The novel starts in the seventies with Naomi a teacher in .
Northern Alberta finding out that her uncle has died. When Naomi returns .
home to console her Aunt Obasan, she begins to relive the difficulties of .
her life. She recounts the struggle against the government and .
themselves while trying to stay in Vancouver. Naomi is very small at the .
time of the war and did not really fully understand what was happening to .
her race. The novel recounts the struggle of Naomi's Aunt Emily to .
ensure that her family would be together in whatever place they were sent .
to. Aunt Emily wanted to head east to Toronto, but was unable to get the .
documentation for the entire family which included her sister children, .
who she was taking care of. The novel discuses the camps that the .
Japanese families were sent to in Hastings Park during the war. It .
described the treatment the families received while there, including the .
lack of food and the smell of manure. Naomi during this time was being .
sexually molested by her next door neighbor and did not tell anybody .
about this. Naomi seems resentful during the novel, as she comes across .
as a quiet little girl, who does not seem to interact with many people. .
Aunt Emily finally finds a place in Slocan for the family to go live, but .
just before they leave finds out her and her immediate family could go to .
Toronto. This leaves Aunt Emily going to Toronto and everybody else .
moving to Toronto. In the end almost everybody ends up dying.
The novel had many strengths and weaknesses. One strength that .
really got to me is the great detail in how the Japanese were treated, .
though they were Canadian citizens. Obasan also taught me a lot about .
the Japanese culture and background. I enjoyed learning that it was .
custom to take a bath with your family when you were younger. I also .
learned that the government took away the vehicles of the Japanese and .
auctioned them off, which really shocked me.