Analysis of Storytelling in The Memoirs of a Geisha and The Handmaid's Tale

Storytelling is central to the human condition, connecting individuals by conveying universal concepts such as female oppression, which transcend both time and social context to bring audiences to recognise the continuation of such issues. Atwood’s dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale (1985) explores the powerful role of narratives to inspire a change in society’s oppression towards women through subverting understandings of contemporary society. Similarly, in Marshall’s Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), women’s objectification fails to enhance and promote their individuality. Thus, both Offred and Sayuri exemplify the suppression of female identity by representing stories that engage readers to reflect on their own perception of female struggles within society.

Atwood explores the adverse effect of denying women’s identity, forewarning the potential repercussions of female subjugation. The Handmaid’s Tale reimagines the dystopian genre through speculating a totalitarian regime where women are sexually negated and objectified as a vessel for reproduction. Atwood challenges the oppression of women in society to promote Second and Third Wave Feminist values of female autonomy and individualism. Through Offred’s narrative lens, we see the effect of Gilead’s dehumanising regime through the hyperbole that “We are containers, it’s only the insides of our bodies that are important”, accentuating the state’s subjugation over women’s body by materialisation of for their wombs and thus denied the physical agency of fertility. Furthermore, we see the oppression of women in Gilead through the unjust procreative ritual of the ceremony, where the metaphor, “Now the flesh arranges itself differently. I’m a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear”, depicts the incongruence between her body and her psyche, hence suggesting her loss of individuality as a result of Gilead’s demoralising regime. Thus, Atwood uses her novel as a cautionary tale for the present undermining of female identity, criticising the paralysing and dehumanising effect of denying women’s autonomy.

However, through Memoirs of a Geisha, Marshall represents women as symbols of beauty and superficial veneer to criticise social expectations enforced onto women which undermine their identity. In contrast to The Handmaid’s Tale, Marshall delves into Pre- World War II Japan to investigate constructed gender roles in the face of political tensions. In the montage of Sayuri’s geisha transformation, Marshall’s motif of mirrors represents his critique of society’s preoccupation with artificial appearances, focusing on one’s reflection rather their internal characteristics. Additionally, the exploitation of women is conveyed by the bidding of Sayuri’s mizuage, or virginity by wealthy men, where “No man would ever bid so much for a ‘thing’ he had already taken” suggesting Sayuri’s mizuage is commodified and reduced to a meaningless thing, devaluing of women’s identity. Marshall’s storytelling through representation of the geisha exemplifies how non-material things like women’s virginity are not owned by every woman, allowing the audience to empathise and be grateful for the sexual freedom we have now. Through such storytelling, Marshall foregrounds Sayuri’s female voice and perspective in the male-dominated society. Her metaphorical dialogue that “A story like mine should never be told, for my world is as forbidden as it is fragile. Without its mysteries, it cannot survive.” accentuates that stories allow for the exposure of hidden patriarchal dominance and the vulnerability of the females in the geisha world. Hence, Memoirs of a Geisha showcase stories to explore cultural differences and historical eras, which summons a reconsideration of female roles within our own society.

Both The Handmaids Tale and Memoirs of a Geisha employ the voice of the female character to explore the oppression of women in a male-dominated society. Atwood conveys the disparity between the rights of men and women through the suppression of individualistic female voice in Gilead. Offred employs self-conscious narration “I believe this is a story I’m telling. I want to believe it. I must believe it” which suggests her reflection on her experience in Gilead and storytelling is simply a rebellion towards the state’s regime. Offred’s creation of her story gives her hope for the future, and the only avenue for rebellion is through storytelling. Similarly, in Memoirs of a Geisha, women are disregarded and objectified; however, the female voice is utilised to rebel against societal views. It is depicted in the film that geishas are forbidden to love as they are the beauty form of entertainment, however, Sayuri rebels against this through her love and determination for the Chairman. After Hatsumomo finds the Chairman’s belongings she says, “You’ve been hiding your love for a long time now, the sacrifice every geisha must make.” suggesting Sayuri has ignored this rule to show her rebellion as she grows in willingness to define her path in life. Thus, both texts portray storytelling as central to human existence, allowing the marginalised to have a voice and challenge societal issues.

Narratives that shape our world come from differing contexts to give us a glimpse of how oppression of women throughout the passing of history, decides whether the path humanity is taking now needs to be changed. This is represented in the Handmaid’s Tale and Memoirs of a Geisha through sharing stories of marginalised women in Gilead and Pre-World War II Japan, evoking the audience’s empathy for the female struggle in a male-dominant society, urging them to challenge the subjugation of women. Storytelling, as seen in the two texts, acts as a mechanism for current day society to gain an understanding of societal issues, particularly female oppression, in socially disparate eras.