Question

Difficulty: HardMinor Character Identification and Functions

In Khadija Abubakar Jalli's *The Life Changer*, during the General Studies (GNS) examination incident, what key structural function does the minor character Kola perform in relation to Salma's narrative arc?

  1. He acts as an unwitting accomplice whose compliance highlights Salma's tendency to compromise others to escape personal responsibility.Answer
  2. B
    He serves as an official disciplinary whistleblower who voluntarily reports examination malpractice syndicates to university authorities.
  3. C
    He functions as a covert campus security agent embedded in the hall to monitor student extortion schemes.
  4. D
    He acts as Salma's primary confidant whose financial distress compels her to seek assistance from Habib.

Answer

He acts as an unwitting accomplice whose compliance highlights Salma's tendency to compromise others to escape personal responsibility.
In *The Life Changer*, Kola's role in the GNS examination hall illustrates how Salma leverages others to survive her own unpreparedness. When caught by the invigilator, Salma does not protect Kola but instead exposes him, demonstrating her willingness to compromise others to salvage her situation. Kola thus functions as an unwitting accomplice whose plight highlights Salma's moral flaws.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the minor character Kola within the plot context of *The Life Changer*.
Kola is the male student sitting near Salma during the GNS examination whom Salma pressures into sharing answers.
Establishing the character's identity is necessary to analyze their narrative function.
2
Analyze Kola's actions and the immediate outcome of the examination hall incident.
Kola passes a cheat sheet to Salma, but when the invigilator catches Salma, she immediately exposes Kola as the author of the note, causing both to face the disciplinary committee.
Examining character interactions clarifies how their actions drive plot development and thematic characterization.
3
Determine Kola's structural function in relation to the protagonist's development.
Kola's involvement serves to reveal Salma's lack of integrity and her willingness to compromise peers for her own benefit, directly precipitating her expulsion.
Minor characters often function to illuminate major characters' moral flaws or advance crucial plot consequences.

Key Concept

Minor Character Functions in Prose Narrative
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