Comment on a profile

Monde Mdodanas profile is written by Nonkie and is found on the blog, "First year blood?" It is well written as it keeps the reader’s attention. The student chosen is alternative and different. He dresses like a Rastafarian, but is an English intellectual. His appearance is in contrast to his personality although this misconception may lead to one immediately wrongfully categorising him. Monde seems to not care what others think and this is inspirational in a materialistic society. Monde has had to overcome interacting with many people on daily basis, which is difficult for someone who is anti-social and he has had to neglect his writing to a certain extent, to focus on his studies. The choice of person chosen for the profile eludes one to think that Nonkie is interested by all walks of life, the crowds she socializes with must be filled with many different characters and the crowds she does not hang out with interest her. She may come across judgmental but it is just her curiosity and not necessarily a mean streak. Nonkies writing is naturalistic in the sense that it is real, and one can easily relate to her angle of debate. She seems truly interested in her subject’s story and this adds that extra element of enjoyment to her writing.

I believe that Nonkie’s profile of Monde Mdodana embraces Todorov’s model of narrative because the story begins with an assumption, which can be seen as the initial equilibrium, the way Nonkie envisaged Monde to be. She then describes his appearance and that can be seen as the disruption as it is a direct contrast to the person that she eventually meets in person. Nonkie is surprised at how wrong she was about Monde as she gets to know more about him and this is the restoration of the equilibrium which leads to her writing about Monde’s personal identity which is the realization of the new equilibrium that is formed.