We often view good fortune as happening to only those who have acted nobly and thus deserve a happy ending. After all, literature is full of countless tales and stories that focus on a heroic figure that bravely follows a moral code and is rewarded at the end of the story. Unfortunately, reality is often far different from fictitious literature. The protagonists of history are often undeserving of the rewards they reap, and good things often occur to those who may not deserve such fortuitous benefits. Thus, it is interesting to examine two pieces of literature that portray the protagonist as someone who has not earned good fortune through brave deeds or righteous actions. These tales are not confined to a particular culture, but come from both Western and Islamic literature and contain certain similar elements. We will examine the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and compare it with the classic novel Great Expectations. Both attempt to present the unfair nature of life and thus are timeless pieces of literature.
Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves is an Arabian folk legend that was originally written down by a French translator in the 18th century. The story follows the tale of Ali Baba, a poor woodcutter who becomes rich through a variety of fortunate occurrences. Although Ali Baba is not the most interesting character or even the true hero of the story, that title belonging to his slave girl Morgiana, it is interesting to examine his rise to riches. Ali Baba married a poor woman and became a woodcutter, unlike his brother who married into a rich family. One day while cutting firewood in the jungle, Ali Baba saw a group of thieves enter a secret treasure cave. After the thieves rode away, Ali Baba entered the cave and took some of the treasure. When he returns home, his brother discovers his good fortune and forces Ali Baba to tell him where the cave is located. The brother returns but gets stuck in the cave and is killed by the robbers. Ali Baba finds his brother dead in the cave and has him buried through the help of the slave girl Morgiana. When the robbers discover Ali Baba’s brother’s body is missing they determine that another person must know the secret of their treasure. They seek to find the location of Ali Baba’s house, but are thwarted by the actions of Morgiana. When the head robber finds out where Ali Baba lives, he gains access to the house with his men, but is again thwarted through the cleverness of Morgiana who is able to kill all the robbers accept the leader. The leader leaves but later returns disguised as a merchant and again enters Ali Baba’s house. For the final time, Morgiana saves Ali Baba’s life and kills the robber captain, and Ali Baba lives happily for the rest of his life rich from the robber treasure.
(Ali Baba showing Morgiana the treasure) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Robida_-_Ali-baba_page4.jpg
Although Great Expectations is set in a different time period and has a sadder feeling to it than Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, it contains many of the same characteristics. The man character is a young man named Pip who is born into a poor middle class family. As a young teenager, he is removed from this setting by a mysterious benefactor to live in London and become a gentleman. Pip believes he is being aided by an elderly lady whom Pip had befriended as a child and whose ward had been Pip’s secret love interest. Pip lives a frivolous life in London until he learns the true nature of his benefactor, a convict whom Pip had helped as a small child. After this discover, Pip’s life rapidly declines in quality as Pip can no longer allow himself to live on the money of the convict. Pip is forced to leave the country to find work and his life prospects appear bleak. Yet, the story ends on a happy note as Pip returns and reestablishes his relationship with his old love interest and appears to have a happy future in store.
(Pip Meets his benefactor)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pip-magwitch.jpg
Although these two stories have many different elements, they both share a common theme. Both characters do not deserve the good fortune that befalls them. Ali Baba merely saw where the robber treasure was, but did nothing to earn his wealth. Furthermore, he cannot be considered to possess much intellectual capacity as he fails to recognize the robber leader even after seeing him on two separate occasions. It takes the courage and intellect of the slave girl Morgiana to save Ali Baba from being slain by the robber leader. Pip also does not deserve the good fortune bestowed on him as the reason his status in society is bettered is due to his aid to a robber as a young boy. Given this aid was out of fear and not generosity, does Pip really deserve this good fortune? Yet, Pip’s story differs from Ali Baba’s as he experiences a period of less fortuitous circumstances and loses his good fortune. Yet, in the end Pip is reunited with his love interest and does not really seem to have learned a lesson from his experiences, much like Ali Baba who continues to blindly permit the robber leader into his home. Thus, an important moral imparted by both stories is the fickle nature of fortune and that sometimes those underserving are granted that which might belong to those more deserving.