Amy Tan's writing was significantly impacted by the complexity of her family life, especially her Chinese-American heritage and the generational cultural divide. Her relationship with her mother, an immigrant with a complex past, made Tan attuned to themes of identity and communication. This complexity is evident in her novels, such as "The Joy Luck Club," where familial bonds, cultural expectations, and mother-daughter relationships take center stage. The tension between her Chinese roots and American upbringing inspired her exploration of memory and belonging.