Reading Notes Part A: Sinbad First Voyage

Sinbad: First Voyage

The story that I chose to read was Sinbad: First Voyage. I chose this story because I remember watching the Disney film Sinbadand thought that was what this story was going to be about.  Wow was I wrong.  I remember when watching the film not much was known about Sinbad just that he was a pirate who, with a band of “merry” pirates tried to find treasure at every island they came upon. I honestly did not know a lot about Sinbad so I thought it would be interesting to revisit my childhood and see if these stories would add anything to what the Disney film included.

Even though this story does not contain a lot of action, I feel that the background information we are given about Sinbad is useful. What I thought was super helpful was that the story is told from a first-person point of view narrative.  Most stories do not incorporate this, so it is refreshing to read. I feel that it gives a more authentic feel to what we are reading and that by having Sinbad tell us about his life, it makes it feel like we are right there next to him getting to experience what he is going through. Like I mentioned above, giving us a first-hand account into his backstory because its present Sinbad in a whole new light that we previously did not see him in.  I always thought that he was a cavalier, risk taking pirate who just wanted to get rich and have fun but after reading about the way destroying his ship my opinion has changed.  I never knew that Sinbad had be stranded in the ocean before and was quite amazed when he was able to find an island.  I had to keep asking myself, “What are the odds he survives,” and the answer was apparently a 100%.   I thought the whole plot of the story was able to make Sinbad more human and make him connect to the audience a lot easier than the Disney film did.

Sinbad. (July 13, 2006)

Andrew Yee. Source: Flickr

Bibliography: Gibbs, Laura. Sinbad: First Voyage. Sinbad: First Voyage