From Silence to Recognition: A Corpus-Based Study of Evolving Male Characters in Amy Tan’s Novel

Abstract This study explores the changing portrayal of male characters in the novels of Amy Tan, a celebrated Chinese American author. While Tan’s fiction has received extensive scholarly attention, especially concerning cultural identity and diaspora, there is relatively little systematic research on gender dynamics. Using a corpus of six major novels (1989–2013), the study employs LIWC-22 and #LancsBox to analyse the frequency, emotional tone, and discursive functions associated with male characters. The quantitative results indicate a clear diachronic change: over the six novels, male characters become more prominent in the text, display less negative and more balanced emotional tones. Through qualitative analysis, this research further demonstrates that early depictions of male characters tend to be emotionally distant and narratively marginal, whereas later works portray them with increasing psychological depth and relational agency. More broadly, Tan’s narrative development reflects a wider feminist shift: from asymmetric memory sharing towards intersubjective recognition. By combining corpus-based analysis with close textual reading, the study enriches the understanding of Tan’s work.