20100918_3500_1D3-60 Porritt Park - Christchurch earthquake The bridge at the north end of Porritt Park, Avondale. #402
This thesis investigates the relationship between the apocalyptic narrative and the postmodern novel. It explores and builds on Patricia Waugh‟s hypothesis in Practising Postmodernism: Reading Modernism (1992) which suggests that that the postmodern is characterised by an apocalyptic sense of crisis, and argues that there is in fact a strong relationship between the apocalyptic and the postmodern. It does so through an exploration of apocalyptic narratives and themes in five postmodern novels. It also draws on additional supporting material which includes literary and cultural theory and criticism, as well as historical theory. In using the novel as a medium through which to explore apocalyptic narratives, this thesis both assumes and affirms the novel‟s importance as a cultural artefact which reflects the concerns of the age in which it is written. I suggest that each of the novels discussed in this thesis demonstrates the close relationship between the apocalyptic and the postmodern through society‟s concern over the direction of history, the validity of meta-narratives, and other cultural phenomenon, such as war, the development of nuclear weaponry, and terrorism. Although the scope of this thesis is largely confined to the historical-cultural epoch known as postmodernity, it also draws on literature and cultural criticism from earlier periods so as to provide a more comprehensive framework for investigating apocalyptic ideas and their importance inside the postmodern novel. A number of modernist writers are therefore referred to or quoted throughout this thesis, as are other important thinkers from preceding periods whose ideas are especially pertinent. The present thesis was researched and written between March 2010 and August 2011 and is dedicated to all of those people who lost their lives in the apocalyptic events of the February 22nd Christchurch earthquake.
People looking into the Red Zone through viewing windows at the east end of Re:Start. Flowers has been threaded through the cordon fence.
Built 1858-1865. This is just one end of what was once a very large building. Most of the rest has fallen.
Facade of the Repertory Theatre ended on the ground following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch on Saturday 4-9-2010.
Facade of the Repertory Theatre ended on the ground following the magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Christchurch on Saturday 4-9-2010.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "The Lyttelton road tunnel closed after they found cracks after this morning's aftershocks, seen from the Heathcote valley end".
A photograph of a band playing to a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a band playing to a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
A photograph of a band playing to a crowd of students outside the UCSA building during the 2008 end-of-year Tea Party event.
Photo taken Jan 2011 as the church is demolished. The next day the stain glass window at the far end was removed and saved.
Nearly two weeks after the 7.1 earthquake, and a week after demolition started, this is the end of The Valley Inn in Heathcote.
The organisers of Tonga's Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Fund hope to raise one million dollars by the end of tommorrow's two hour Radiothon which finishes at 1pm.
The Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission hearing into the collapse of the Canterbury Television Building has ended for the week after four days of compelling evidence.
A photograph captioned, "So we're just sitting here not knowing. And okay, sooner or later it will come to an end, eventually it has to. It's the not knowing that kills you".
Looking into the Red Zone from the viewing windows at the east end of Re:Start mall. The Wespac and Crossing building can be seen in the background.
Looking into the Red Zone through an observation window at the east end of Re:Start mall. Inside is a worker, and ongoing demolition work being carried out.
Over 6.3 million waste tyres are produced annually in New Zealand (Tyrewise, 2021), leading to socioeconomic and environmental concerns. The 2010-11 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence inflicted extensive damage to ~6,000 residential buildings, highlighting the need to improve the seismic resilience of the residential housing sector. A cost-effective and sustainable eco-rubber geotechnical seismic isolation (ERGSI) foundation system for new low-rise buildings was developed by the authors. The ERGSI system integrates a horizontal geotechnical seismic isolation (GSI) layer i.e., a deformable seismic energy dissipative filter made of granulated tyre rubber (GTR) and gravel (G) – and a flexible rubberised concrete raft footing. Geotechnical experimental and numerical investigations demonstrated the effectiveness of the ERGSI system in reducing the seismic demand at the foundation level (i.e., reduced peak ground acceleration) (Hernandez et al., 2019; Tasalloti et al., 2021). However, it is essential to ensure that the ERGSI system has minimal leaching attributes and does not result in long-term negative impacts on the environment.
A close up of the peaked roof of Christ Church Cathedral. The capping stones of the gable end have been damaged. Steel reinforcing wire can be seen protruding from the stone.
Among those businesses most affected by the end of the welfare scheme are cafes, restaurants and bars. 100 such businesses have closed in the central city alone because of the earthquake.
A close up of the peaked roof of Christ Church Cathedral. The capping stones of the gable end have been damaged. Steel reinforcing wire can be seen protruding from the stone.
The end gable of the Library Chambers has crumbled, and the area has been cordoned off with fencing and cones. In the background is the new Christchurch City Council's Civic Offices.
Looked like a nice stereo they had.
A central-Christchurch property owner says attempts by insurance companies to limit the amount of money they end up paying out for earthquake damage, is just part of doing business.
A view down Worcester Boulevard. Steel bracing against Our City O-Tautahi can be seen. The Cathedral can be seen at the end of the street and the Clarendon Tower on the right.
Photograph captioned by Fairfax, "Canterbury A&P show president John Grigg's Hororata farm was badly damaged in the earthquake. The end of his grandmother's 1970 Holden Premier".
A photograph of the fence surrounding the western end of the UCSA Events Centre. The events centre was built in the UCSA car park on Ilam Road.
Nearing the end of demolition of the Westend Jewellers site on the corner of Worcester and Manchester Streets, Christchurch. Badly damaged in the September 4th earthquake.
One Month after the Christchurch Earthquake. This is in Kaiapoi at the north end of Christchurch. A view down the walkway next to the river Twitter | Facebook |
Liquefaction and buckled tarmac on a residential street in North New Brighton. The photographer comments, "In the February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch the kerb at the end of my road was pushed from both ends. This caused it to move away from the grass verge and push itself under the tarmac. The tarmac would normally have been 3 inches below the top of the kerb. Between the kerb and the grass can be seen the colour of the liquefaction that spewed out from the ground. The tarmac in the area seemed to flow downhill".