Analysis of Shaun Tan’s ‘The Lost Thing’

Visual Text

Symbol Shape Size Colour Object Position

Character Analysis –

The city workers: boring colours, dull colours. Gloomy, mysterious, dark colours. Their facial expressions looked sad and gloomy. All dressed the same. They were like robots. They were repetitive. They all walked the same path, in a line. Black bowler hat. Normal suit – black blazer and white undershirt with a black tie. Some were wearing long trenchcoats that went down to their ankles. They were wearing one eyed spectacles. The colours were black and greyish. The whole book – all the pictures – had an overall antique look to it in the sense that the colours looked faded and aged. The office workers looked like they had old, aged skin too.

Buildings: tall, rectangular, all the same size. They were so tall they covered up the skyline. The edges were very sharp. They had a lot of posters and windows on them. The FBI or monsters were on the posters. A lot of pipes with steam coming out of them – reminds readers of steampunk style, as the world in ‘The Lost Thing’ appears to be powered by steam-powered machines. Makes readers think of industrial times/revolution.

The workers in the picture are dressed in formal, black and white suits, just as office workers often dress in modern industrialized societies. In addition, all of the people in the picture are dressed exactly the same, indicating that in the world of ‘The Lost Thing,’ there is great pressure to conform to the normal expectations of a hardworking society. This highly standardized, conformist aspect of the world is also clearly demonstrated by the fact that all the workers walk along exactly the same path, like they are robots, mindlessly following the rules of the society.

WHY???? What is Shaun Tan’s message ?????

Society is crumbling Society is losing its individuality – the lost thing represents individuality in the world!!! The lost thing represents creativity If the world stops trying to improve/progress/continue to industrialise the world, society

could be improved, and the planet would benefit. Working is all people do in the world of the lost thing Family – Shaun’s family have family time… but they don’t show much interest in Shaun – all

doing their own thing, and don’t notice or care about the lost thing

Time is carefully controlled perhaps in the world Boarding school??? Shaun and Pete recently graduated? The lost things were lost kids??

Brainstorm:

Shaun Tan:

Portrays Depicts Illustrates Demonstrates Represents Presents Explores

Society Working society Industrialised society Conformist society A society with many rules An oppressive society A repressive society A society where leisure, creativity, individuality and uniqueness is not allowed (repressed) Modern world But Tan’s world is a creative representation/portrayal of our real world Steam machines (trams), pipes, factories, tall buildings (like skyscrapers), road signs, suits

worn by the workers (like real life suits) Unreal features: graphic illustration/cartoon portrayal of real life modern, industrialised

society. Exaggerated objects – buildings, office workers, number of trams, the wall – very high. Colours have also been exaggerated – extremely dull: brown, grey, urban landscape – very

dull, gloom colours.

The Lost Thing and Shaun and Pete

1. Colour

2. Position

3. Size

4. Shape

5. Object

6. Symbol

Picture Analysis:

The rooves of the houses are all the same colour – maroon The houses are exactly the same size and shape and are arranged in a symmetrical, orderly

fashion, in rows. There are countless houses in the space surrounding the house on which Shaun and his

friend Pete and the Lost Thing are perched. The uniform positioning, colour, size and shape of the houses indicates that the society is

highly controlled in the sense that individuality is not evident. This can be inferred (assumed) by the fact that no house is different from any other. The homogeneity of the houses suggests that the society is ruled by many laws and restrictions.

In the world surrounding Shaun and his friends, there is no sign of life: no people, no animals and no plants, and just one car which looks like a street sweeper or other kind of machine. This empty streetscape suggests that the society is lonely for its inhabitants who must be either living their lives indoors, or perhaps working in the many factories and other commercial buildings in the city.