WEEK 1: THE ARRIVAL

I was completely blown away by the work of Shaun Tan, The Arrival. This comic has so much symbolism and beautiful supporting imagery that works together to tell a wonderful, cohesive story. Even though the world Tan had created was completely fictional, it was still easy to understand for the reader. This is because he used classic storytelling techniques to make his illustrations speak without words. From the very beginning, it was obvious what was happening despite lack of dialogue: a man living in a dangerous city must move away from his beloved family. The reader is able to grasp that through the descriptive imagery of the woman’s hand touching the man’s, the young girl, and the monster-infested city. When reading this comic, it felt like a metaphor for immigration. The man’s hometown is very mundane-looking compared to the fantasy world he moves to, which is probably what a lot of immigrants feel at first when they move to America. Trying to find odd jobs, asking strangers for directions, and not understanding the language or culture are all very relatable to immigrants.

Other storytelling techniques Tan utilized were tone and gestures. The use of tone in The Arrival really emphasized the mood in various points. The shift of emotion on page 88 is a perfect example for this. All you can see are a pair of legs, but the storytelling goes far beyond what is being shown. From being a warm, sepia tone to a blurry, dark grey, you can feel the happiness and excitement fade away from the soldier without even seeing his face. Moments like these really reminded me how powerful pictures can be without any written explanation. He also used gestures and clichés to mime clear actions through the characters, like pointing and waving.

After reading, I found a greater appreciation for wordless comics. It made me think of the phrase “a picture’s worth a thousand words,” and this book goes above and beyond that statement. When something new appeared, Tan took the time to draw out the process and explain the mechanics of the world. He used what we already know from our world as a base for his creations like clocks, transportation systems, food, animals, etc. And by doing this, he was able to relay an important message in a more captivating and visual way. It is clear to see that Tan is quite knowledgeable about storytelling. I appreciated the bookend technique he used to tie the whole story together at the end. The last illustration of the daughter giving directions to the woman is showing a cycle of kindness and acceptance, where the newcomer adapts and passes on knowledge to new immigrants. I believe that this is the type of lesson the author wanted people to learn from his story.