The Arrival by Shaun Tan

How can one write a story without the writen word? Shaun Tan accomplishes this an more in his graphic novel "The Arrival".

The story is about an immigrant coming to a foreign land knowing about as much as the reader does. Nothing. Tan brilliantly shows how confusing living in a place strange and new can be like with the art telling all you need to know. The world around him is strange even to up with objects we have never seen or thought of before.

All of this is used without he use of a written language. In a way that is what makes this novel so powerful. Everything we learn about the man in the story is laid out for us to see not read. The detail put into each panel gives us more information and feeling that words could describing it too us. Gestures the main character makes show us his moods and feelings instead of just saying it. The change from a written piece to a visual one is a change that is enjoyable and interesting. The eye is further slowed down to notice these little details by the shape and layout of the panels. Each box is its own masterpiece, taking one out would loose the flow Tan had worked and succeed in making.And while the little squares show you the little things and time passing in some cases, the larger, double page spreads show you the grandeur of the world with their massive size and depth.

 The lack of color does not subtract from the experience. If anything the sepia tones let your eye wander to where it really matters and not onto the brightest colors. Telling the story the way Tan wanted it to be told. Through to art.