How Amy Tan’s family stories made her a storyteller

Summary

In this interview, Amy Tan discusses her new book, "Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir," which unexpectedly became a memoir as she explored her childhood and the influences that shaped her writing. She reflects on her parents, particularly her mother, and the complex, sometimes traumatic experiences that informed her imagination and empathy as a writer. Tan explains how real-life events and family secrets often resurface in her fiction, blurring the line between autobiography and storytelling. She shares the vulnerability and ambivalence of revealing personal history, describing the process as raw, spontaneous, and deeply connected to her identity as both a writer and a daughter.

Takeaways

• 😀 Amy Tan's new book, 'Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir,' explores the intersection of her childhood experiences and her writing process.
• 😀 The memoir was initially intended to be about the craft of writing, but it turned into a personal exploration of Tan's past.
• 😀 Tan's childhood experiences with her parents' secrets and lies, including the revelation that her parents were illegal immigrants, played a major role in shaping her writing.
• 😀 Tan's relationship with her mother, who was deeply impacted by her own traumatic past, stands out as the most vivid influence on her life and work.
• 😀 Amy Tan's mother often gave warnings based on her own past experiences, such as advising her not to let boys kiss her to avoid unwanted pregnancy or abortion.
• 😀 Writing the memoir helped Tan realize the almost symbiotic and complex relationship she had with her mother, which was central to her emotional and creative development.
• 😀 Tan emphasizes that all writers incorporate aspects of their real lives into their fiction, though she rejects the label of 'semi-autobiographical' for her novels.
• 😀 Despite writing about real people and events, Tan stresses that her mother and father were not fictionalized characters in her memoir but were integral to her personal journey as a writer.
• 😀 Tan’s exploration of her family's past includes unsettling discoveries, such as the possibility that her grandmother was a courtesan, and the revelation that her mother had been in jail.
• 😀 Tan expresses a complex relationship with the memoir’s public release, feeling ambivalent about exposing her private self and the potential misinterpretations of her story.
• 😀 The process of writing the memoir was spontaneous for Tan, and she admits to being uncomfortable with the rawness of the book's unedited nature.

Q & A

What was Amy Tan's initial intention when writing her memoir?

Amy Tan initially intended to write a book about writing, focusing on how her writer's mind works, including creativity and imagination. However, as she wrote, she began to realize that her childhood memories were integral to the narrative, leading her to create a memoir instead.

How did Amy Tan's discovery of her parents' past affect her?

Amy Tan discovered that her parents were illegal immigrants, and that her father wasn't as loving as she had believed. These revelations were traumatic for her, as she realized she had been lied to about her family history. This process of uncovering the past became a significant part of her memoir.

Why does Amy Tan describe her relationship with her mother as symbiotic?

Amy Tan describes her relationship with her mother as symbiotic because they were emotionally enmeshed, almost like twins. Their deep emotional connection, where they understood each other's feelings almost intuitively, contributed to her development as a writer, as it taught her to empathize with others.

How did Amy Tan's mother's past influence their relationship?

Amy Tan's mother’s past, particularly her traumatic experiences in China and her marriage to a sociopath, influenced their relationship. The mother’s warnings, like the fear of unwanted pregnancy, were rooted in her own past and shaped her interactions with Tan, even though she often tried to hide those memories.

In what way does Amy Tan's writing reflect her past?

Amy Tan's writing is deeply intertwined with her personal past. She often relives childhood experiences, such as witnessing her mother's suicide attempt, and integrates them into her fiction. These personal memories and traumas shape her stories, adding authenticity and emotional depth.

How does Amy Tan feel about her memoir being publicized?

Amy Tan feels ambivalent about her memoir being published. While she was spontaneous in writing it, she feels it's too raw and not fully edited, making her vulnerable to misinterpretation. She’s conflicted about sharing such a personal part of herself with the world.

Does Amy Tan consider her fiction to be autobiographical?

Amy Tan acknowledges that all fiction is somewhat autobiographical, as writers often draw from their own experiences, beliefs, and interactions with people. Even when writing about fictional or fantastical elements, such as ghosts, the stories are still influenced by real-life emotions and events.

What role does coincidence play in Amy Tan's writing process?

Amy Tan believes that coincidences play an important role in her writing process. She views them as clues that guide her toward important insights or realizations. Following these coincidences helps her discover deeper connections within her stories, sometimes leading to shocking revelations about her past.

How does Amy Tan differentiate between fiction and real life in her writing?

Amy Tan sees fiction as a realm where she can let go of self-consciousness and allow the past to rise more freely. While her personal history informs her fiction, she is able to shape those events into a more coherent narrative, often making them unfold more quickly or dramatically than they did in real life.

Why does Amy Tan feel both private and uncensored in her writing?

Amy Tan feels both private and uncensored in her writing because she has a complex relationship with sharing personal details. While she expresses herself openly in her work, revealing raw emotions and truths, she also maintains a desire for privacy, creating an internal contradiction about exposing herself in her memoir.