Australian children’s classics: Shaun Tan’s essential migrant story still mesmerises, 20 years on
Shaun Tan’s groundbreaking graphic story, The Arrival, counters the dangerous fantasy of a homogeneous (white) Australia – and invites us to inhabit the other.
The 2006 book The Arrival by Shaun Tan, a wordless visual narrative, has captivated readers for two decades. The story follows a man leaving his family to start anew in an unfamiliar city. Depicted through sepia-toned graphite pencil drawings, the book has earned international acclaim, including an Oscar for Tan's animated film adaptation.
The Arrival defies categorization, as it can be a picture book, young adult novel, or graphic novel. Its themes of immigration and belonging resonate even more now as politicians exploit fears of cultural change. Born to a Malaysian-Chinese father and an Anglo-Australian mother, Tan grew up in isolated Perth and is now based in Melbourne.
His personal experience of racism and questions of belonging inform his work. The Arrival's unique blend of historical realism and surreal science-fiction elements invites readers to immerse themselves in the protagonist's experience of finding their way in a foreign land. By removing words, Tan encourages readers to closely examine symbols, signs, and sequences, creating a sense of empathy and understanding as they navigate the unfamiliar.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
