After Arrival. Representations of immigration in Shaun Tan’s The Arrival (2011) and Cicada (2018)

Shaun Tan’s The Arrival depicts empathetically of the experience of global migration. Though this book captures the many trials and tribulations first generation immigrants face, the overall message is unwarrantedly optimistic, the family’s assimilation and adaptation to the new culture is complete. In contrast, Tan’s 2018 book Cicada demonstrates a much darker reality. It addresses the impossibility of assimilation due to ethnic and linguistic differences. The four-armed green cicada with huge bulging eyes represents the experience of dehumanization, alienation, and oppression often suffered by hardworking yet underappreciated immigrants.

Dr. Emma H. Zhang is a lecturer of English in College of International Education in Hong Kong Baptist University. Her research interests include comparative literature and comparative mythology. She has written on the subjects of Contemporary Asian American Literature, Chinese Mythology, as well as Life Writing.