How does Shaun Tan’s picture book, The Lost Thing, use the Lost Thing creature as a symbol of individualism to admonish societal conformity and its dehumanising effects? Is individualism in modern society giving away conformist systems? This is an important, yet often neglected, question. However, in Shaun Tan’s picture book, The Lost Thing, written in 2000, he addresses this question, conveying it as a relevant and serious issue. Individualism encompasses qualities such as self-expression and originality whereas conformity represents the lack of these traits, reflecting a tendency to adhere to established norms and suppress personal identity. Throughout history systems such as education and workplace environments have, in many cases, favoured …show more content…
In Figure 2, when the narrator first encounters the Lost Thing, he observes that the creature looks “out of place”. This dialogue suggests that the lost thing is so foreign to society that it appears unfamiliar to the narrator. Thus, with this phrase, Tan effectively introduces the society in his book to be a conformist society, as individualism is not only absent but unrecognisable. The conformity within the society he is portraying is further emphasised through Tan’s repetitive use of the word “lost”, which first appears in Figure X. Here Tan draws the audience's attention to the word by underlining it, highlighting the word's significance in his message. By referring to the Lost Thing, which represents individualism, as being “lost” in such an overt way, Tan creates a distinct metaphor for the absence of individualism in the dystopian society he is portraying. Overall, through the narrator's dialogue, Tan highlights the alienation of the lost thing in his dystopian society, effectively portraying a conformist society devoid of individualism. Furthermore, through this depiction of the dystopian society, he immerses the reader in the dystopian world, thereby heightening the impact of his exploration of the consequences of a uniform
part of all relationships; they are the determining factor of one’s perceptions of the world around them as well as their own identity. This idea is presented in uniquely an array of texts including, William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, Shaun Tan’s The Lost Thing and The Blind Side produced by John Lee Hancock. Society and its expectations can make a significant impact on one’s ability to fit in to an environment. Some individuals’ however challenge society and break down social barriers in order
Shaun Tan sensitively channels the underlying trials of detachment and the pursuit for self discovery experienced free from the suppression of conscious dictation, conceptualising the intricate web of human growth associated with ageing. Shaun Tan’s ‘The Red Tree’ and the animation ‘The Lost Thing’ explicitly mirror this sentiment. Shaun Tan’s semi-autobiographical book ‘The Red Tree’ effectively fuses the composer’s context of self-discovery with undertones of disorientation in acknowledging vocation
A Book to Show you the Light Shaun Tan is an author and illustrator, and has worked as a theatre artist, concept artist for Pixar and even directed his award winning picture book, ‘The Lost Thing’. In 2011, he was awarded the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world’s largest award for children and young adult literature. He uses many visual literacy techniques, such as composition, colour, contrast and salience, to create books that make a huge impact on many people. One of his many picture books
they Belong. Picture books and digital animations are not a sign of childhood and should not be considered the transition to ‘proper’ books rather something all ages can benefit from reading. Although ‘Satellite Boy’ (2012) is a moving text and ‘The Red Tree’ (2001) is a still text they both explore the concepts of alienation, isolation, separation, estrangement, and loneliness. The measure of a good tale is whether it engages the reader. Does it make you want to read or watch more? Does it relate
certain figures which can be interpreted as a recollection of what had happened in particular suburb area. In fact, these memories do not affect on lives of local people, however they simply exist just like "another part of the suburban landscape" (Tan Shaun, 65). In addiction in Stick Figures author writes that "Adults pay them little attention. Young children sometimes dress them in old clothes as they were dolls or scarecrows, and are always scolded by parents...", what can be described, that children