Endurance (motif)
Endurance is one of the main qualities of the protagonist of the story. Being taken away from home and forced to live with strangers, she finds enough strengths not to give up. Even a failed attempt of an escape doesn’t break her. Every time when it seems that there is no hope for better Sayri manages to find a way out and stay true to herself. Endurance, patience, and kindness are proved to be the most essential things.
Water (symbol)
The protagonist says that she has a great deal of water in her personality. This element is represented as uncontrolled force which could be both still and destroying. It doesn’t wait, it is in constant movement. Water could be compared to passion, a feeling which makes the protagonist work harder as anyone else when she gets her second chance. The image of water is widely represented in the story – from lakes and a sea to blue-grey eyes of the protagonist – but it is always depicted as a source of great strengths.
A cat and a ball of thread (allegory)
A cat in the novel depicts a cruel and beautiful creature which could be rather cunning if it sees any threat. When the protagonist speaks about her rival, Hatsumomo, she often compares her with a cat. If everything is fine and there is no one to compete with, she is content and happy, but if another beautiful geisha appears, she is ready to do anything to drive her out. Sayri is compared with a ball of thread for a cat to toy with and sharpen its teeth.
