Sequential images in class

The first panel contains a female character facing a bird. She seems to be doing some kind of performance as if to entertain the bird. There also seems to be a dish full of eggs which I interpret to be some kind of income in this world.

There is a very dominant central figure in form of a humanoid bird looming over a woman laying in a bed. It seems to be examining her.

Two bird-like men bury a dead deceased woman. The scene feels like that of a funeral. The rooster men seem to be dominant figures throughout these panels. They always seem to be in control.

I feel like perhaps these two bird people are mourning over the female. Once the woman is buried, these two are paying their respects. Other human figures around the scene feel like ornaments or pieces of art. Like scupltures.

This panel seems to be a flashback of the female's death while her companion, perhaps husband finds her laying on the floor. This person however is a rooster man.

Perhaps this man is experiencing a metamorphosis and turning into a rooster himself. The female figure in the background seems to be shocked by this occurrence.

The Arrival

The Arrival, by Shaun Tan is probably one of the most interesting sequential art books I’ve read so far this year. It’s compelling how a series of images, without need the aid of written words can communicate such gripping narrative. This is the first time I’ve ever read storytelling without the use written words. However, the illustrations are so amazing composed that it could never have the same impact it did by adding these. Every single page seems so carefully throughout, from the use action-by-action panels to the use of full page illustrations showing establishing shots and dramatic key points in the story. The images themselves are extremely well depicted, using a style that captures character expressions, showing their struggles along with the use of surrealism and beautiful creature designs.

I loved the character development. Although The Arrival’s main character endures his own struggles, giving resolution to his problem by the end of the narrative, there are also other characters introduced, each whom has a different story to tell and different kind of visuals to carry them with. It’s through these characters, who share the same struggles the main characters is going through, that is, immigrating to a new country and settling, that make this wonderfully surreal world that much more believable. Not only that, but the narrative, through the use of an invented language shown written throughout the story, allows the reader to relate to the main character, who also has no clue how to read this. This allows to not only see what the character is going through, but to sympathize with him and root for him until the very last page.