Frank Hurley's Unexpected Discovery

Discovery is a multifaceted concept which for some dictates their entire life. The documentary Frank Hurley: The Man Who Made History by Simon Nasht and the graphic novel The Arrival by Shaun Tan are both examples of this. The journey is the means for a seeker to find what he wants whilst discovering what he needs to make his way.

Commencing on a physical journey can result in as unexpected discovery. In Simon Nasht’s documentary, Frank Hurley embarks on a journey to the south, where he finds his life’s calling. During his expedition he fell in love with nature, and photography; “I knew I’d found my real work.” As he states this, images of Macquarie Island and its animals are shown. Archival footage juxtaposed with present day footage is used in conjunction with slow, eerie non-diegetic music to demonstrate the wonder and beauty of what Hurley saw and fell in love with. …show more content…
His journey of many days is depicted by a double spread consisting of sixty individual framed images of clouds in sepia and grayscale with a lack of a reading pattern to demonstrate the time taken to this new land and the unpredictability involved. Once he reaches his destination he is forced through the immigration line and left to fend for himself. By framing the sequential images in the graphic novel in conjunction with the use of sepia and black and white, as well as, the absence of written or spoken text, Tan has created an atmosphere of nostalgia and worry, which demands that man discover his surroundings, and also himself, without support or guidance. In both Frank’s and the protagonist’s case, their journey leads to an unexpected discovery, however in The Arrival the protagonist needed to embark on a journey to achieve what he desired, the chance for his family to start over in a safer environment, whereas Hurley’s journey leads to a discovery of what he desires from