the mother of okiya is depicted as the person who always counts every single penny from what geishas have done. Okami will begin to count the girls’ needs starting from the first time the girls enter the okiya until an unpredictable time. Money becomes the ultimate reason of the relationship between okami and the geishas, geishas and peers and also the geishas with their clients. In the novel, the depiction of the materialistic idea appears in the way the author characterized the character of mother. She is depicted as a person who always sat behind the table with the notes she must count. The thing that she writes and counts are revealed through an incident that happens to her geisha or apprentice geishas. For example when the mother says this to Chiyo:

“I paid seventy-five yen for you, that’s what I paid. Then you went and ruined a kimono, and stole a brooch, and now you’ve broken your arm, so I’ll be adding medical expenses to your debts as well. Plus you have your meal and lessons, and just this morning I heard from the mistress of Tatsuyo, over in Miyagawa-cho, that your older sister has run away. The mistress there still hasn’t paid me what she owes. Now she tells me she’s not going to do it! I’ll add that to your debt As well,…(Golden, 1998: 99)”

It is clear that the mother counts every single expenses that she has to pay for her girl’s needs starting from the first time she enters okiya. Nothing is for free, and it will become the girls’ responsibility to pay all their debt. The materialistic idea also appears at the time when maiko enters the mizuage level.

Mizuage is the time when the young maiko lose her virginity sold by the okami.

Her virginity will be sold to the man who wins the auction. It is the mother who is 45

responsible to find the geisha the best man. The man then should be responsible for the geisha’s needs. After the maiko’s virginity auction, the young maiko become a geisha.

In the novel, many rich and important men want to pay Sayuri’s mizuage.

They are Nobu- san, Mr. Crab and the General. They are all important rich people at that time. The situation after the war becomes the background of Sayuri’s mizuage step. Many people lose their material and their money. All people including geishas face the economic crises. Many customers leave the geisha’s societies because they do not have any money to pay the entertainer women. As a consequence many districts are closed and the income of the okiya decreases.

Therefore, many okiya cannot afford their needs for many geishas leave their customers and their job as a geisha. Therefore, the mother sells Sayuri’s mizuage to General because General is an important person at that time. Choosing the general will make the okiya survives. It is because of General that the okiya can survive in such difficult time.

C. Golden’s View toward the Geisha’s Life as Reflected in the Novel

Arthur Golden is an American who had learned about the Japanese culture.

He knows about Japanese culture well. The background of his study which takes the Japanese culture as the subject makes him understand well about the arts and the society of Japan. Geisha society is one of the societies which are related closer to the tradition of Japan. The art of the tea ceremony in Japan which is the most traditionally occur daily makes the existence of geishas become everlasting until nowadays. It is because geishas usually entertain and accompany men in the tea 46

house. In the tea house, men usually invite their relations to have a discussion about their business. There, the geishas are inquired to entertain the guests with dancing, singing and also playing some instruments. The geishas also become the people who are charming the situation with her jokes and her beauty.

Golden represents the real world of geishas and also some deviations act of geishas. The deviation act makes some incorrect views about geishas’ traditions. This phenomenon makes a negative sense of the existence of the geishas. The real world of geishas dominant represents in the novel. Geisha’s life is briefly portrayed to give the reader a new knowledge about the geisha’s life.

Golden’s views about the real life of geishas are represented on the way he portrays the character of Sayuri from the beginning (when she was a village poor girl), her process to become a geisha (start on she entered into a slavery, maiko – geisha). Golden’s views of the deviation act signify on the acts of some characters whether it is intentional or not. There are some of Golden’s views toward the geisha’s life.

An article Immortal Geisha states that it is impossible for the person who wants to become a geisha if he is not of Japanese dissent or extremely skilled in various art of the geisha. It is the most rules whose people know about the background of the geisha. As in chapter two said, Naomi Graham Diaz said that a geisha had to be a daughter of a geisha. The social background of Sayuri as the main characters as a poor-motherless girl is important to know. Golden makes this background for the main character in order to give the new criticism of the common point of view about the background of the person who becomes a geisha. 47

It is obvious that Golden tries to correct the misconception of the qualification of geishas. It might the poor girls who are the most much of the girl who are sent into an okiya. The father of the family sent their daughter to the okiya in order to get the better life and of course to decline their economical trouble. It is out of their thinking whether their daughter will become a geisha or become a slave more and more. Through Sayuri’s background, Golden wants to criticize that not only a family of the geishas who has an opportunity to becomes a geisha. The poor girls especially the motherless girls also have an opportunity to become geisha. The beautiful little girls who were orphaned or from poverty stricken families were sold to an O-Chaya by relatives are also can be a geisha training. It is similar to Sayuri’s background. Mr. Tanaka sold her, and she has a beautiful face and unusual Japanese’s eyes. The same way is also happens to

Pumpkin. She is also a motherless girl. It is caused by the economical reason

Pumpkin is sent into okiya by her uncle.

