Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Haley Scholars (Group 4) Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's "In Retail"

[Haley Reading Groups Spring 2022] 

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's "In Retail" offers a story about the draining and apparent soul-crushing experience of working in a mall, in a clothing store.  

The narrator reveals that the job can seem so depressing that it could lead some people to harm themselves.  

What aspect of the story most interested you -- the experiences of the specific retail clerk, the overall dilemma of working in retail, the idea that some jobs are more fulfilling than others, or something else? Why? 

51 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the most interesting part of the story is the acceptance that retail is depressing or demoralizing. This stood out the most when the coworker told her that there’ll be another Lucy. It is kind of scary to see how desensitized they are to something as tragic as that.

-Dayevion M

Audriahna Macklin said...

The way that this story describes working in retail is so accurate. Some people think of working in retail as this happy job where we are happy to serve others. What makes retail so bad is how the customers talk to you just because you work retail. So the thing that stuck out to me was on the first page "I'm gonna Lucy if today does not move any faster". Which in the story they are referencing someone who took their own life.

-Audriahna Macklin

Jania M. said...

I think the most interesting part of the story is that acknowledge that working in retail would be difficult, and from experience it does get depressing. I believe that working in retail is a challenge because of all the things you'll have to deal with in a single day, the most important is dealing with other people's attitudes on a daily basis. - Jania M

Jarrod Rhodes said...

The most interesting part about that story is how working in a retail store could negatively affect your mental health. It funny to see how business advertise their workers enjoying their jobs and its benefits, but it seems to be the complete opposite to some.

Jarrod Rhodes

Valarie M said...

The interesting part about this story is the overall dilemma of working in retail. I say that because hearing someone say they work in retail might sound good but when you are actually put in that position retail isn't what it seems. What's more crazy is that people who work in retail don't speak about what goes on until they quit or get fired. - Valarie M.

cameron kellogg said...

The most interesting part of the story is that retail would be difficult place to work in. I think working in retail can be a challenge because of all the things you'll have to deal with daily. One of the main things being people and how rude most can be, so I can see it being pretty stressful.

Amir Madison said...

I think the most interesting part is that some jobs are more fulfilling than others simply because of the enviroment and the people. Working retail is not what it's made out to be in actuality. Being an employee that works in retail, you have to learn to deal with a lot of different personalities and you must learn to have a lot of patience.

Josiah Olden said...

The most interesting part about this story was how nobody is happy working in retail. Most retail stores will produce commercials showing how joyful and happy retail workers are. That may be true for some workers, but most workers are the exact opposite. It was interesting how the characters use a girl's name who took her own life to describe how dreadful it is to work at a retail store. Even though retail jobs are mentally draining, people tend to not quit their jobs or change retail stores because it is the only available option they have for work. This chapter speaks to how terrible retail jobs can be and how they can mentally destroy you.

Lauren M said...

The most interesting thing about this story is the desensitization of Lucy's situation. The woman became an adjective to describe a depressing job. It's crazy how so many different things have major impacts on one's mental health. It's also crazy that the workers have accepted this rather than trying to make things better
- Lauren Morgan

Sierrea McNiff said...

The most interesting thing about the story is the overall dilemma of working in retail. I used to work at JcPenny. I did love some aspects of my job but I did fear that I would never go further than working there. I did not want to be like my older co-workers who stayed at the job for years. I want to be more than an employee who makes $10.50 an hour.

Ryan Parham said...

I think the most interesting part of the story is the truth behind it. A lot of people don't realize how difficult retail work is until their in it. So by having a story that doesn't glamorize retail work is so interesting because most people don't do that.

Vashanti Reynolds said...

The thing that shocked me the most is the idea of working in retail as being demoralizing and depressing. I've spoken to multiple people who worked at stores such as Khol's and they say how horrible it is but don't go into much detail. Most of the time when thinking about jobs teens say no to fast food because from experience fast food can be horrible, but the horrible truths about the retail jobs are hidden to where most people don't know anything about it until they get into the job.

Alexis Price said...

