What We All Long For is a multi- layered narrative that combines the stories and experiences from the perspective of four friends, whom all share a common history of being second generation immigrants. Although from different ethnic and national backgrounds the four friends, Tuyen, Carla, Jackie and Oku, have a deeply rooted bond in their inability to identify as solely Canadian, and simultaneously unable to identify with their own diverse family heritage.

This was similar to the novel Obasan that we read at the beginning of the year. Obasan also deals with the hardships of second generation immigrants may face, particularity the inability to identity completely as Canadian. However, Obasan also includes many vantage points to build sympathy towards the main character, Naomi , that Brand does not include in her novel. Empathy is most notably constructed in Obasan through the narrative that it is told through the eyes of a child. Brand’s construction focused almost entirely on the perspective of young adults struggling to find their identity. While I do not deny that Tuyen, Carla, Jackie and Oku struggle with their identity, feeling empathy towards an innocent child is significantly easier in this case. In fact, Tuyen often comes across as whiny and ungrateful for other aspects of her life- not just her identity. Through this I found myself lacking compassion for Tuyen as well as the other characters, whereas I felt deep sorrow for the young child who was lost in the way of finding her identity.

While I acknowledge the approach Brand took by purposefully constructing her characters in such a way as to make it difficult to feel compassion for them, I feel as if the approach in Obsasan was significantly more effective in conveying a sense of empathy.