Scheherazade: This story is great and I can't wait to find out what happens to Scheherazade. I don't understand why she would volunteer herself to die just so she could tell stories to her sister. That being said, I am sure she has something up her sleeve before dawn comes because how else would she "deliver the people from the terror that reigns over them." The Sultan is definitely insane, marrying and killing a new woman every night because his first wife deceived him. The wording wasn't very specific, but I can imagine that his wife was cheating on him.
The Merchant and the Genius: Scheherazade is very clever, but I don't know how she knew he wouldn't kill her before she finished the story. I am very curious to find out what happens. The story of The Merchant and the Genius is similar to her own, except she hasn't killed the Sultan's child. She is a gifted storyteller and I can't wait to read more. I don't get why the merchant went back at years end when he could have easily never returned, but maybe he has something planned like Scheherazade.
The Story of the Fisherman: Once again, Scheherazade has convinced the Sultan to hear more of her stories. At this point, I feel like she is going to tell him stories of people who are spared death and forgiven, but I may be wrong. I can tell that I will enjoy this story more than the previous, just as she promised the Sultan. It is sad that the genie had been locked in a vase for so long, but it is terrible that he would kill whoever freed him after waiting so long. The Fisherman was smart, convincing the genie to show him how he fit in the vase so he could trap him again.
The Greek King and the Physician Douban: I am starting to understand what Scheherazade's plan is. All of her stories are lessons for the Sultan, and she hopes that he will change his mind in the end. The first was about forgiveness and this one is about trust. The storytelling also continues to get deeper and deeper, having the characters in the story tell stories.
The Physician's Revenge: I really liked this story. Scheherazade told this story to scare the Sultan, making him think that he will die if he kills her innocent self. The King would have lived had he not killed the innocent Physician, but his paranoia was his downfall. I was also happy to see that even the story had an effect on the genie, and ended up gaining his trust. In my opinion, this story is a lesson about Karma.
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| (The Physician's Revenge) |
King of the Black Isles: Finally, a story that has a happy ending! The genie's plan was pretty complicated, but it worked, giving the Fisherman all the money he and his family would ever need.
I loved these stories and can't wait to hear how it all ends in the next section. Aladdin was another one of my favorite childhood movies, so I am excited to read the actual story.
Michael: I liked how you showed your progression of understanding as these stories developed into a complete picture of Scheherazade's intentions. I read these stories this week, as well, and it was good to see what you thought.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I wonder if this is really a reflection of what you learned from the stories. You give a succinct description of your reaction to each story, but don't really point out any critical elements of the story. Maybe focusing a little more on themes throughout the stories would help you hone down the diary post to a few key insights.