“I was born in Sapporo. But then my mother died when I was five, and my father sent me here to live with my uncle. Last year my uncle lost his business, and here I am (Golden, 1998: 52).”

Still, through the characterization of Pumpkin, Golden wants to show that the less capability of the geisha in understanding some arts makes the less point for the geisha’s attractions. The client will be pleased to the geisha who has the ability in her performance. Though, there is a possibility for her to be a geisha even though it is not as a professional. 48

Arthur Golden in the article of amazon.com, states that the word “geisha” does not mean “prostitute”, as Westerners ignorantly assume. Geisha means as

“artisan” or “artist” (http://www.amazon.com/review).

Golden examines the steps to become a geisha carefully. To enter the level of maiko, the apprentice geisha should be registered to the geisha registry office.

This level also shows that geisha is not similar with prostitute. There are no prostitutions that register its members legally. As the history noted that the geisha registration put on the role since 1762. The regulations are made in order to make the relation between the geisha, the owner and the customers easily. This regulation firstly happened in Yoshiwara. The first an individual listing of the names of all geisha in service was happens in 1769. The function of the registration list is expanding for a business needs. The system of the geisha regulation at first found by Daikokuya Shoroku. This system still prevails today.

In the novel, Golden depicts the registration of Sayuri is the first debut of her career as an apprentice geisha. In this part, Golden views that a geisha is different from a prostitute. Therefore, he makes the character of Satsu. Golden makes the character of Satsu as a prostitute in order to give the depiction of the different between geisha and prostitute. Satsu is Sayuri’s older sister who is not as lucky as Sayuri. Satsu becomes a prostitute.

The difference of geishas and prostitutes appear in both of the character of

Sayuri and Satsu in their way to become entertainer women. As it said before, the geishas should be registered in the geisha registry office, as in the novel said as a

Gion Registry Office. Sayuri is registered in that office but Satsu is not. It is 49

known when Sayuri could not find her sister’s name in the Gion Registry Office.

Besides the registration, there are a lot of differences between geishas and prostitutes appear in the novel. The explanations below show how Golden gives his view to differentiate the geisha and the prostitute.

The regulation of geishas is strictly to wear extravagant clothing. Geishas should only attend the party that is already on schedule arranged by the customers, the teahouse’s and the receptionist of the Gion. Geishas are seldom to entertain customers individually. The lives of geishas are related to something glamorous as the common public see. They should traditionally skills and should be talented to entertain the customers by singing, dancing and playing some traditional instruments. Arthur depicts this situation in the life of the characters of geishas.

Hatsumomo, Mameha as the senior famous geisha attend only the district‘s owner and the operator of okiya or okami suggested by the customers. Geisha is only entertaining the certain customers who are majorities the society of the high class men. Sayuri and Pumpkin are also doing the same thing. In entertaining the customers, they are never entertaining alone or meet the customer intimately. The party they are attended depicts in the novel as the party that are attended by the numbers of invited peoples from the high class men, and held in the big tea houses or districts that have cooperation with their okiya. Differently, Golden depicts the activity of Satsu also as an entertainer woman. Satsu’s dressed with kimono but it is not as elegance as Sayuri’s. Satsu wears a kimono and hair ornament as geisha but her obi were tied in front rather than the back. 50

“I’d never seen this before and didn’t understand it, but it’s the mark of a prostitute. A woman who must take her sash on and off all night can’t be bothered with tying it behind her again and again (Golden, 1998: 83).

From the quotation above Golden tries to depict what Sayuri sees is different as what she usually sees in okiya. Sayuri never went out from okiya at that time. The kind of dressing that she had seen in Satsu’s society is not the same as she had seen commonly in her society, geisha societies.

