The Arrival by Shaun Tan

The Arrival by Shaun Tan

                                                        

1.      Bibliography

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

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 1250056942
      Gaiman, 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 0545229243
      The 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.