The Arabian Nights: One Thousand and One Nights Lesson Plan

What personality traits and/or skills allow the fisherman to survive the genie's wrath? How might these be generally useful in the world of Scheherazade's stories?

The skill that really gets the fisherman out of trouble is his cleverness. Although he initially tries to appease the genie by flattering him and showing his respect for his power, these quickly prove ineffective. Conversely, when the fisherman plays upon the genie's arrogance and his vulnerability to being humiliated, he is able to trick the genie into going back into his lamp. The fisherman's way of dealing with the powerful is mirrored in Scheherazade's approach to the Sultan: both characters use their...