Reading Notes: Sindbad, Unit A
This week I read through the ever-winding and outlandish tales of Sindbad, several of which I would love to retell.
Second Voyage (pt. 1 & 2)
I enjoyed this third story's bizarre whimsy — the first two stories in this unit are improbable, but this one was a little more ridiculous (with the giant bird, the hordes of enormous snakes, the multitude of diamonds). Reading this one, what I pictured in a retelling was Sindbad competing in some kind of extreme reality television show that tests his wits and ability to survive. The narrator would be a TV commentator, following Sindbad's Man vs. Wild-style journey on the various islands. While I think both sections of this story would work well with this storytelling style, the second part (in which Sindbad uses the giant pieces of meat to escape with some diamonds), might be especially entertaining.
Third Voyage
This third voyage (which results in even more deadly exploits than the last two), would be interesting if told from the giant's perspective. This man-eating giant had his home invaded by a troupe of adventurers — he was just going about his day and found several unwelcome guests in his home, only to end up completely blind not long after. This way I could give some more explanation to the two giants that end up coming to the rescue of the first, and the horde of giants that chase Sindbad and the men from the island.
Fourth Voyage (pt. 2)
This story was fascinating to me, but I do have some modifications I would make in a rewrite. Instead of having Sindbad's wife die, I might have them both feign death, be buried together, and use the ploy to escape the island beyond the watchful eye of the king (using the small crack Sindbad finds in the cave in the original). Sindbad's wife has no name and no character whatsoever in this original version, so this would be a chance to make her an adventurer like Sindbad.
Bibliography: The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang. Web source.
Second Voyage (pt. 1 & 2)
 |
| Sinbad evades the enormous snakes. Courtesy of Laura Gibbs. Source: UnTextbook. |
Third Voyage
This third voyage (which results in even more deadly exploits than the last two), would be interesting if told from the giant's perspective. This man-eating giant had his home invaded by a troupe of adventurers — he was just going about his day and found several unwelcome guests in his home, only to end up completely blind not long after. This way I could give some more explanation to the two giants that end up coming to the rescue of the first, and the horde of giants that chase Sindbad and the men from the island.
Fourth Voyage (pt. 2)
This story was fascinating to me, but I do have some modifications I would make in a rewrite. Instead of having Sindbad's wife die, I might have them both feign death, be buried together, and use the ploy to escape the island beyond the watchful eye of the king (using the small crack Sindbad finds in the cave in the original). Sindbad's wife has no name and no character whatsoever in this original version, so this would be a chance to make her an adventurer like Sindbad.
Bibliography: The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang. Web source.
Comments
Post a Comment