“Grief is a most peculiar thing; we’re so helpless in the face of it. It’s like a window that will simply open of its own accord. The room grows cold, and we can do nothing but shiver. But it opens a little less each time and a little less; and one day we wonder what has become of it.”
In this quote, a metaphor is used to compare grief to a window; grief will simply come and go and is merciless to control. As compared to a window that cannot be open or closed when wanting.
“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.”
Throughout the novel, Golden constantly uses the imagery of water. In Japanese culture, water is seen as a symbol for constant movement and through this simile, Golden conveys Sayuri’s ever evolving and changing life; she is unable to control her destiny as you cannot control the flow of water.
“A tree may look as beautiful as ever; but when you notice the insects infesting it, and the tips of the branches that are brown from disease, even the trunk seems to lose some of its magnificence. ”
In this quote, Golden uses imagery to describe the ugliness of Hatsumomo. For example, words like infesting and brown form disease give the reader a vivid image of a beautiful tree, however it’s when you look closer you see the truth.
“I can see you have a great deal of water in your personality. 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 the 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. Even wood, which is its natural complement, can't survive without being nurtured by water. And yet, you haven't drawn on those strengths in living your life, have you?”
In Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri is water personified. Throughout her life she has no means to control her destiny as you cannot control water. This element ensures Sayuri survival; she constantly “flow” through every crack and hole.
In this quote, a metaphor is used to compare grief to a window; grief will simply come and go and is merciless to control. As compared to a window that cannot be open or closed when wanting.
“We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill, going more or less in one direction until we splash into something that forces us to find a new course.”
Throughout the novel, Golden constantly uses the imagery of water. In Japanese culture, water is seen as a symbol for constant movement and through this simile, Golden conveys Sayuri’s ever evolving and changing life; she is unable to control her destiny as you cannot control the flow of water.
“A tree may look as beautiful as ever; but when you notice the insects infesting it, and the tips of the branches that are brown from disease, even the trunk seems to lose some of its magnificence. ”
In this quote, Golden uses imagery to describe the ugliness of Hatsumomo. For example, words like infesting and brown form disease give the reader a vivid image of a beautiful tree, however it’s when you look closer you see the truth.
“I can see you have a great deal of water in your personality. 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 the 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. Even wood, which is its natural complement, can't survive without being nurtured by water. And yet, you haven't drawn on those strengths in living your life, have you?”
In Memoirs of a Geisha, Sayuri is water personified. Throughout her life she has no means to control her destiny as you cannot control water. This element ensures Sayuri survival; she constantly “flow” through every crack and hole.