Shaun Tan’s The Arrival is an interesting way to
approach the “silent comic.” I’ve always had a soft spot for silent stories.
Some of my favorites rely entirely on emotion and body language. To me, that is
the mark of a truly great comic artist and storyteller.
I believe the
story comes across quite well in this format, as the subject matter doesn’t
seem to need dialogue. It’s the story of someone from another land coming to a
strange new country and trying to adjust. It’s a different way of telling the
classic “fish out of water” story. We don’t know what language the protagonist is
speaking or where he came from, and neither do we know where it is he moved to
or anything about their culture. We don’t know why the protagonist leaves his
home either. We see through the symbolism that there is some encroaching danger
in his homeland but we are not told specifically what it is. We see the body of
a large reptilian beast encroaching on the buildings, exuding a threatening
presence. It also helps to convey the protagonist’s motivation is leaving his
home and his family in search of a better life.
I don’t think the
story would have come across nearly as well if there had been dialogue. It is
like experiencing the story through the protagonist’s eyes. We are just as lost
as he is. It definitely adds to the experience, especially in a fantastical
land like that, that the audience is left completely clueless as to the setting
of the story. It makes sure that everyone is in the same boat and sharing the
same experience. The art style also clearly conveys the emotions of the characters,
which in turn really brings the reader into the story and helps to accurately
convey the plot. In my opinion, the story is a resounding success. The pacing
is good, the art is amazing, and the story is very compelling. And it
accomplished all of this without any dialogue at all.
