In Amy Tan’s story, the importance of environment is strongly connected to national influences. One of the main ways that Waverly is conditioned is through being raised in the United States, whereas her mother had been raised in China and immigrated as an adult. As she grows up, Waverly increasingly sees the distinctions between her parents and herself, and then gradually comes to understand the ways in which she resembles her mother. The game of chess is symbolic of the vast gap that the girl perceives and how it begins to close. Although Lindo initially objects to her daughter playing what she perceives as an American game, she invests considerable energy in pushing Waverly to succeed.

Waverly becomes dedicated to her goal of succeeding on her own terms, and sees this commitment as having developed out of her Americanized outlook—up to a certain point. She is self-conscious about what she understands as her mother’s Chinese manner of involvement in her competitions. As the girl progresses in turning chess into her own game, she understands her approach as consistent with the American environment. The emphasis on control and independent strategizing, however, is also a key element of her mother’s Chinese outlook.