The role of the geishas’ society do not allowed geishas to sleep with a man except their danna. The relation between the geishas and the customers is something similar to the guest with the guesthouse. The job of geishas is entertaining the customers with their skills of singing, dancing or something that interesting to the customers. Thus, geishas should be attractive in physical appearance and language.

There are some aspects that make the existence of geisha is viewed as the negative things by the common peoples. Geisha could make her image grow in a good command or bad things. The common point of view is depending on how the geisha built their image. Their personalities and their behaviors are influencing the common point of view toward them. Through Sayuri characterization, as a narrator in the novel, Golden stated that the most important to the geisha is the reputation.

A true geisha will never soil her reputation by making her self available to man on a nightly basis (Golden, 1998: 147).

As a person, geisha has the same needs and same feeling to have the natural life in love and sex, but as the geisha, they are limited by the rules. Thus, some of geishas are having secret affairs with men. Geishas should be clever to 51

recover their fault to the rules in order to remain their good image upon the customers.

In the novel, Golden includes geishas with some affairs though they are the top and famous geisha. As it is said above, geisha is not allowed to have a relation with a man except her danna. However, Golden gives the criticisms that actually there are some denying in the geishas society related to the human relationship. Hatsumomo is depicted as the geisha who has an affair with a man.

The man, in the novel becomes her boyfriend, is characterized as an ordinary man outside the high class person. The affair between Hatsumomo and her boyfriend is described as the secret relation that is not allowed in the geishas’ society. Sayuri also does an affair. She sleeps with Yasuda san, a young man just as the same age with Sayuri. Her committing of treason is normally because she is not free to express her freedom. However, General is not her own choice. She just follows her heart to express her feeling. To sleep with Yasuda- san is her-own choice without another’s compulsion. The quotation below expresses on how she feels.

With Yasuda san I felt like a child running freely down a hill. …I had never in my life been so close to another human being before, though we hadn’t spoken a word. …It was only then that I understood: It was one thing to lie still on the futon for the Doctor or the General. It would be something quite different with the Chairman (Golden, 1998: 307).

From the quotation above, Sayuri stated that her feeling on Yasuda san with her feeling on the Doctor or the General is different. She does sleep with them but she felt different. She slept with the Doctor and the General are more to act herself as the investment of the okiya. The Doctor and the General is the important person for the okiya. The Doctor is needed to secure the healt of all the 52

family in okiya. Sayuri’s relation is made in order to decrease the okiya’s debt in medicine. The relation with the General is happened in order to guarantee the okiya’s food. At the wartime, it is difficult to find foods. It happened until the depression time. The General is the important person in supplying food on Japan at that time. So, Sayuri’s relation is made in order to feed all the okiya’s family.

As it told from the beginning, of the story, the Chairman is the one who inspire

Sayuri to become a geisha. Sayuri gives her sympathy to the Chairman since the beginning of their meet. Her sympathy becomes the spirit for her in making her life better. Therefore, what she felt when she sleeps with Yasuda san is the expression of her emotional sexuality, and also her reaction of her rebellion of her limited life because of her status.

Mameha commits the treason. As explained in the story, geisha will lose her status when she has a baby. Having a baby will make her reputation bad.

Mameha is ever been pregnant as the result of her relation with her danna.

However, she is ready to lose her popularity as the most famous geisha at that time, Mameha often to abort her pregnancy because her danna does not want it.

The treason that are expressed by the denying their danna and sleeps with their secret person makes the bad image for the geisha. The public opinion that geisha is similar with prostitute because they could be slept by anyone. Though, the exact rules geisha is not allowed to sleeps with another man except their danna.

I won’t pretend a geisha never gives in casually to a man she finds attractive. But whether she does or not is her private affair. Geisha have passions like everyone else, and they make the same mistake. A geisha 53

who takes such a risk can only hope she isn’t found out (Golden, 1998: 147).

From the quotation above, Golden wants to say that Geishas also do something dangerous for her reputation. The explanation above gives the new idea that not all the better geisha is exactly having a good manner. Their reputation will be saved if only they could keep their bad manner in secret. The geisha’s reputation will be bad when the public know their bad side of their life and it will make their career worse.

Geisha in the cultural Japanese tradition means a Japanese entertainer woman. The job of geisha is entertaining men in such parties in the teahouse.

