In the novels The Pact, by Jodi Piocoult and Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden there is a strong reflection of life and its negative aspects. Not only do both novels involve a female who's life is controlled by those around her, but the girls are also controlled by a desired conception of themselves that they feel they have to achieve. The predominant ideas that exist in both works are those concerned with ones personal will to live a certain way and to achieve goals that are believed to grant success. Both stories involve a female who, through out her life, endures the pain that sometimes comes with the bleak reality of our world. The childhood traumas and the severe pressure exerted upon each of the woman causes them to suffer; However Sayuri, although, she is deprived of her individual freedom, uses her situation to its full potential where as Emily can not deal with the pain and has a mental breakdown.

Both Sayuri, in Memoirs of a Geisha and Emily in The Pact suffer through a childhood trauma. Sayuri, begins her life in the small town of Yoroido, Japan, where she lives with her family and knows herself at this time, as Chiyo; her name does not change to Sayuri un

Both works are very similar in that both women suffered childhood traumas. Sayuri is taken away from her family, and sold. Emily goes through the terrible experience of being raped. At a young age both girls experience negative circumstances, thereby altering their view of life. Both Sayuri and Emily are also controlled by others and by a perception of themselves. Sayuri isunable to make any of her own decisions, until she becomes one of the most successful geisha in the history of Japan. Up until then, those around her control her every move, and make all of her decisions. Emily is pressured and controlled in that everyone has made for her a pathway through life, in which she is to walk. She has a perfect image laid out for her. When Emily violates this image by getting pregnant, and by continuing to let the haunting memories of rape destroy her relationship with Chris, she is scared, and feels she is failing. Emily suffers a mental breakdown. The contrast between the two stories is evident: Sayuri deals with her situation, by taken advantage of the positive opportunities she has, she makes the decision to become a geisha. She sees all of the negative aspects, yet does not let go of the positive ones. Emily, on the contrary, lets her unpleasant experiences be a cause for her destruction, instead of making her stronger. The Pact and Memoirs of a Geisha are both worth while novels that allow us to become aware of reality. They are good comparable novels because we can see one alternative of dealing with life's conflicts, which is ending them by ultimately ridding yourself of existence, or the other alternative, the one Sayuri took, which is realizing what positive things life still has to offer in a time when suffering is weighing you down.

Consequently, all the pressure and control deprives Sayuri of her individual freedom. However, she is still able to use her situation to its full potential. Emily, on the other hand, can not deal with such pain and has a mental breakdown, which in the end leads to suicide. As soon as Sayuri enters Gion she has two choices: to work hard to become a successful Geisha, or not to work hard, and suffer. She chooses to work hard to be successful. Despite this choice, Sayuri's life does not belong to her anymore. She will do what she is told by those around her. And she will work not to attain love, or satisfaction, but to attain money. At the beginning of the novel, Sayuri is looking back at her life when she begins her story. She comments in the opening paragraph: "The truth is, that the afternoon when I met Mr. Tanaka Ichiro really was the best and the worst afternoon of my life" (Golden, 1). Because Sayuri becomes a geisha, she learned that life has to offer some good things, but also a lot of bad things. Through this she learned to appreciate the wonderful things that much more. Although Sayuri never doesget to be with the Chairman, the man she wants to be with, she thanks him for what he gave her. "I wasn't thanking him for the coin, or even for stopping to help me. I was thanking him for...well, for showing me that something besides cruelty could be found in this world" (Golden, 114). Although Sayuri goes through unimaginable emotional pain, she is still able to hold on to the pleasant things she can find, and make the best of them. Sayuri looks at her options and realizes they are slim, and decides to make the best of herself with what she has. "You must be very proud, Mrs. Nitta, of how well your daughter is doing. Her fortunes have surpassed expectations! Wouldn't you agree?" (Golden, 297.) Sayuri works so hard to become successful, that she surprises even the bitter, strict mother of the Okiya. Sayuri gains so much respect, that she sees decisions being left to be made by herself, instead of someone else. The years when Sayuri lives in Gion, are the years of the great depression, followed by the Second World War. It is clear that many s

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Approximate Word count = 3168
Approximate Pages = 13 (250 words per page double spaced)