Complex urban identities : an investigation into theeveryday lived realities of cities as reflected inselected postmodern texts

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The concept of the city has evolved over time with generations of city dwellers. Therapid advance of technology has promoted globalisation, which has brought aboutincreased familiarity with diverse cultures, but has also exposed issues ofmarginalisation among communities in cities.In order to approach a more comprehensive understanding of the complexity of the'open postmodern view of the city it is essential to consider the relevant literaturethat grapples with issues of human identity and appropriation in the city.This dissertation examines narrative perspectives in the literary works of fourpostmodern writers: Jonathan Safran Foer, Neil Gaiman, China Miéville, and LaurenBeukes. References to underlying philosophical viewpoints, various perceptions, both'real and fictional, were incorporated in the discussion.Close attention is paid to the correlation between the novel and the city, and to whatextent the city itself can be viewed as a narrative – since, within a postmodernapproach, fictional narratives may form discourses that represent, and in a fashionconstitute, the city, while subjects at the same time form themselves in terms of theirenvironment. Fiction becomes an invaluable tool for exploring the cityscape andcommenting on contemporary issues.In conclusion, the urbanised human subject may be said to play a vital role inestablishing the concept of the city, both in 'real culture and in fictional narrative.The representation of the contemporary South African urban milieu in the discussedliterature serves to confirm the relevance of local as well as global influences. Tojustify multiple perspectives on the city consequently means to grant each individualviewpoint validity.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University