Olivia > Recent Status Updates

Dr. Crab's collection of vials is exactly like something a serial killer would keep. Such a methodical, impersonal, businesslike display makes the entire idea that someone's virginity can be bought and sold even worse, if it were possible. (Connections)

Just like Mameha was on a famous campaign promoting Japan all over the world, Sayuri is featured on the poster for the Dances of the Old Capital. Golden purposely created these parallel scenes so that the reader would more closely compare Mameha and Sayuri, and perhaps see that Sayuri has the potential for great success. (Writer's Strategies)

The Baron is praising Sayuri's beautiful gray eyes and dancing, but in public, like he's gloating to the other guests. Sayuri isn't really the Baron's at all, only his party guest, so I predict that the Baron will make some kind of move toward Sayuri soon. Whether it be formal, bidding for her mixtape, or informal, I don't know. (Prediction)

Sayuri often asks the reader conversational questions or implies the reader is familiar with a subject. Golden does this so Sayuri's narration imitates how she would interact with people as a geisha. However, as someone unfamiliar with Japanese history or culture, (aka most readers) I just find this annoying and repetitive. (Writer's Stategies)

Why is Hatsumomo pleased to see Sayuri with Nobu? Mameha explained earlier that Hatsumomo would find it hysterical to see Sayuri with Nobu due to his disfigurement, but will Hatsumomo ever realize that Nobu is more than a face? Nobu is a powerful man, accomplished, and recognized for this. (Ask)

Why is Sayuri so hung up on the Chairman? Sure, he's been her inspiration, her muse for past few years, but why is she so sad that the Chairman is out of of reach, especially when there is so much promise in her future? There are plenty of other successful, elegant men in Kyoto and Japan. (Question)

Big almost plot-twist. Sayuri at first thinks she will have to bow to Mr. Tanaka, who she vowed to hate and make sure he knew how she felt about him. Then, she sees the man's face and sees it's actually the Chairman, the man who inspired her to become a geisha and changed he path in life. (Summarize)

I think another theme is Sayuri's view of herself and beauty. Earlier, Sayuri said she no longer saw Hatsumomo as beautiful because she was so wicked, and just now said " ...I became aware of all the magnificent silk wrapped about my body, and had the feeling I might drown in beauty. At that moment, beauty itself struck me as a kind of painful melancholy." (Themes)

Mameha says to Sayuri (formerly Chiyo) "Just be sure you don't let anything happen to make you look bad" on page 171. Now there is a very drunk man nicknamed "Mr. Snowshowers" for his dandruff asking things of Sayuri that novice geisha aren't supposed to do. I predict his behavior will get Sayuri into a situation Mameha warned against and tarnish her nonexistent reputation for a bit. (Prediction)

I was having trouble picturing the furi, the fabric below the sleeve that forms a long pocket, so I google searched it. (Visualize) https://www.google.com/search?q=furi&...

(The last update on 144 was actually from page 153... Whoops)

"I used a trick of finding images to remind me of the tune. For example, a branch falling from a tree might make me think of the sound of a drum, or a stream flowing over a rock might remind me of bending a string on the shamisen to make the note rise in pitch; and I would picture the song as a kind of stroll through a landscape." (Favorites)

"My tea ceremony teacher was a young woman of perhaps twenty-five who wasn't a very good geisha, as I later learned; but she was so obsessed with tea ceremony that she taught it as if every movement was absolutely holy. Because of her enthusiasm I quickly learned to respect her teaching... Even now, I find tea ceremony as enjoyable as a good night's sleep." (Favorites)

Chiyo realized that Satsu must have checked her almanac to see what day was best for traveling. I know that Satsu was pressed for time, but I wonder why on earth she didn't check for Chiyo, as well. (Question)

I think Hatsumomo wants Chiyo out of the okiya because she's jealous. Whenever someone points out Chiyo's beauty to Hatsumomo, she deflects and says something out Chiyo's fish smell. In realiuty, Hatsumomo sees Chiyo as a threat because she is beautiful and clever, and wants her out because she hates the idea of competition. (Inference)

I predicted this a long time ago, but now I'm guessing that Satsu is a prostitute. When Chiyo asks what a jorou-ya is, Auntie simply says, "It's the sort ofn place Hatsumomo will end up, if she ever gets what she deserves." Hatsumomo is a pretty terrible, jealous, mean person, so she probably deserves no respect, to be used like she uses other people. (Inference)

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/...
^Link to a picture of the sanbon-ashi. It also shows how low the kimono's collar hangs in the back, exposing the design. Chiyo compared it to wearing a short skirt in the western world, but I think the design is more comparable to long slits up the leg of formal evening dresses.

At the end of the chapter, Pumpkin introduces Chiyo to her teachers. After one teacher confirms that Chiyo lives with Hatsumomo-san, she says "I'll do my best to teach you about singing, so long as you manage to stay alive!" then laughed as if is was a joke. Obviously, the singing teacher knows Hatsumomo-san is evil, maybe even that she won't want competition, other geisha at the Nitta okiya. (Inference)

Golden includes a scene where Pumpkin licks the street and eats a piece of squid covered in street dirt and flies. This scene does nothing for plot or character development. Golden used this moment to show instead of tell his readers the hardships of training to be a Geisha, such as simple hunger and being made to feel lowly enough to lick the ground. (Writer's Strategies)

"Her body was narrow; but her face was plump and almost perfectly round, so that she looked to me like a melon on a stick. She was straining to carry the bucket, and her tongue stuck out of her mouth just the was the stem comes out of the top of a pumpkin. As I soon learned, this was a habit of hers" Chiyo's way of describing her world is so unique and smart, and here it led to a cute nickname, "Pumpkin." (Favorites)

It may be a bit early for themes, but I think a strong theme/lesson might be that life is gray, and there can be darkness in hope. Mr. Tanaka gives Chiyo hope of adoption after her mother's death, but it's also obvious he's the reason Chiyo will become Sayuri, a geisha.

At the beginning of this book, I thought the main character, Sayuri, and Tanaka Ichoro were meeting for the first time, and was under the impression that Sayuri became a Geisha after meeting Tanaka. Now, I find out Sayuri is her geisha name, but Tanaka called her by Sayuri in the opening scene...? When exactly was the first scene set? (Ask)

Though I understand this chapter is about using ridicule when necessary, I think the example Adams used could've been battled more effectively with logic. Ridicule often makes liberals more defensive, as Adams himself said earlier. Instead, I would've liked Adams to point out the feminist and transgender movements' inability to both be true (Argue).

This is the first time I've felt sincerely appalled and frightened for the future of our country while reading this book. The fact that Lopez was essentially denied his right to free speech by a liberal court, for quoting the Bible in a speech the professor knew was going to be about God and faith, shows me that the qualms I've had of speaking my mind on politics and religion are not all in my head.