Entertain world is closely related to art; singing, dancing and music and also any other performance. As an entertainer, geisha should be talented with some art behavior. To be geisha means to have ability to attract the person. Geishas should have to create a center attention with their talent. Most of geishas attract their costumers with singing, dancing, playing traditional instrumental or telling the witty story. The geishas should perform as glamour and beautiful women to attract men. Golden represents the character of the successful geisha in the novel as a woman with a good manner and cultural traditionally educated. Therefore, before becoming geishas, an apprentice geishas are training and learning their skill and their manner in the geisha’s school.

Not all the Japanese understand the traditions of entertaining as geishas.

There is a geisha school, a place where the apprentice geishas are learning about

Japanese culture. In the Japanese society, the apprentice geishas and the geishas are common with Japanese culture. The girls who come to the geisha school and 54

living together in the okiya house are hoped to be mastered of the Japanese culture. The common people for example the housewife; they wears kimono only in such ceremony or occasionally but the geishas wear kimono for the daily cloth included the ornaments.

Geisha society is the conservative one in the Japanese society. The geishas still believe in a prophecy for their guide of daily life. In the novel stated the geisha is believe in almanac. Mameha reads the almanac for Sayuri at the time

Sayuri’s debut is begin

“A most inauspicious time. Needles, unusual foods, and travel must be avoid at all costs.” Here she stopped to look up at me. “Do you hear that? Travel. After that it goes on to say that you must avoid the following things…let’s see…’bathing during the hour of the rooster,’ acquiring new clothing,’ ‘embarking on new enterprise,’ and listen to this one, ‘changing residences.’ Here Mameha closed the book and peered at me. “Were you careful about any of those things? (p. 126)”

The quotation above is depicting that besides believing in the culture and tradition, Geisha also believes in fortune. In finding the new name for the apprentice geisha, geisha also consults to the fortune tellers. Therefore, the life of geisha is faith to the traditions and cultures.

55

CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

Geisha is a traditional art person. To be a geisha, a girl should enter the geisha school and has to follow some steps. The girl has to work hard in order to get the high steps. The girl in the okiya is trained to be a knowledgeable person in

Japanese arts such as dancing, singing and playing some traditional instruments.

Sayuri is a brave girl who comes from a little village. She is a smart girl in learning the lessons in the geisha school. Her parents sold her because the economical difficulties. Sayuri is rigid in facing her life.Though the life of the geisha training is very hard, Sayuri can survive through her difficulties. She believes that there is an opportunity to change her life to be better. Sayuri’s life is a fortune. She is loved by many people who always help her from her difficulties, untill she becomes a famous geisha.

Hatsumomo is the famous geisha without a danna. Therefore she is not included as a successful geisha. She is jealous with somebody who has commpeted her. She can make a lot of tricks to make her rivals get bad reputations. Sayuri and Mameha are some of the people she hates. Pumpkin is her little sister in the okiya who often becomes her property to do her scenario.

The life of an apprentice geishas is hard because the apprentice geishas should have a lesson in the morning and doing some maid jobs in the evening.

The geishas’ life is hard because the geishas are very busy everyday in preparing 56

the parties attendance.The more they attend the parties, the more famous they are.

The more skillful a geisha is the more clients they get.

The most important part for geishas to keep their career is their reputation.

Geishas with bad reputations will lose their clients. A successful geisha is the geisha who can live independently. In other words, the successful geisha lives in her own apartment, has a benefits danna and has a lot of kimonos to wear in parties. The existence of the geishas are related to the tradition of tea ceremonies.

Therefore, the geishas often entertain people in the tea house by invitation.

Geishas can be said as an ancient societies, because they still keep the tradition on their daily life such as reading almanak before they go out from the gion, asks the fortune teller for their better life. Geisha also wears kimono with its ornament as the daily dresses. Geishas are knowledgeable in singing, dancing and playing instruments. They also have lessons which are closer related to the japanese culture.

Golden view that to become a geisha is the choice of the economical difficulties reason. There is no limitation to be a geisha, but most of geishas come from the poor family who want to change her life. Golden states that geisha is different with prostitute because to be a prostitute does not need some preparation as an apprentice geisha. The cultural knowledge and the skill of tradition arts differenciates geisha with prostitute. Besides, the strick rules of geisha and the regulation also make geisha becomes more polite than prostitute.

The reputations of geisha are depend on the behaviour of that geisha.

Geishas should bet their life for the reputation because their career will end if their 57

reputation is bad. Therefore the geishas compete to be better though sometimes they should disgrace their friends in front of the people.

58

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