The Arrival by Shaun Tan

The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a wordless graphic novel published in 2006. The supposed silence of the novel attributed to the lack of text (dialogue, onomatopoeia, or otherwise) contributes to the overall mood of the story. Silence is also used in films like The Good, the Bad and the Ugly and No Country for Old Men to create a feeling of unsettlement and discomfort. The perceived silence of The Arrival evokes a similar feeling that is very appropriate for the immigrant experience the story portrays. I also personally believe the silence allows for a fuller more immersive experience of the illustrations that are beautifully detailed and rendered. Although as an Illustration major I appreciate the importance placed on the illustrations since they alone have to carry the narrative, I also think this is vital for the story. There is no text so you focus more on the illustrations to understand the story but since there is no text the story has to be readable through the illustrations. This is where The Arrival could have fallen flat. It is an interesting and attention-grabbing choice to tell a story through only pictures but if those pictures aren't set up as proper story devices, the original interest of the idea of no text becomes futile, no matter how attractive the illustrations are. This is where Tan's skills as a draftsman are particularly notable. Not only are the illustration in The Arrival interesting and attractive, they are also effective. The way each panel and its contents are composed helps direct a story without the need for text. The use of several grid-like panels sets up scenes, accomplishes action, and shows important details. Each drawing is full of information about the characters and the plot. The composition directs the eye so information is revealed to the viewer when and how Tan designed it to. Close-ups that zoom out establish the intimate setting of where a character is emotionally and then broadens to show where they are physically. Tan's skill at capturing gesture and facial expressions also further replace the need for dialogue by replacing verbal language with body language.