Like a quilt that is patched together by squares of different life experiences and cultures, America often stands as a beacon of hope for the hopeless. Because of this, America’s collective quilt of experiences often has dark patches of pain. It is certain however, that all these painful stories reflect the sanctuary that America is. Perhaps the “free man” idealism that is central to this community is what makes it so bizarre. There is no other place, but America, where you can critique the authority’s policies. Shaun Tan, in “The Arrival” coyly alludes to the strangeness of a world that, to many, is salvation. Tan contrasts the embellished, artistic environment of the “new world” to the mundane, constructions of his previous home. This contrast emphasizes the grandeur that people see in America and reflects the “American Dream”.

Our versions of the “American Dream” are different, and are at the same time the same. We long to achieve with this newfound freedom what we couldn’t achieve without it. Tan uses dark tentacles to personify the persecutions that haunt many of the immigrants who seek a new haven, which for many becomes “the land of the free.”

However, Tan also shows the dark side of the American dream, where the streets aren’t paved gold but are dirty and disease-riddled. Essentially, the author shows us the world of the ordinary immigrant. We soon see that the “New world” was not so lustrous, and underlying the hardships that many of its citizens face come to light.Tan’s use of bizarre symbols and his attention to the intricate details of this world forces us to become the protagonist. We are led to the same line of thought that the protagonist probably had. “Where are we? What is this? How does this work? Cool!”

The lack of words, or better said, the presence of constant silence exemplifies the silent martyr; the protagonist is forced to painfully adapt to an atmosphere that is the mirrored reflection of his previous home for the sake of his family. By doing this, we also see the “silent struggle” — the struggles that many immigrants face in America while trying to make a living.

Although his dream was not completely fulfilled, the protagonist achieves happiness when he reunites with his family. This warm picture speaks voluminously about the heart of America: the family. It is within this community that we are able to forge ourselves to become the individuals that we aspire to be. It is also the place where we take a step back and appreciate our environment and take pride in our accomplishments. Tan forces us to question our version of the “American Dream, Will our aspirations give us a feeling of “wholesome” if achieved? After all, how can we achieve if we have no one to work for? How can we be participants of any community if we do not have a family, our identity?