Message from ljacques

[Anonymous]

I finally had the chance to sit down and watch this film. I was excited to see it because I read the book some time ago. As usual, the book wins, but this movie does provide a rich visual tapestry of information. Because I teach middle school grades, I think there are a few points of the movie that would be difficult to show in a class setting. The Geisha auctions off her virginity to the highest bidder and earns a high status in the community because the price paid for her is a record. It would be touchy to discuss this in a 6th grade class, a little easier in an 8th grade class. The costumes are beautiful, the social rules interesting. The separation of the two sisters at the beginning of the movie is tragic and would be easily understood by students, but you would probably need to explain why they were sold off and why this was practiced by families. In my opinion the movie doesn't give enough details for middle school students to understand how the girls wound up there in the first place. On the other hand, the girl's feelings for the chairman because of his kindness towards her inspire her to find success in life despite the hand she has been dealt. It is an example of human spirit, making the best of a difficult situation, always a welcome theme.