Memoirs and Orientalism Quiz

• Memoirs is an erotic book that tells the story of geishas in Japan.
• Geishas in Japan are known for their beauty and mystique, and many people enjoy reading about them.
• The book is both scholarly and entertaining, and it teaches readers a lot about Japan and its culture.
• Some people argue that Memoirs is Orientalist because it promotes fantasies about Japan that are not true to reality.
• However, I argue that Memoirs is Orientalist because it encourages readers to indulge fantasies played out through the disguise of projecting them onto someone else - an other not oneself.
• Memoirs is a novel about a young American woman's journey to China to visit her father.
• The novel is set in the early twentieth century and features a lot of fantasy elements.
• The author, Golden, uses a lot of Orientalist elements in the novel to describe the Chinese culture.
• Some people argue that the use of Orientalist elements in the novel is harmful because it contributes to the stereotype of the Chinese as being mysterious and exotic.
• However, others argue that the use of Orientalist elements in the novel is actually beneficial because it helps the reader to understand the Chinese culture better.

Test your knowledge about the portrayal of geishas in Japan and Chinese culture in novels with orientalist elements. Explore the debate around whether these portrayals contribute to harmful stereotypes or improve understanding of the cultures.