The graphic novel, The Arrival by Shaun Tan is a work that communicates its message without the use of words. The use of sequential pictures that show emotion and expression give the reader a way to connect to the story without any immediate explanation. With a multitude of comics and novels out there, Tan had to find a way of expression without his work getting lost in the endless sea of work. His use of wordless panels gave the story originality and also helped the reader connect to the story. Since the story is about a group of immigrants making their way in a new country, everything is so strange to them and they find it hard to understand and communicate without the use of words.
His illustrations emphasize expression, mood and the surrealistic feeling that these immigrants are going through. Switching from larger scale illustrations to smaller panel pictures give a sense of scale. In several of the larger scale illustrations, they are often surrealistic landscapes with large amounts of detail. While the smaller illustrations are mainly for the characters and focusing on their expressions and experiences in the strange new world. His use of warm and cool grays in the work help resonate the mood of the present scene and give the illustrations more of a dramatic feel.
Changing the point of view of several characters gives the reader more than one story to follow and creates interest through this. It makes the reader want to find out what happens next to a particular set of characters.
The Arrival is a prime example that an author doesn’t need words to communicate their message.
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