This paper examines how Amy Tan's life has been a major inspiration for her stories, many of which were based on real events
in her life. It looks at how Tan's novels pay homage to her Chinese heritage by depicting many of the
customs of the Chinese people and the clash of these with American customs, as well as the struggles between Chinese mothers and their American-born daughters and the ways that their
different upbringings have led to different values and beliefs.