Memoirs of a Geisha
This is a beautiful film and I may be biased. I've met the author, Arthur Golden at some AP events. His mother, Ruth, used to serve on the Board of the AP with my now-not-married-to-spouse. We were fortunate to get to know Ruth and her late husband Bill. Being on the Board of the AP is a fabulous experience!!! I will write more about that as I develop more COURAGE. (See first blog ever...sent yesterday.)
I hadn't read the book, Memoirs, and didn't really know what being a REAL geisha meant. I thought however that is might be synonymous with PRO, but, if Arthur is giving an accurate depiction of the life and times of a real geisha , and I assume he is since he lived in Japan, then a geisha is a classy dancing, fan wielding, tea (and sake)pouring, TEASE. "Show just a bit of your wrist when you pour the tea" and "accidentally rub your suitors leg while you are talking."
After WW2, lots of women became "pretend" geishas...all they needed was a kimono and a smile, as there was a lot of money to be made off of the American soldiers. The art of being a geisha was lost, due to necessity..(a girl's gotta eat) and this is probably why many do commonly associate "geisha" with "vocation."
Once, being a geisha, was an art. Although I certainly don't believe in many of the customs of becoming a geisha, I do love and adore the thought of teasing men...and not giving in...to just anyone. And, honestly, if the truth be told, I think that men liked it better when women acted more like geishas and less like pros.
What you see IS NOT NECESSARILY what you get!
P.S. Mr. Golden's book was based loosely on a REALLIVEGEISHA, Mineko Iwasake. She didn't like the way she was portrayed in the book and felt betrayed and apparently sued Mr. Golden. EEEEK...It was settled out of court, but not without a great deal of shame for Mineko. (Interestingly, she then wrote and published HER OWN story, which sold many many books which made her many many dollars.) The wheels on the bus go round and round!
I hadn't read the book, Memoirs, and didn't really know what being a REAL geisha meant. I thought however that is might be synonymous with PRO, but, if Arthur is giving an accurate depiction of the life and times of a real geisha , and I assume he is since he lived in Japan, then a geisha is a classy dancing, fan wielding, tea (and sake)pouring, TEASE. "Show just a bit of your wrist when you pour the tea" and "accidentally rub your suitors leg while you are talking."
After WW2, lots of women became "pretend" geishas...all they needed was a kimono and a smile, as there was a lot of money to be made off of the American soldiers. The art of being a geisha was lost, due to necessity..(a girl's gotta eat) and this is probably why many do commonly associate "geisha" with "vocation."
Once, being a geisha, was an art. Although I certainly don't believe in many of the customs of becoming a geisha, I do love and adore the thought of teasing men...and not giving in...to just anyone. And, honestly, if the truth be told, I think that men liked it better when women acted more like geishas and less like pros.
What you see IS NOT NECESSARILY what you get!
P.S. Mr. Golden's book was based loosely on a REALLIVEGEISHA, Mineko Iwasake. She didn't like the way she was portrayed in the book and felt betrayed and apparently sued Mr. Golden. EEEEK...It was settled out of court, but not without a great deal of shame for Mineko. (Interestingly, she then wrote and published HER OWN story, which sold many many books which made her many many dollars.) The wheels on the bus go round and round!
posted by mongamerry at 2:33 PM
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