History Literature / MemoirsOfAGeisha

''Memoirs of a Geisha'' is an 1997 novel by Arthur Golden -- later [[TheFilmOfTheBook adapted into a 2005 film]] -- about the life of a famous {{geisha}}, Sayuri (formerly Chiyo), who was sold to a geisha house by her father at a young age to be trained in the profession. One day, she meets a man who becomes her main motivation to pursue a career as a geisha, although she soon starts to realize that he is unobtainable. Meanwhile, Sayuri becomes a pawn in an intrigue between two of the most successful geisha in the district. The plot is set in Japan, mainly in the decades around the [[WorldWarII Second World War]].

* LieBackAndThinkOfEngland: Though it's made clear that geisha are not prostitutes, they do traditionally lose their virginity to the highest bidder. In Sayuri's case, her thoughts during the procedure run along the lines of her attempts to "put all the force of my mind to work in making a sort of mental barrier between [the man] and me…I searched the shadows on the ceiling for something to distract me."

* [[Characters/Memoirs Of A Geisha Characters]]
** Characters/MemoirsOfAGeisha Okiya Characters

* FakeNationality: The three lead actresses are Chinese; Ziyi had to not only learn English for the role, but learn to speak it with a Japanese accent. Some suggest that this carries a great deal of offensive and UnfortunateImplications for actual Japanese people in the audience.

* FatalFlaw: Hatsumomo wasn't able to destroy Sayuri and preserve her popularity in Gion due to her bad character that has alienated people who could be useful to her (such as Mother or proprietaress of the Ichiriki teahouse), and her own admirers. Sayuri specifically points out that Hatsumomo was successful enough that most okiya would still have wanted her after she bit the kabuki actor, but because she was also known to be cruel enough to do something like that again, no one would think it was worth the trouble.
* FirstKiss: This is the reason why [[spoiler:the Chairman kissing Sayuri]] was so important to Sayuri. It was the first time any man had kissed her passionately on the lips.

* EnforcedMethodActing: MichelleYeoh's unexpected exit, following "If you are found to be worthless...!" according to the director's commentary.

* EvilFormerFriend: Pumpkin becomes one of these after [[spoiler:Mother adopted Sayuri instead of her and Sayuri became a much popular geisha than her.]]

* CostumePorn: Have you ''seen'' those kimono? But given the importance of kimono - well-made kimono and lots of them were expected of geisha - this is hardly unexpected. In the movie, this is an EnforcedTtrope: the directors didn't want the costumes to be perfect replicas. Rather they wanted them to look good on screen, and purposefully changed them slightly.

* TalksLikeASimile: Arthur Golden's favorite creative writing teacher must have told him, "Never just describe it if you can compare it to something. Preferably something that occurs in nature but is slightly weird and counterintuitive and will require the reader to stop for a second in order to picture it properly."

* FatalFlaw: Hatsumomo wasn't able to destroy Sayuri and preserve her popularity in Gion due to her bad character that has alienated people who could be useful to her (such as Mother or proprietary Ichiriki), and her own admirers.

* TheChessmaster: Mameha is this and also a [[MagnificientBastard Magnificient Bitch]] during Sayuri's apprenticeship and in her plan to destroy Hatsumomo.

* CostumePorn: Have you ''seen'' those kimono? But given the importance of kimono - well-made kimono and lots of them were expected of geisha - hardly unexpected as a trope here. In the movie, this is an {{enforced trope}}: the directors didn't want the costumes to be perfect replicas. Rather they wanted them to look good on screen; purposefully changing them slightly.

* EvilCounterpart: Hatsumomo to Mameha

** She gets into a lot of trouble for being disobediant as Chiyo, however.

** Best. Sex. Talk. Ever. The unusual way Mameha explains it is because it was explained the same way to her by her own mentor.

* TwoFaced: Nobu

** In Japanese culture at the time (and somewhat today) this wasn't remotely a big deal. Most of clientele were married with families. In the present day scenes, Sayuri actually keeps some facts quiet out of respect for the Chairman's family.

Arthur Golden caught a good deal of flak for naming his sources. As noted in the 'translator's note' prologue, geisha ''are'' expected to be discreet, regarding what they know and who they know it about, and about their own trade in general. One of Golden's primary sources, former Geisha Mineko Iwasaki, specifically asked to be kept anonymous, and Golden went and thanked her in the author's note anyway. She herself netted criticism (and even ''death threats'') for opening up in such a way, and eventually ended up publishing her actual memoirs, ''Geisha of Gion''. She also said that either Golden downright lied about the geishas and their lives (specifically, the whole "Sayuri gets her virginity auctioned" was supposedly based on Iwasaki's experience, but she claims it never happened to her), or [[ValuesDissonance showed experiences that were beneficial to Iwasaki and Co. in a negative light.]]

* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Sayuri will never be reunited with Satsu, because if they had successfully ran away together, then Chiyo would have never become Sayuri and never became a geisha.

* AdaptationalHeroism: Hatsumomo is still a bitch to Sayuri in the film but far less so than in the novel, especially at the beginning of the film. For instance, in the film when she and Chiyo are talking about Satsu in her room Hatsumomo simply tells her to leave the room. In the book, Hatsumomo violently slapped her. Hatsumomo is also made a little more sympathetic and clearly is made NotSoDifferent from Sayuri.

** Hell, Sayuri is this to her older biological sister, Satsu. Before they get seperated, people are constantly remarking how much prettier Chiyo is than Satsu, quite often when Satsu is within earshot.

* KeepItForeign: the original novel uses LOTS of Japanese words without any translation, [[ViewersAreGeniuses assuming the readers have some knowledge about Japanese culture.]]

* FailureIsTheOnlyOption: Sayuri will never be reunited with Satsu, because if they had successfully run away together, then Chiyo would have never become Sayuri and never become a geisha.

* ManipulativeBitch: Hatsumomo. Mameha to a lesser extent, but she's less obvious about it.

* MayDecemberRomance

** While the actress who played the young Pumpkin is of Japanese origin she lives in America and had to learn how to speak in an American accent as well.

* [[WifeHusbandry Mistress Husbandry]]: Arguably, the romance between Sayuri and the Chairman.
** As Website/{{Cracked}} [[http://www.cracked.com/article/194_7-popular-chick-flicks-that-secretly-hate-women/ summed up the movie]], "Zhang Ziyi vows to learn the art of the geisha in order to win the affections of an older man who bought her a snow cone when she was 10."
** There's no "arguably" about it - the Chairman more or less admits to this [[spoiler:when he admits his feelings]]. Sayuri is completely accepting of it, of course.