The overall dilemma of working in retail is usually everyone having a bad experience because the costumers are usually rude for no reason. I think nowadays customers feel entitled and think they can be rude to workers just because the slogan " the customer is always right"

Destiny Moore said...

What I find interesting is how this story brings a message towards retail and the things that workers go through and I find it strange how retail places like to act like workers like what their doing even though that isn’t true reality.

-Destiny Moore

Paul Olubodun said...

The part that interested me the most was how people could just make light of a person committing suicide. I have seen things like this happen in real life and I just can't understand how people can be so carefree.

Kailiah W. said...

The aspect of the story that was interesting to me was when Lucy passed away in the mall and everyone in the mall went about their day regularly. This may have been satire regarding how desensitized the world is to death.

Kailiah W. said...

The aspect of the story that was interesting to me was when Lucy passed away in the mall and everyone in the mall went about their day regularly. This may have been satire regarding how desensitized the world is to death.

Makiah Lewis said...

The most interesting thing to me was how real the retail experience was described in this story. It showed the reality of it and the truth is always interesting.

-Makiah Lewis

Jalen Q. said...

The most interesting things is that some jobs are more fulfilling than others. You need of patience to be able to work in retail and that can eventually wear down your enjoyment. I don't know anyone that willingly wants to stay in retail so combining that with the people that you have to deal with can be really depressing.

Devin Perry said...

I feel that the most interesting part for me was the passing of Lucy. As a person who worked retail I understand personally how depressing work can be. But at the same time I didn't think work could be so bad that it could drive a person to death. It's overall pretty sad.

-Devin P

Amarie McCleary said...

The most interesting part of this story is the fact that working in retail is toxic and a mental burden. The workers are struggling to survive while working minimum wage to provide for their families/ themselves. But what's also interesting is that the author made this story into a lesson which is, not always will life or things be easy so go actively find happiness if you want/need it.

-amarie mccleary.

Brandon Wiles said...

The aspect of the story that stands out the most is how the main character talks about Lucy. They are thinking about Lucy throughout most of their shift and how she committed suicide. I found it rather sad that the only bit of happiness they had was from the older Spanish ladies who would come in to buy things. The fact that what Lucy did was so commonplace that even the main character was thinking about doing what Lucy did is saddening. The job shouldn't be so draining and stressful that people are often committing suicide. And when people do and it shouldn't be some kind of spectacle that everyone knows about and takes pictures and laughs.

Unknown said...

The most interesting aspect of this story is the boredom people who work retail have to go through. Many people don't see retail as a hard job but the long hours combined with the repetitive tasks can make working in retail a very unpleasant experience. It was also very confusing but also realistic of how people in some companies treat death. Sometime people will disregard it because of hoe desensitized they have become.

Ian Lindsey said...

I think the most interesting part of the story was the realism of working a retail job. I used to work in retail at Walmart and the way I was treated by customers was very undeserved, cruel, and it made me unmotivated. I am glad to read something that relates to my experiences and gives the perspective of how a retail worker can feel.

Jercura K. said...

The most interesting thing about the story is the realism of it. Many people don't think about the effects of working in retail and the toxic effects it can have on people's well being. With this thought in mind, it would be understanding as to why someone would be willing to die to get out of working. Some things might feel like a no brainer for some people, but some things might feel like its the only way out.

-Jercura Kindred

Trista Mazyun said...

The most interesting part about the story is that it shows how draining working in retail can be. Working in retail can be detrimental to your mental. From experience, dealing with rude customers and constantly being pushed to obtain goals that don't mean anything to you or your paycheck is annoying and it gets old fast. Managers dont care enough to make the job better and get upset when employees call off.
- Trista M.

Meikiyia R said...

I think that this story's description of working in retail is accurate. Working in retail is a very difficult job. you are in constant interaction with others not know how they will backlash to something that was not meant with intention. it was interesting how they explained it with real situations. --Meikiyia R.

Rashad Pipkins said...

I find the ultimate realism that the story displays about working in retail is most fascinating. Retail requires workers to consistently engage with many different customers while trying to keep a positive attitude about all of them. Working in retail is not the easiest job, and the story depicted this well.

