LITERARY ANALYSIS OF “MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA” (a 2015 movie based on a novel)

GENRE: HISTORICAL FICTION NOVEL

FILM SYNOPSIS: In the 1920s, 9-year-old Chiyo (Suzuka Ohgo) gets sold to a geisha house. There, she is forced into servitude, receiving nothing
in return until the house's ruling hierarchy determines if she is of high enough quality to service the clientele -- men who visit and pay for
conversation, dance, and song. After rigorous years of training, Chiyo becomes Sayuri (Ziyi Zhang), a geisha of incredible beauty and influence.
Life is good for Sayuri, but World War II is about to disrupt the peace.

DIRECTOR: Rob Marshall

STORY BY: Arthur Golden
MAIN CAST:
Ziyi Zhang as Chiyo Sakamoto / Sayuri Nitta
 Gong Li as Hatsumomo
 Samantha Futerman as Satsu Sakamoto
 Kaori Momoi as Kayoko "Mother" Nitta
 Ken Watanabe as Chairman Ken Iwamura
 Kōji Yakusho as Nobu
 Michelle Yeoh as Mameha
 Youki Kudoh as Pumpkin

MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA Outstanding
(film) (4)
PERMANENCE The story endures across
time and draws out the time
factor: TIMELINESS, can
stand the test of time, and
passes hype to the audience.
UNIVERSALITY The story appeals to the
viewers regardless of the
culture, race, sex, and time.
It can cross-gender, racial,
and cultural barriers.
Style The story described more
than 5 ways the protagonist
expresses herself and
RUBRIC
Above Average Competent Insufficient SCORE
(3) (2) (1)
The story can stand The story somehow The story does not
the test of time and endures across time and endure across time and 4
passes hype to the draws out the time does not draw out the
audience. factor: TIMELINESS, time factor:
can stand the test of TIMELINESS, cannot
time, and passes hype to stand the test of time,
the audience. and does not have a
hype to the audience.
The story appeals to The story appeals to the The story does not
the viewers regardless viewers from a single appeal to the viewers. 4
of the culture, race, culture.
sex, and time. It can
cross-gender, racial,
and cultural barriers.
The story described 4 The story described 2-3 The story described 1 or
ways the protagonist ways the protagonist less ways the 2
expresses herself and expresses herself and protagonist expresses
 conveys his ideas and
central purpose; uses details
and examples to explain
their reasoning.
Spiritual value The story elevates the spirit
and the soul of the audience
and have the power to
motivate and inspire from
the morals attached in it.
Intellectual value The story stimulates critical
thinking that enriches the
ability of the audience to
make them realize the truths
about life and nature.
TOTAL
conveys her ideas and conveys her ideas and herself and conveys her
central purpose; uses central purpose; uses ideas and central
details. details and general purpose; uses no
descriptions. details.
The literary piece The literary piece The story does not
elevates the spirit and inspires the readers to inspire nor motivate the 4
present moral values. become a better person. audience.
The story stimulates The literary piece makes The story does not
critical thinking that readers focus on the stimulate critical 3
enriches and mental fundamental truths of thinking and mental
processes. life. processes.
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