The Arrival by Shaun Tan
Tan, Shaun. The
Arrival. Melbourne, Australia: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006. ISBN
0439895294
2. Plot Summary
The Arrival is a wordless book about an
Asian gentleman who leaves his homeland to immigrate to a Western
civilization. His arrival, told all in
pictures, shows how foreign the world feels to him. Animals look unfamiliar, all the signs and
writing in the book are unintelligible. When he immigrates, the process he goes
through seems foreign to him and therefore we feel confused looking through the
pictures. Several friends, that the man makes, tell him of their experiences
immigrating and we get to see the process through their eyes also. The man gets a job and saves enough money to
get his family over, which is all shown in a touching reunion.
3. Critical Analysis
The
main character, of the story, is a father and husband who immigrates to a
foreign land. His view will be familiar
to children because the drawings show just how confusing this new land is to the
foreign man. And, therefore, similar to new experiences children experience in
their daily lives. The plot moves along from a familiar setting and circumstances
to a foreign setting that feels unfamiliar and uncomfortable for the man and
his friends. The story depicts
themes of isolation, belonging, novelty, cultural difference and the issues and
challenges around the whole idea of displacement.
A wide variety of cultures
are represented in the hyper-lifelike style, and the sense of
warmth and caring for others, regardless of race, age, or background, is shown
on nearly every page. Tan used the style he learned from working on the
storyboard while adapting The Lost Thing
into a short film to illustrate this book. His sorrow about leaving his home is
communicated through the sepia-like tone and weird, dark textured style.
4. Review Excerpts
A
New York Times Best Illustrated Book
Book Sense Book of the Year -- Honor Book
Book Sense Book of the Year -- Honor Book
From
Booklist: “Soft brushstrokes and
grand Art Deco style
architecture evoke a time long ago, but the story's immediacy and fantasy
elements will appeal even to readers younger than the target audience, though
they may miss many of the complexities. Filled with subtlety and grandeur, the
book is a unique work that not only fulfills but also expands the potential of
its form.”
From
Kirkus Reviews: “Small panels move the story along; full- and
double-page spreads provide dazzling panoramas. It’s an unashamed paean to the
immigrant’s spirit, tenacity and guts, perfectly crafted for maximum effect.”
From
School Library Journal: “Young
readers will be fascinated by the strange new world the artist creates,
complete with floating elevators and unusual creatures, but may not realize the
depth of meaning or understand what the man's journey symbolizes. More
sophisticated readers, however, will grasp the sense of strangeness and find
themselves participating in the man's experiences. They will linger over the
details in the beautiful sepia pictures and will likely pick up the book to
pore over it again and again.”
5. Connections
Gather and read other
graphic novels popular with young adults such as:
L’Engle, Madeleine. A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel. ISBN 1250056942Gaiman, Neil. Coraline: The Graphic Novel. ASIN: B00I9IP4QA
Brosgol, Vera. Anya’s Ghost. ISBN 1250040019
Gather and read other
Shaun Tan books such as:
Lost & Found.
ISBN 0545229243The Singing Bones. ISBN 0545946123
Tales from Outer Suburbia. ISBN 0545055873
Explore and discuss the
work of Shaun Tan and the influence of his own life on his writing.
Become aware of some
possible reasons for migration and its effects on people’s lives.
Analyze Tan's artistic
style and how it is used to convey various elements of the story.
Debate whether written
language is necessary for effective storytelling.
