The Arrival - Shaun Tan

In Shaun Tan's graphic novel The Arrival is a gorgeous mix of whimsical and surreal fantasy and very real themes, still relevant and applicable in our world. The feeling of traveling to a strange and bizarre new land, with different creatures and customs was captured in his signature whimsical way, though the topic was still fairly serious. Themes of immigration, industrialism, and feeling homesick were just as prominent as the striking visuals and playful creatures and cities he created. I've read some of Shaun Tan's other work, and this story had some of the most realistic characters I've seen from him. It also felt like it was targeted at an older audience, since most of his other stories have been aimed at children, though still maintain interesting themes for all ages. The wide shots really stood out to me, out of context I could see them standing independently in a gallery. I’ve noticed in Shaun Tan’s other work, (The Lost Thing and Tales from Outer Suburbia) also uses strong themes including our connection to technology and the balance between work, large industries, and technology v.s. more organic nature. I’m not used to reading comics that are wordless, I can only think of a few others that fit that description. I do get the impression that the choice to keep it silent was intended to make the reader really think about what the story meant to them. Since we don’t have a clear sense of who the main character is, we can imagine anyone in that position. I felt that made it that much personal to the reader. Since he was traveling to a fantasyland, the story could also take place anywhere, since it didn’t seem culture specific. I thought that comparing the family to the family we see in the end was a really interesting choice. It felt like bookends of the story, opening and closing in a way that compared the two felt significant. Even the tone used felt warmer, and learning to learn, live, love, and grow in a new world left the story on a more optimistic and progressive note.