Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Haley Scholars (Group 2) Challenges reading short stories

[Haley Reading Groups Spring 2022]

This semester, we read five stories -- "The Finkelstein 5," "The Era," "Zimmer Land," "Friday Black," "In Retail" -- by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah from his collection Friday Black

1. In a sentence, which story did you most enjoy and why? 

2. What did you find most challenging about reading the stories -- the subject matter, understanding what was happening in the stories, the length of the stories, finding the time to read with your busy schedule, something else?  Let us know. We're interested in getting a sense of what challenges you encountered as readers.

52 comments:

Shakyiah C said...

I enjoyed "The Finkelstein 5" the most because of how it was an unexpected start when opening the book.

The most challenging about reading the stories was the mixture of the length of the stories and finding time to read the book. It was easier to read the stories when they were shorter because I was able to read the book when I had free time between my schedule and when I gave myself a break.

Justin Burns said...

1. It's a hard pick between "Friday Black" & "In Retail", but by far my most favorite is In Retail due to its realism of the retail labor environment.

2. As a reader and student, I found it challenging to juggle the plot of our stories along with school work at the start. As time went on, I found it relieving to read our stories and take my mind off of school work! I think these stories displayed important matters that were much needed to hear.

Udochukwu Chikere said...

1. The story I engaged with the most would have to be "In Retail". Simply because it was the easiest to understand and relate to. And it showed the harsh truth of working in retail, it's a job that depletes all your energy and motivation.

2. Some of the challenges I faced was truly understanding the readings. Some works were really heavy and I sometimes worried if I was fully taking away the intended key message being conveyed. Completing the work on time was sometimes a struggle and tedious. Workload loads from other classes often overlapped causing more stress than normal. Other than that the stores were a good read and an eye-opener.
- Udochukwu Chikere

Taylor Corbin said...

Taylor Corbin

1. I think Friday Black was my favorite because how just how real and honest it was. While reading it I was like I could see the happen in our society.

2. What was most challenging about reading the stories was finding the time to read with my busy schedule. I have no easy classes this semester and I have a Job so it was hard because if I did have a little free time I didn't want to send it reading more things after I just read and study for hours.

Cidney C. said...

1. The story I enjoyed the most was Zimmer land because even though the story was pretty wild, I can kind of see some parts of it being implemented in today's society.
2. The most challenging part of reading these stories was without a doubt the subject matter. Some of the stories seemed so realistic that it took a lot of mental strength to continue reading, such as "The Finkelstein 5."

Jordan Brawley said...

The story I enjoyed the "In Retail" because I found it to have some truth behind this story and I could relate to this story.

The most challenging part of reading these stories was finding the time to read the stories with my busy schedule. I had lots of difficult classes this semester that required a lot of my time, especially the online ones. In addition, every time I had to read I had an essay due but I got through it.

Anijah Barringer said...

Out of the stories we read, the one I found interesting was “Friday Black.” Just the details in the story caught me off guard and really grabbed my attention. As well as how the story could connect with actual Black Friday events today.

What I found most challenging about reading the stories was how they were always changing. It is like 5 different stories in one book. I think books like this are different and fun to read but compared to a story with a firm plot, it is easier to follow along.

Maya Chapman said...

The story I enjoyed the most was "The Finkelstein 5." This story was super interesting to me and I remember it making me the angriest out of all the stories

What I found most challenging was reading the stories. The subject matter in these stories was a lot to handle.

Raven DeWalt said...

1. The story that I enjoyed the most was "Finkelstein 5." This story just reminds me of how some things in history still repeat themselves.

2. The thing I found most challenging about reading this story and the others is being able to go deeper and see what is being said behind the words. When I say this, I mean going beyond the page and thinking outside the box.

Shaquerria Cole said...

1) The story I like the most was the "Finkelstein 5" because even though it wasn't a "good" story it reflected how the world is today.
2) One thing I found the most challenging about reading the stories was really analyzing them and finding the deeper meaning.

Willie Davis said...

1) The story I enjoyed reading was the Finkelstein 5 because I liked how it reflects on
how black people can be treated in a certain situation and should give us warning to be cautious at all times.

2) The most challenging about reading the stories is understanding each story’s theme and why would the author write about it.

Sheena C. said...

