Hernandez,+Claudia.+ Changing+Religion+and+Beliefs

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** How To Become A Geisha **

__** Intro: **__


 * In order to understand many of the stories that are read in this Modern Comparative Literature class it would be important to understand what a Geisha is and how they become Geisha's. There is a need to understand the concept because there are sections in most of the stories that we have read that talk at least a little about Geisha's. Understanding the concept of Geisha's helped me to understand and feel what some of these characters felt in my reading. For example //Snow Country by Yasunari Kawabata, The woman in the Dunes by Kobo Abe, and Kokoro by Natsume Soseki.//**

__** Brief Summary of What A Geisha is: **__


 * Many people mistaken a Geisha for a prostitute but in reality they are traditional Japanese entertainers who are skilled in different Japanese art forms and the definition of a Geisha is a performing artist. What distinguishes a prostitute from a Geisha is that a Geisha will wear their bow from their kimono in the back, while the prostitute would wear the bow in the front.**

=video= =** Steps to Becoming A Geisha: ** =

//** Shikomi Stage: **//

Young girls that arrive at an Okiya also known as a Geisha home would start off by working as a maid at the Okiya. The work that was done at the Okiya was extremely difficult and hard for the young girls. Work was purposely made difficult for them in order to get rid of the weak girls who would most likely not make it as a Geisha. So many girls did not make it past this first stage and their career as a geisha would end there. Although they would work as maids at the Okiya they would still be sent to school but not just any school but school that was especially meant for geishas. There they would learn about styles, traditions, and customs to becoming a Geisha.

//** Minarai Stage: **//

After the Shikomi girl had become proficient at school and passed a dancing abilities exam she would then enter the Minarai stage. Once she has become a Minarai her days of doing chores and housekeeping would end. At this stage she would attend banquets but she would not be aloud to participate in any functions or speak. The training would take place at a tea ho use where they learn traditional Geisha skills, and how to interact with the guests.

//** Maiko Stage: **//

You would turn a Maiko after about a month of being a Minarai. The young girl would then be known to be an apprentice geisha at this stage. At this point the Maiko would then learn her skills from a senior geisha who then adopts her and becomes her onee-san known as her older sister. The onee-san's job is to teach the Maiko how to properly serve tea, dance, converse with guests, play the shamisen, and others. After the Maiko becomes a Geisha the onee-san then picks out a professional name for her, using her onee-san's name.

//** Geisha Stage: **//

Once becoming a geisha she would have to know how to properly select her kimono's due to the occasion and seasons. When applying their make up they would first have to apply an oil substance to protect their skin. Then they would wear that famous white powder base, along with the red lipstick, and the black lined eyes. There would be a significance in the way the lipstick is applied. For example a new geisha only colors the top lip, and an established geisha would have the top lip fully colored and the bottom lip would have a stripe that goes through the center. The hairs styles that they would wear would also have a significant meaning to it as well. An interesting note is that before, geisha’s would have to sleep with their uncomfortable hairstyles. To protect their hairstyle they would sleep in special pillows that would protect them from getting ruined. The hairstyles would then cause so much stress to them that over time their hair would start to fall off and would become bald. The Okami which is the geisha's manager or agent would be the one who would set up the appointments for party's in order for the geisha's to make money and pay the Okiya back.

** NOTE: **

If you would like to learn more or are interested you should read the book //Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden// or the movie Memoirs of A Geisha. They are two very good works of art and I recommend them. Hope you enjoy!

** Works cited: **

** Declan Murphy. “Things Japanese-Geisha” Yamasa Student Network copyright Yamasa ** ** 7 April 2011. <[] > **

“ **The History of Geishas” ElanguageSchool. 4 April 2011. <[]>**