Przybysz Shauna Tana – wizualna (o)powieść o emigracji i poszukiwaniu lepszego życia

-

Abstract

The Arrival (2006,pol.Przybysz 2009)by Australian cartoonist Shaun Tan,a cartoon story about emigration,has captivated readers in many countries and has been awarded both for its artistry and its universal and profound message.It won a considerable number of awards as a children's book,a qualification undoubtedly influenced by the dominance of imagery associated with this type of audience,although reading the story in images combining photorealism and surrealism is demanding and difficult even for adults.Also the manner of presentation,the approach to the subject and the division of the volume into two parts,where the main characters are first the father(an unnamed newcomer)and then his daughter,make us see this publication as a double address book.The work, which touches upon topical issues,fits into the post-colonial theme,including the important issues of cosmopolitanism,foreignness,identity,belonging,and the ongoing discussions on migration.Wordless book tells the story of a man who,in search of a better place for his family to live,travels to a foreign country where everything is strange and incomprehensible,a place full of fantastic and surreal buildings,objects,animals,and incomprehensible signs.What he experiences has already happened to other people,and there will be others in the future,as long as people are driven out of their home countries by war,hunger and fear.Despite the individuality of each story,they are largely universal. Tan's father,who came to Australia from Malaysia,also had similar story.The cartoonist uses many sources in his novel,family,biographical and literary stories told in words,drawings and photos,trying to make the reader feel the immigrant's situation.The Arrival is also a story about reading signs:at the level of fiction they are read by the newcomer,while in the book by the reader,who assembles seemingly strange and fantastic elements into a story about emigration,escape,travel,loneliness,help and the search for a place to live.