1) The most interesting story would have to be “The Era” since it was a piece that identified the popular idea of being socially rejected and using substances to make you have a sense of happiness or calmness.

2) The most challenging thing was probably understanding the literary techniques. At this point in college I have been conditioned to reading philosophical texts or scientific books. In which they tell you like it is in a confusing yet factual way. Unlike in fiction that is meant for imagination and creativity where I definitely lacked in that department while reading this.
- Sheena

Harrison B. said...

I found "Friday Black" the most enjoyable because of the dramatics of a common event that we all know. I think this story shows how Black Friday can look to an outsider, and how crazy people get over these deals.

I think it was hard to incorporate the readings into my schedule because it seemed like the assignments came by so fast. The assignments were easy, but the reading took the most time. Having to do the readings in 2-3 days was a little stressful, but it got done.

Marlon C. said...

1. The story that I really enjoyed was the retail one because it was so easy to read and I was so interested in it. I think it was so true and I really related to it.

2. The most challenging thing about reading all the stories were time. I would always procrastinate and put it off to the last minute. It was definitely harder whenever the stories were longer than others.

Charles R said...

I enjoyed reading the Finkelstein 5 and Zimmer Land story, I was able to relate to characters but also, they were relevant with the recent unrest and social injustice across the U.S for years
The benefit of reading are the stories, the imagination of the author that we had the chance to read and enjoy. All the stories were unique, from Retail to the Era, the stories intriguing and easy to read.

Mysaiah Chambers said...

I feel like the story that stood out to me the most was "Friday Black", because of the comparison between real life.
I think the most challenging thing for me was finding time to read because of my hectic schedule, but I made it through and am glad about the outcome.

Saniya Buck said...

1. The story that I enjoyed the most was " the Finkelstein 5". I enjoyed this the most because it was very interesting and it related to real-world situations.

2. what I found most challenging when reading the stories it how they related to real-life situations and sometimes understanding what they meant in the stories and how it affected their lives then and how it reflects now.

Zaria Hankins said...

The story that I most enjoyed was “in retail” because I thought the way it was written made it intriguing, and it wasn’t the darkest story, but it still told an important message that can be related back to many people's daily lives in the real world.

I think that having the ability to read these stories that have such real and raw subject matter by myself then reading comments written by peers on the same stories was the main benefit because it was interesting to see the different interpretations and feelings that people can have about the same body of work. I think the author's way of writing reveals the reality behind the sometimes “dramatic” plots, and it’s interesting to see how other people perceive these stories similarly or differently than I do.

Chelsea Cooper said...

Zimmer Land was the most enjoyable story for me, strictly because it was confusing. It gave me many different emotions I couldn't explain. The main benefit of the readings was a way to explore new authors. I honestly never thought to read any kind of these stories. But, it was a great way to see the world through the views of the writer.

-Chelsea Cooper

Latavia Bryant said...

The story I enjoyed the most would have to be "In Retail" because I related to it so much.

What I found most challenging about the stories was the time to actually sit down and read them well enough to comprehend what I read.

Jordan L Allen said...

1. The "Black Friday" chapter would have to be the most interesting to me because of the graphics describing retail stores during shopping frenzies.

2. Fully understanding the descriptions of the stories was one of the hardest tasks to due since some are in the realm of fiction.

Kelan Branch said...

1. I enjoyed reading Friday Black because the events in the story really surprised me and are relatable to real life.

2. I would say having to find the time to read the book. While I enjoy reading, I barely get any free time because of my schedule and sometimes I would forget I have to read it for assignments until I receive an email.

Alexis D said...

I found them all interesting but the one that stood out is the Black Friday story. I saw something like that at stores. The part that was challenging was keeping up with all the stories just because there’s so many in one book.

Itangishatse Bujeni said...

Of all the short stories in this collection my favorite would have to be “Zimmer Land”, I feel as if many people may read this story and view it as far from reality, a real fairytale, but I think it was just a slightly dramatic telling of something very real, there is nothing the world will not monetize off of, it was a powerful yet subtle message.

I think the most difficult aspect of these stories was the dark content, it was hard to know what to do with it. The endings didn’t really offer much light either, they sort of leave you in that darkness; “In Retail” attempts to offer coping mechanisms, or ways to survive but it’s sad that those methods are necessary.