Nyah Marcano said...

The story "Retail" depicts the very scary and accurate truth of the reality of how depressing work can be. The most interesting part about the story is that it shows how truly draining working is. I have a bit of experience in the service industry and dealing with rude customers is a daily occurance.

-Nyah Marcano

Mar'Taejia Murphy said...

The most interesting part about this story is that working retail is not always what it seem. working in retail could be very challenging sometimes , you never know. As well as daring and depressing to some , you get treated badly by other people while trying to just do your job and engage with them.

Erin Myers said...

Kaylin P.:

The part of the story that intrigued me the most was when the narrator reveled how normal it was to hear about or see people kill themselves in that work environment. She stated that other than Lucy it was others before her that did the exact same thing because of the workplace, and I wonder why the other workers or bosses aren’t phased by this and why this is normalized. The narrator confirmed that this is even more normalized as I imagined because of how the mall didn’t shut down after Lucy killed herself. The narrator points out how kids right above Lucy’s dead body was playing around. That’s very interesting and disturbing.

Erin Myers said...

LaRaye L.:

would have to say working at retail. I personally work at a retail so I can really relate. I love retail most days, but I will never work there forever, there's so much more!

Erin Myers said...

Kevyere M.:

The most interesting aspect about this story overall is that it depicts a real-life event that happens (Black Friday) today. Also, you get to experience what the perspective of a young man trying to do something positive so that he can provide for his wants and needs. But still gets exposed to people who are being selfish and acting carelessly to other people around them. This goes to show that not every job is not as fulfilling as it seems and sadly most of the time it is caused by the customers you get at the workplace. Not necessarily the actual staff/management.

Erin Myers said...

Taniah P.:

I no someone that works in retail in making $10-$11 an hour. But they really wasn’t happy with their job as I thought they were. It was just a job to make it day by day. I work at a Walmart and I make $17 an hour. But are used to make $11.50 an hour ,until we get new repairs in a bigger warehouse in my department. Another thing that was Eye-catching to me was that people do commit suicide. I never seen anyone commit suicide ,but I heard that some committed suicide my first time in high school. This story tells it all, It’s hell does that the things that are happening to these people in the book can actually happen in real life which is crazy.

Chris Rhodes said...

The aspect of the story that interested me the most is the idea that some jobs are more fulfilling than others. Society has planted this idea in everyone’s head that certain jobs are more fulfilling than others. We are taught at a young age that doctors, firefighters, and police officers are the best and most fulfilling jobs ever, but in reality, that’s not true. Most people agree that working in retail, at a mall, is not fulfilling, but I do not. I believe everyone has a part to play in this world, big or small. Some people are retail workers at your local mall, and others are doctors. Just because society has labeled a job as “not fulfilling” doesn’t make it a bad job. Not everyone wants to or can be a lawyer and that is ok. Not everyone has the ambition or abilities to be a nurse and that’s perfectly fine. At the end of the day, no one deserves to be looked down upon based on their job because at the end of the day everyone is doing the best they can and are contributing to society in some way!

- Chris Rhodes

Chris Rhodes said...


The aspect of the story that interested me the most is the idea that some jobs are more fulfilling than others. Society has planted this idea in everyone’s head that certain jobs are more fulfilling than others. We are taught at a young age that doctors, firefighters, and police officers are the best and most fulfilling jobs ever, but in reality, that’s not true. Most people agree that working in retail, at a mall, is not fulfilling, but I do not. I believe everyone has a part to play in this world, big or small. Some people are retail workers at your local mall, and others are doctors. Just because society has labeled a job as “not fulfilling” doesn’t make it a bad job. Not everyone wants to or can be a lawyer and that is ok. Not everyone has the ambition or abilities to be a nurse and that’s perfectly fine. At the end of the day, no one deserves to be looked down upon based on their job because at the end of the day everyone is doing the best they can and are contributing to society in some way!

-Chris Rhodes

Ciaunna M. said...

