Post by Airy Yeh on Oct 7, 2015 21:58:17 GMT
Both stories depict desperation of old age and unfulfilled psychological need to leave meaning behind. The old geisha invests wholeheartedly on Yuki for him to create an innovation that she could not achieve during her lifetime. Even though she is still alive, she feels inadequate to achieve something herself because she believes that she is too old. She has lived her life as a geisha, pleasing men as her job and lifestyle. She has slept with many men and has experienced many moments of shallow pleasures but none that were genuine and authentic. She's become wealthy, but she feels she hasn't done much meaningful and worthwhile to leave behind. Likewise, Okada spoils Aguri with expensive clothes and jewelry to give himself the fulfilling prophesy that he is doing something good to leave behind for someone. However, I think Okada and the old geisha are different because I feel that Okada might be a bit more desperate than the old geisha because of his situation. Okada is diabetic and is dying. He gets extremely fatigued and dizzy from hypoglycemia. He says he looks like skin and bones and is unable to gain weight. These are symptoms of late stage diabetes. He spends his money and takes pleasure in "enhancing the beauty" of Aguri, but he is really trying to do something good before his death in a way he knows how. It is characteristic of humans to give out possessions to others before death.
Another similarity between the two relationships are that they are both unidirectional in character, both financially and emotionally. Okada and the old geisha are more strongly invested than their younger counterparts. However, the old geisha is more controlling and manipulative toward Yuki than how Okada is to Aguri. The old geisha manipulates Yuki to live in her house by not telling him her true intent and controls him by limiting his financial freedom and creating isolation. When Yuki runs away to the inn, she looks for him by using another person and bribes him to come back. Neither relationships are healthy. They are both unhealthy, conditional, and superficial relationships.
What kind of mood do these stories give off?
Another similarity between the two relationships are that they are both unidirectional in character, both financially and emotionally. Okada and the old geisha are more strongly invested than their younger counterparts. However, the old geisha is more controlling and manipulative toward Yuki than how Okada is to Aguri. The old geisha manipulates Yuki to live in her house by not telling him her true intent and controls him by limiting his financial freedom and creating isolation. When Yuki runs away to the inn, she looks for him by using another person and bribes him to come back. Neither relationships are healthy. They are both unhealthy, conditional, and superficial relationships.
What kind of mood do these stories give off?