All the things we never said through the lens of narrative empathy

The study examines Yasmin Rahman's young adult novel, All The Things We Never Said, from the perspective of narrative empathy. The work centres around the survival challenges faced by three young individuals: Cara, Olivia, and Mahreen. Cara is rendered immobile as a result of her father's death in a tragic incident, and thereafter manifests symptoms indicative of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Olivia is compelled to conceal her mother’s lover's act of abuse in order to ensure her own survival, while Mahreen struggles with the challenges posed by anxiety and depression. The story closes with their relationship progressing from an initial endeavour to assist one another in dying to a strong friendship that promotes reciprocal healing. The novel's narrative strategies were examined within the framework of narrative empathy theory to understand how they evoke empathic responses. The analysis focuses on the point of view, embodied narration, and representation of empathy in the novel.