Tomia Brown said...

The story I enjoyed the most was Black Friday because of

Shelbe D said...

Zimmer Land was the most enjoyable story for me, strictly because it was confusing. It gave me many different emotions I couldn't explain. The main benefit of the readings was a way to explore new authors. I honestly never thought to read any kind of these stories. But, it was a great way to see the world through the views of the writer.

Airika Carr said...

The story I enjoyed the most was "Black Friday" just due to actually working black Fridays and knowing how people really act during that time just to get items cheap.
What I found most challenging would have to be having to find time to stand read each story because they were long but they were worth the read. Also why the author writes most of the story so aggressive and violent.

Muhammed Aboderin said...

1. I enjoyed "In Retail" because I related to it more than any of the other stories.

2. I did not find anything challenging when reading the stories, I personally liked all of the stories and read them again to understand what was really going on.

Tomia Brown said...

1.) The story I enjoyed the most was Black Friday because of how interesting the story line played out
2.) What I found most challenging about the reading was how relatable some of the stories were. The detailed stories made it some times hard to read some of the passages.

Starr Crump said...

The story I liked the most was "Retail" because it was easy to relate to even though it was an exaggerated way of explaining the pain of retail.

It was nice to find more black authors and I enjoy reading anyway as a hobby. The most difficult thing for me was just remembering definitely during finals/moving time, but it was still ok to manage.
-Starr C

Naomi B. said...

"In Retail" was my favorite because it was the most interesting.
I would say the most challenging thing was finding the time to read but one of my favorite things about these stories was how I was able to relate them back to real life scenarios even though these where fiction stories. This made reading the stories 10x more enjoyable. -Naomi B

Amy descollines said...

My favorite story would probably be retail.

The most challenging part for me would have to be really zooming into the story and understanding what the message the author was trying to convey.

Kambria Childress said...

The story "In Retail" caught my attention the most. Mostly because it was the easiest to read and understand.

The combination of the length of the stories and finding time to read the book was the most difficult aspect of reading the stories.

-Kambria C.

Marina B. said...

I enjoyed Zimmer Land because of the complexity of the story but also how much more simple it was to understand. I like the storyline of it.

Due to the abstractness of the stories, it made it complicated to understand what was happening. They were very different from our normal everyday life so comprehending them was a challenge.

Elizabeth Alao said...

The story I enjoyed the most would have to be “In Retail” because I felt like that was the most relatable. It really connected to me because it’s something I have personally experienced, and those are the type of stories that are really able to reach me.

The most challenging part of reading the stories are finding ways to depict the message underneath and to convey what the authors are trying to say to the readers.

Erin Myers said...

Layla Brooks said...
I enjoyed the Zimmerland because it was so interesting about how the customers and workers acted. The most difficult thing about reading these stories is that it's not a normal story and has a lot of symbolism in it. So you have to try to interpret what the message is from the story and how you feel even though you are confused.

April 28, 2022 at 3:06 PM
(Originally posted to https://www.culturalfront.org/2022/04/haley-scholars-group-3-benefit-of.html)

Erin Myers said...

Arieona B. said...
The story I enjoyed the most was “The Era” because it was something different than what I am used to reading.

What I found most challenging was sometimes what was happening in the stories. I sometimes had to go back and reread to fully understand the story line.

-Arieona B.
April 29, 2022 at 2:08 PM
(Originally posted to https://www.culturalfront.org/2022/04/haley-scholars-group-3-benefit-of.html)

Jasmine D said...

Out of all of the stories we have read during this semester, the one I found the most interesting was the “Friday Black” story. The details in the story alone caught me off guard and was really attention grabbing. And I liked how the story was closely connected with what an actual Black Friday event is pictured like today.

What I found most challenging about reading the stories was how they had their own unique story. It is like 5 different stories in one book. I think books like this are different and fun to read but compared to a story with a firm plot, it is easier to follow along. I also like it because i find it hard to stay engaged with a book with one story but the books with multiple makes it easier and more interesting because there multiple events and situations.

Erin Myers said...