The most interesting part is how they explain no one is actually a happy retail worker. In fact, it's not the job people hate it's the way some customers treat the workers. From experience, you can be the most helpful, sweet person to a customer and they'll still be rude. Working retail can be exhausting and draining.
- Ciaunna M.

Kizito Nwauwa said...

When reading “In Retail” by Nana Kwame Adeji-Brenyah, an aspect of the story that was the most intriguing to me is how the true reality of retail work is depicted, and how that perspective isn’t usually understood by those who don’t work in retail. That is probably why they make light of a person committing suicide. It is not only a lack of empathy, but also a lack of awareness as well.

--Kizito Nwauwa

Erin Myers said...

Sophina K.:

The most interesting thing about this story is the actual stress that comes with working in retail. Dealing with the rude behavior from the customers, poor cooperating skills and/or a terrible manager takes a lot of just one person's day. Some people fail to realize how hard it is to have a job like that until they apply for one.

Isiah Miller said...

I think the most interesting aspect is how some jobs are more fulfilling than others. Two people can make the same amount of money, while one loves their job, and the other hates it. I think it's really important to balance your job, life, and happiness because of this.

Dakahi Leflore said...

The most interesting part is how no one is actually happy while working retail. Dealing with rude customers and having to maintain your patience because you are there to do a job could be hard. Some people fail to see how hard it is for people to work in retail jobs or just any job in general.


-Dakahi L.

Omari Riley said...

I think that this story is bringing awareness to the retail working experience in a way. Retail workers are treated like crap and do not get the respect that they deserve. It is way harder than it looks. The workers are very underpaid as well

-Omari Riley

Akuchukwu O. said...

The aspect of the story that interests me the most is how the story accurately depicts the overall experience of working in retail. Working in retail is a very difficult challenge and it gets stressful and becomes depressing. The main reason why working in retail is stress filled is because of the customers. With the priorities of a retail worker being to satisfy the customers, it gets really difficult when working with a complicated customer.

Erin Myers said...

Jason N.:

The most interesting aspect of this story is the boredom people who work retail have to go through. Many people don't see retail as a hard job but the long hours combined with the repetitive tasks can make working in retail a very unpleasant experience. It was also very confusing but also realistic of how people in some companies treat death. Sometime people will disregard it because of hoe desensitized they have become.

Erin Myers said...

Tyra O.:

the most interesting part to me is the people is not happy with working retail. I love working in retail. I love meeting new people. That keep me out the house.

Erin Myers said...

Marquis P.:

The most interesting aspect of "In Retail" is the overall reality that retail workers must face. This story goes to show how stressful the job of a retail worker can be. To remain level-headed, many try to make the very best of their situation to get by.

Unknown said...

The most interesting detail in the story was how relatable the experience of working in retail is. The people you can encounter in retail and situations that you can be put in can make it challenging. Retail workers have stressful jobs and deal with a lot. Then the pay don't even be worth it majority of the time. So, retail sucks but is the most common and easy to get job...


Emyia Kirksey

Erin Myers said...

Leroy P.:

As I read through this the most interesting part to me was how they expressed the challenges when working in retail. I can relate to this because my first job was in retail and I definitely went through an adjustment period.

Erin Myers said...

Niate K.:

The most interesting aspect to me about this chapter was the realization that the store worker came to. He understood that to be truly happy and find peace you must appreciate the little things. So, when the Spanish speaking lady walks in, and speaks to you or even smiles at you, that is something to really be thankful for, because working in those retail areas can be saddening/depressing. Even more so, when you hear that someone like you (retail worker Lucy) took their own life.

Erin Myers said...

Theon'Janae P.:

I think the most interesting part of the story was the realism of working a retail job. Many people don't think about the effects of working in retail and the toxic effects it can have on people's well-being. working in retail you're you are in constant interaction with others not knowing how they will backlash to something that was not meant with intention.

Erin Myers said...

Cierstin N.:

I think that the most interesting part of the story was the fact that it admitted how horrible working in retail is for many people. The fact that many people who have worked in retail have such bad experiences or stories about their former jobs really speaks volumes on how bad it is. I like its commentary on how working a job that is not fulfilling like retail can have negative affects on mental health.