As a daughter of a fisherman, Chiyo is innocent, imaginative and hopeful. When her mother dies and her father sells her into servitude, she is unaware of path ahead of her. Years later she is “adopted” by famous Geisha Mameha. From a Geisha to a maid she changes in appearance and mind. During this transformation she questions who she is. “We all know that a winter scene, though it may be covered over one day, with even the trees dressed in shawls of snow, will be unrecognizable the following spring” (Golden 161). As Sayuri’s life changes and progresses, so do the seasons; symbolizing the theme of change. At the end of the novel, even her name changes; from Sakamoto Chiyo to Nitta Sayuri, although a beautiful Geisha, she becomes almost a different person. Through imagery, Golden displays the outer and inner change Chiyo must go through to survive and become a Geisha. Sayuri learns the art of becoming a Geisha and develops a sense of who she is.
Another theme that was apparent through Sayuri’s character is that is things aren’t always as they appear. To be a geisha, one must detach themselves from their feelings and emotions to create a perfect exterior and the perfect world for their clients. This theme is seen through the character Hatsumomo, “A tree may look as beautiful as ever; but when you notice the insects infesting it, and the tips of the branch that are brown from disease, even the trunk seems to lose some of its magnificence. This quote is referring to the eventual downfall of Hatsumomo's career because of her schemes against Sayuri and her ugly personality. Sayuri always sees Hatsumomo as a beautiful person, however her actions are manipulative and she is driven by jealousy to survive. While geisha train to be outwardly beautiful, in Memoirs of a Geisha, we see the true complexity of their lives.
Another theme that was apparent through Sayuri’s character is that is things aren’t always as they appear. To be a geisha, one must detach themselves from their feelings and emotions to create a perfect exterior and the perfect world for their clients. This theme is seen through the character Hatsumomo, “A tree may look as beautiful as ever; but when you notice the insects infesting it, and the tips of the branch that are brown from disease, even the trunk seems to lose some of its magnificence. This quote is referring to the eventual downfall of Hatsumomo's career because of her schemes against Sayuri and her ugly personality. Sayuri always sees Hatsumomo as a beautiful person, however her actions are manipulative and she is driven by jealousy to survive. While geisha train to be outwardly beautiful, in Memoirs of a Geisha, we see the true complexity of their lives.