Allana B.:

1. This was kind of a hard decision for me but the story that I ultimately enjoyed the most was the retail story because I can relate to it the most having worked in retail for multiple years.
2. The thing that I found most challenging was kind of the length of the stories and having to understand and comprehend them enough to answer questions about them I feel as though it was kind of hard to focus on reading the stories knowing how much outside work I had to do but at the same time all of the stories were very interesting and had their own lessons that we were able to learn.

Erin Myers said...

Chanel B.:

1. My favorite story to read about was on retail reason I say this is because it's so much relatable to me.
2. The most challenging thing reading about this story is plots and how the stories transition. It was challenging getting a grip to what was happening I had to keep rereading it over again, it took me a while, but I ended up understanding what was going on in the book.

Anonymous said...

I would have to say the story I enjoyed the most was “Friday Black” because of the parallels of it and our Black Friday. The chaos of the story was realistic to what Black Friday has become and I really appreciated that.

The most challenging part of reading the stories would probably have to be fitting the time to do so in my busy schedule. It could become overwhelming and was just something else I had to do. Regardless of this, I did enjoy all of the readings!
- Camille Brown

Jordan Barnes said...

1) The story I enjoyed was the Finkelstein 5 because I like how black people were getting treated in a certain way.

2) The most challenge part about reading the stories is reading and understanding what did i just read

Deborah Adekale said...

1. The most interesting story to me was “Friday Black” because of the fact that it was something that I could relate to the world we live in today. Other stories related too but I just feel like Friday Black told how peoples character really are when it comes down to it.

2. The most challenging part was finding time to be able to do the readings and assignments with so many assignments for my other classes all due the same time. Also not getting yo invested in the readings.

— Deborah Adekale

Aaron Crawford said...

1. I enjoyed "Friday Black" the most due to how much it hit home and how something like that could happen in real life.

2. The hardest part was working these readings into my schedule. Since this is my first year I'm still trying to get acclimated to college and how it works, so my scheduling was pretty hectic between studying, class, working, these readings and time to myself.

Erin Myers said...

Alex C.:

1. The story I enjoyed reading was "In Retail" because I felt that there was a bit of truth behind this story. I was able to see some of the things that happened in the story possibly happening in real life.

2. The challenging part about reading the stories was the amount of time I had in my schedule to read it. The stories were sort of long and with my busy schedule it was hard to find time to read it. I found myself reading before I would sleep, and it turned out to work for me!!

Erin Myers said...

Corey A.:

1. I found "Finkelstein 5" the most interesting because of how it is related to history and I just am really interested in the past.
2. The most challenging thing for me with this story is finding time to read and actually staying focused and on track with the story.

Erin Myers said...

Thiane D.:

1. My favorite story was the Friday Black story. I loved this story because it showed the true history of Black Friday, and the inhumane concept behind it.
2. The most challenging about reading these type of stories is how much it related to our society now. I love how much the author is writing about whats going on in our society and afraid to write about it.

Erin Myers said...

Ruth B.:

The story that I most enjoyed was Friday Black and In Retail because they both showed a well representation of the real-world and problems of danger and emotions in retail places which are very realistic

What I found the most challenging about reading the stories was understanding what was happening in the stories at times because of the way that the author wrote was very different from any other author I’ve read from. Also, remembering to read was challenging when it got closer to finals.

Damilola Adebisi said...

Damilola Adebisi
The story I most enjoyed is Black Friday. I liked the imagery it showed throughout the story. It made it seem like the reader can imagine exactly what was happening in the story.

What I found most challenging this semester was understanding the story. Some stories were too complex it was a little difficult with being able to follow the plot. I had to read certain stories over and over just to understand them.

Chidi Anyamele said...

1.) The story that I enjoyed the most was "Finkelstein 5." It reminds me how history really can repeat itself over and over.
2.)The most challenging about reading the story is understanding each story’s theme and what was the author's mentality behind writing it.

Erin Myers said...

Abdixakin A.:

1. In retail was definitely my favorite out of all the stories.
2. The most challenging thing about the book is trying to retain all of the information at once. A lot of events occur in the span of the short stories and sometimes I have to look back to remember key details.

Erin Myers said...

Tyler B.:

I think Friday Black overall was my favorite was my favorite just because the aspects of the story caught my attention and how these events could become reality on any given black friday to the point people are threatening each other's lives
a challenging part of the semester was managing time to read the longer stories with the increased workload of college along with some of the subject matters were more raw