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Teachers & SchoolsComing of Age
An alternate title for Memoirs of a Geisha would be Memoirs of a Maiko or, in English, Memoirs of Being an Apprentice Geisha. The vast majority of the book takes place on Chiyo's journey to becoming a geisha—going to school, taking classes in music and dance, and trying to find her place in the social structure of her town.
It's something we can all relate to…except for the whole "geisha" part.
Although rituals like the mizuage seem unusual or abusive to outside cultures, for Sayuri, it is a normal part of growing up.
All of Sayuri's growth milestones—like first dance or first kiss—come within the context of being a geisha. She has no outside life.