Week 4 Essay: Sinbad: Pathological Adventurer

Sinbad on his sixth voyage.
Source: Wikipedia 

            

           Even though the Voyages of Sinbad were very different from Aesop’s fables, there were still recurring motifs in the different stories of this unit. The most prominent of these was Sinbad’s insatiable desire for adventure. No matter what obstacles he was faced with each time he set sail on a new voyage, Sinbad could not get enough of the adrenaline rush that accompanies being shipwrecked.

            I found it very entertaining that Sinbad was always lured away from his life of comfort back home in Bagdad to embark on another journey out at sea. Each time he returned to the safety of his home, rich with all the merchandise he acquired from the voyage, Sinbad was always kind enough to share his fortune with his family as well as the rest of the town¾this was one of my favorite parts of each of the stories! He also vowed to never leave again to go on another voyage. Nevertheless, after some time passed, he would get the hankering to be back out on the uncertain sea.

            Once back out on the sea, it was always the same song, different verse. Some unfortunate event would occur causing the majority of the crew to be killed and the ship to be destroyed. However, Sinbad never seemed to get the short end of the stick in these situations; he always came out alive, usually clinging for dear life to a piece of drift wood until he would be washed onto a shore of some unfamiliar island.

            After being washed up onto a beach, Sinbad was always “more dead than alive”. He would take some time to recover, and then he would set off to find adventure and mischief. Each time he was met with some kind of adversity, whether it was wild savages or giant snakes, Sinbad would conjure up some plan to escape death yet again. Then it would not be long before another merchant ship would be sailing by, Sinbad would get the attention of the crew, and he would finally return to Bagdad.

            Although the overall plot of these stories was very predictable due to the recurring motifs, they were still very interesting to read because there was still some element of surprise. The different creatures Sinbad faced were all very diverse, and his escape plans would differ accordingly. In the end, I never really knew what Sinbad was going to do or what feats he was going to be up against. 

Week 4 Storytelling: Family Ties

            After being shipwrecked once again, Sinbad found himself on a very mysterious island. Sinbad spent a few moments taking in his new surroundings, and then decided to make his way to a very large building. As Sinbad got closer to the building, he noticed some very large footprints in the sand. Given his past experiences, Sinbad was slightly hesitant to enter the building for fear of what might be inside. Nevertheless, Sinbad pushed open the large wooden door, and what stood on the other side took his breath away…

The Giant from the original story.
Source: Mythology and Folklore Un-textbook

            There was an enormous creature standing right inside the door. He was approximately 20 feet tall, had thick fur that was black like a gorilla’s, massive ears much like an elephant’s, extensive teeth that hung out like a saber tooth tiger’s, and a single fearsome eye in the middle of his head.

The enormous creature squatted down, stuck out his gigantic hand and said, “Hello. My name is Theodore.”

            Choking on his words, Sinbad stammered, “H-h-hi there. M-m-my name i-i-is Sinbad.”

            “I know who you are,” replied Theodore. “Follow me.”

Sinbad timidly followed the giant down the hallway, and they soon arrived at the door of a very large suite. Sinbad walked in and was completely in awe. Despite all of his riches he had acquired as a merchant, Sinbad had never seen something so elegant and extravagant. “This place is amazing!” exclaimed Sinbad.

            “Never mind that,” said Theodore. “I really need your help with something. You see I have heard legends about you, Mr. Sinbad. I know how you have eluded death when it didn’t seem possible. So I want you to help me escape.”

            “Why would anyone want to escape such a fine place like this?” asked Sinbad.

            “I have been held captive here for two years now, and I want nothing more than to be free again. I need to return to my native island so I may be reunited with my family,” said Theodore.

            Knowing how hard it was to be separated from his own family, Sinbad agreed to help Theodore. They stayed up late into the night devising a great escape plan, and the next day began building their escape ship.

            As they were working on the ship, Theodore briefed Sinbad on the awful circumstances he had endured over the past two years. “My master is the most terrible woman you will ever meet,” said Theodore. “Although she is very small and very old, she chills me to the bone every time she looks at me through her thick-framed glasses.”

            “

Sounds awful,” teased Sinbad.

            “Just wait,” said Theodore. “You’ll see.”

            After a few days, Sinbad and Theodore completed their escape ship. How they managed to keep it a secret from Theodore’s master is still unknown to this day. Just when they thought they were going to be home free, a screeching voice rang out over the beach. “And just where do you think you’re going?”

            Able to recognize that voice from anywhere, Sinbad stepped out from behind Theodore. “Grandma? Is that you?” asked Sinbad.

            “My word! I can’t believe it’s really you!” replied the old woman.

            Not knowing what else to do, Theodore stood there in shock as he watched the two reunite. Finally he shouted, “Hey! What’s going on here?”

            Sinbad and his grandma told the story of how their family had been split up in a shipwreck many years before. Finally, things became clear to Theodore. Sinbad’s grandma had treated him so poorly because she was angry and missed her family. Apologies were made, and then the three of them set sail so that they could all be reunited with their families once again.  

Author's Note

I really changed this story up quite a bit from the original (Third Voyage). In the original, Sinbad is faced with various creatures after he is shipwrecked. However, I decided to focus on the Giant. I significantly altered the demeanor of the Giant, turing him good from evil. I just felt like the original needed a plot twist! 

Bibliography

Book: Arabians' Nights Entertainments 

Author: Andrew Lang

Year: 1898

Web Source: Gutenberg Project

Week 4 Reading Diary: The Voyages of Sinbad

The Voyages of Sinbad

Sinbad: Third Voyage

I really enjoyed this voyage! Like the first two voyages, something had gone awry and Sinbad was separated from his crew and forced to come up with a survival plan. I really liked the story of this voyage because there were so many exotic creatures that Sinbad had to face! The hairy savages, the giant Cyclops, and the enormous snake were all out to kill Sinbad and his crew, but Sinbad once again managed to escape death. I think this would be a great story to retell since there are so many options for recreating the enemies and their evil plots.

Sinbad: Fourth Voyage

This was also a very interesting voyage. I liked that the story told about the customs of the people Sinbad found in regards to death. How different people mourn, or even sometimes celebrate, death has always been very interesting to me. I also liked how Sinbad came up with yet another creative plan to escape his own death.

Seventh and Last Voyage

Although I do not think Sinbad saved the best voyage for last, I did still enjoy reading about this voyage. I liked that Sinbad agreed to take the letter and gifts to the King of Serendib on behalf of the Caliph even though he had sworn to never travel again after his sixth voyage. I love the loyalty that Sinbad shows to the Caliph as well as his unsatisfied hunger to travel.