Arriving at Ellis Island

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Immigrants have always gone to the United States of America.

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Between 1800 - 1900, however, there was a huge number of them. Lots of them arrived to a place called Ellis Island. ��Before arriving, immigrants had to go through a three step process: inspection on the boat, medical examination and interrogation ��

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Which of these stages would be the most scary for the migrants?

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Question A: How does the artist show that the people are miserable on the boat?�

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Question B: How does the artist use colour to reflect a mood of misery?

After the control on board, the ship continued north to Upper New York Bay and towards the harbour. Slowly the Manhattan skyline could be seen, but the first thing the emigrants sighted was the Statue of Liberty. This must have been an amazing view after a very long journey over the Atlantic See.

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Question A: How does the artist show that the people are happy on the boat?�

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Question B: How does the artist use lighting to reflect a feeling of hope in the picture?

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Question A: what stage of the process do you think this is?

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Question B: why do you think the author has chosen to reflect this part of the process in panels instead of one, large photo?

After waiting in queue, the immigrant went forward one by one to the inspector who sat far front in the Registry Room on a high chair behind his desk. Beside himself he had an interpreter and in front he had the shiplists.

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The check-up should be regarding the information that the immigrant have left of himself and that also was written in the shiprecords. Here they double checked the name, age, religion, last residence, sex, civil status and if the immigrant should met up with some relative etc.

Question A: What stage of the process is this? How do you know?

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Question B: How has the artist shown that the man is confused? Do the panels help the artist to communicate the man’s confusion?

How does Shaun Tan show the experience of Ellis Island immigrants in ‘The Arrival’?