Response to "The Arrival" by Shaun Tan

The Arrival proves how impactful a story without words can be and how dialogue isn't necessary for a narrative to be received well. Using only illustrations, the comic allows for the art to be given focus. With some comics, readers can easily glaze over the art in favor of reading the actual text. It’s unfortunate, since the art in comics should still be appreciated and they can even provide symbolism that further assists the dialogue. This is seen even in superhero comics, for example.

I found the style of The Arrival to be reminiscent of a film's storyboard or photographic film. The comic clearly displays what is going on and what we as readers are supposed to focus on. Its portrayal of immigration and emotions relating to it are able to be successfully captured through the use of no words. The feeling of being alone in a foreign land, away from everything ever known, is amplified through Tan’s use of displaying The Arrival’s world as a semi-fantastical one. In the chance I was confused about the narrative; the images were able to aid me in understanding the tone of the story. It invokes great feelings, and I believe that portraying this story wordlessly was the most impactful way to do so.

Although I have no experience with immigration, my parents were the first ones of their families to move from the Philippines to the US. Even now, my dad sometimes brings up the difficulty of it and how he still worries about his slight accent. I do have a disconnect from Filipino culture and can’t even speak Tagalog, and it stems from my parents’ fears of being teased for it or seen as less educated. They sacrificed everything familiar to move into a country where much of it was unknown to them. They did so in search of a chance to give their children a better life and more opportunities. Shawn Tan was able to perfectly convey the many feelings that came with immigration, such as fear and hope. The silence of The Arrival and other wordless allow for creators to bring the audience’s attention to the images and invoke feelings through them in a way that can be personal and up to interpretation.