"Sinbad the Sailor - Episode of the Whale", by Edmund Dulac (1914)
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Arguably the most important motif that ties all the voyages of Sindbad is how he begins and ends his stories in Baghdad, his home city. This narrative mechanism serves quite a few purposes that carry weight both in the real world and in the world of the story.
This narrative device could be seen as a call back to the sense of nationalism that this story brings to the nation of Baghdad. The story of Sindbad would surely not be nearly as popular as it was when it was conceived compared to today. Back then, it would have been easy to see Baghdad as a homely paradise in an otherwise unforgiving world. Truth be told, most of the middle east back then was the forefront of discoveries in science and medicine, making the economy in places like Baghdad free to support the lifestyle of an up-and-about sailor like Sindbad. It would have definitely been an Arabian paradise in the middle of a treacherous desert land.
Another way this mechanism is useful is to build on Sindbad's character. Despite it being a repetitive device, it says more and more about the sailor each time it is used. What I mean is that he always returns home, against all odds, either by effort or by chance. He is able to refuse the invitations of being adorned with riches for the rest of his life in a foreign land if he stays. He also manages to avoid death, even when he's stranded in the middle of a land or part of the sea that is unknown to him. The ability of Sindbad to involve himself in all these problems, yet find his way back home, seems fated. This transition of events also points to what I consider one of the key points of understanding the Sailor: his desire for adventure, but a sense of belonging as well.
Here is a link to the reading unit
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