What does memoirs of a geisha have to do with World War 2?

Answer 1

In the novel, Memoirs of a Geisha, the main charcter (Sayuri) was forced to leave the Gion district of Kyoto because of World War II. Not only did she and other prominent geisha have to leave, but ordinary civilians left because the war had begun to ruin the city. As usual, the war put a strain on Japan economically! Therefore, the people of Kyoto basically had to start their lives over because the war had took away everything. The business owners i.e., The Chairman and Nobu, lost their businesses and began to depend on the intruding Americans to help them rebuild their lifestyles. Because they depended on the Americans at this point, Sayuri was able to leave "hiding" and return as a geisha. Only, the world had changed tremendously and the real meaning of a geisha had been altered. Since then, the impression of a geisha has been known as a prostitute because of the many women who took advantage of the real geisha being away during the war!