Throughout Memoirs of a Geisha, readers get a look firsthand at the theme of appearances versus reality. One example of this is Hatsumomo. Many times we get to see the infectious poison of Hatsumomo’s lies, though many of the people in the book don’t believe them. Hatsumomo, though she is beautiful, is like a cobra waiting to strike. She takes any chances she can get to attempt to ruin Chiyo’s life at the okiya. "Water never waits. It changes shape and flows around things, and finds the secret paths no one else has thought about-the tiny hole through the roof or the bottom of a box. There's no doubt it's the most versatile of the five elements. It can wash away earth; it can put out fire; it can wear a piece of metal down and sweep it away." This quote was spoken by Mameha when Chiyo met with her for the first time. We think Mameha is trying to tell Chiyo to find her opportunity and don't give up until you've attained what you want, especially if that is getting rid of Hatsumomo and her lies. We think she's also trying to say that rather than biding your time and trying to force a brick wall to move, find the path around that others might not be able to see. Another example of appearances versus reality is Nobu Toshikazu. Nobu is a war veteran who frequents Gion. He has lost one of his arms and has serious burns on his face. Despite all this and his
demeanor that seems mean at first, we, as readers, learn just how kind he can truly be. A woman living in a grand house may pride herself on all her lovely things; but the moment she hears the crackle of fire she decides very quickly which are the few she values most...I certainly came to feel that my life was burning down around me; and yet when I struggled to find even a single thing that would still matter to me after Nobu had become my danna, I'm sorry to say that I failed. We chose this quote because we know a lot of people can relate to both the first and second parts of it. We can certainly relate to this quote fairly well ourselves. There are times where we wonder what items we would grab first if our homes were ever to catch on fire, and it makes us sad to say that most of it would probably be our electronics and pets. We know that we value much more than those simple things that can be easily replaced, aside from our pets, and that we should rethink about what we would take with us. A third example of this theme is Chairman Iwamura. He had led Chiyo to believe that he had no interest in her and wanted to give her to Nobu, who is his friend. Chiyo shows us how she is feeling at this point with this quote: It's almost impossible to describe the effect the Chairman's words had on me. I'd always taken for granted that Mameha's mission had been personal-to rid herself and Gion of Hatsumomo. Now that I understood her real motive, that I'd come under her tutelage because of the Chairman...well I felt I would have to look back at all the comments she'd ever made to me and wonder about the real meaning behind them. (pg. 412) We think this quote is important because it shows that Chiyo thought that everything was all Mameha's doing the entire time she was under her tutelage, and now that Chiyo has found out the truth she is able to confront the reality of it, rather than the appearance, or what she thought was reality.
This theme interacts well with the other themes in the book, which include flexibility versus rigidity, or the ability to adapt, and fate versus free will. Hatsumomo tends to appear as able to adapt to a situation to make it benefit herself, but it is revealed later that she is, in fact, unable to adapt when her own situation is turned upside down. An example of appearances versus reality interacting with fate versus free will can be found in Chiyo. She believes it is her fate to be with the Chairman, but she puts up the appearance that it is her free will to want to be with Nobu.
demeanor that seems mean at first, we, as readers, learn just how kind he can truly be. A woman living in a grand house may pride herself on all her lovely things; but the moment she hears the crackle of fire she decides very quickly which are the few she values most...I certainly came to feel that my life was burning down around me; and yet when I struggled to find even a single thing that would still matter to me after Nobu had become my danna, I'm sorry to say that I failed. We chose this quote because we know a lot of people can relate to both the first and second parts of it. We can certainly relate to this quote fairly well ourselves. There are times where we wonder what items we would grab first if our homes were ever to catch on fire, and it makes us sad to say that most of it would probably be our electronics and pets. We know that we value much more than those simple things that can be easily replaced, aside from our pets, and that we should rethink about what we would take with us. A third example of this theme is Chairman Iwamura. He had led Chiyo to believe that he had no interest in her and wanted to give her to Nobu, who is his friend. Chiyo shows us how she is feeling at this point with this quote: It's almost impossible to describe the effect the Chairman's words had on me. I'd always taken for granted that Mameha's mission had been personal-to rid herself and Gion of Hatsumomo. Now that I understood her real motive, that I'd come under her tutelage because of the Chairman...well I felt I would have to look back at all the comments she'd ever made to me and wonder about the real meaning behind them. (pg. 412) We think this quote is important because it shows that Chiyo thought that everything was all Mameha's doing the entire time she was under her tutelage, and now that Chiyo has found out the truth she is able to confront the reality of it, rather than the appearance, or what she thought was reality.
This theme interacts well with the other themes in the book, which include flexibility versus rigidity, or the ability to adapt, and fate versus free will. Hatsumomo tends to appear as able to adapt to a situation to make it benefit herself, but it is revealed later that she is, in fact, unable to adapt when her own situation is turned upside down. An example of appearances versus reality interacting with fate versus free will can be found in Chiyo. She believes it is her fate to be with the Chairman, but she puts up the appearance that it is her free will to want to be with Nobu.