Wednesday, April 6, 2022

Haley Scholars (Group 5) Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's "Friday Black"


[Haley Reading Groups Spring 2022] 

Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's "Friday Black" is an unlikely zombie tale. The story is about a salesperson's experiences and observations at a mall when people trample over each other as they rabidly struggle in trance-like states of consciousness to purchase goods on Black Friday.

The story presents brutal violence in vivid detail of customers rushing in and fighting for products. "Friday Black" offers a kind of dark humor. On the one hand, it's almost amusing that people would be this intense about Black Friday sales. On the other hand, it's a sad, disturbing commentary that things might get this bad.

What stood out to you more -- the disturbing details of the actual story OR the idea that something along these lines could happen in real life? Briefly (one or two sentences) explain why you made the choice that you did.

51 comments:

Gabriel Scott said...

It stood out to me more the fact that these things could happen in reality. Simply because we've seen that this can be a reality by some of the things we see in stores already.

Niobe Young said...

What stood out to me the most was the fact that people were getting killed and stampeded on and the details of it was so gory. The main character not only got bit one time in the arm but he stepped on someone, had a lack of concern and emotion and went about his day.

Me-Na S. said...

what stood out to me was the fact this could happen in real life because this sounds similar to the way people act on black Friday just in specific detail.

Makiah Lewis said...

What stood out to me was how much chaos was going on. It's a little frightening because this seems almost like a riot, and those happen nowadays.

-Makiah Lewis

Starteese.S said...

The idea of the story stood out to me because of the fact Black Friday is a real traditional thing for sales and the story captured some realistic aspects that could happen in today's society on that day.

Aerin T. said...

What stood out to me most was how people were getting trampled and killed left and right. Especially, the fact that the workers find it normal and have sections to put the deceased bodies.

Ayanna Townsend said...

What surprised me the most while reading this short story is when I read about the main character getting bitten while attending their very first black Friday sell as well as the woman who hit a child across the face with her high heel for attempting to grab something that she was interested in buying. This shocked me the most because this story is not only relatable to our society, but it also raises awareness of how brutal others can be for something as small as Black Friday sells.

-Townsend

Calviana S. said...

The normality of the Black Friday violence is what stood out to me because in reality the less violent version of the book is what occurs. People actually fight and trample others to buy things on a sale. Are materialistic things really worth a life?

-Calviana Shepherd

Madison Wilkins said...

What stood out to me the most was the amount of bad events happening in this story. There were a lot scary events included in this story as well which is what also shocked me while reading.

Shaniyah Robinson said...

The disturbing details definitely stood out to me the most because people were so eager to get free items or things on sale that they didn't care who they had to hurt in the process. The part in the story when she saw bloodstains all over the store/clothes but proceeded to shop was very frightening to me. - Shaniyah Robinson

Devin Willis said...

It stood out to me that these events could happen in real life. A lot of crazy things happened in the story. Life is full of crazy experiences, things like this could happen in reality.

Jordan W. said...

What I would say that would stood out to me more is that the idea that something along these lines could happen in real life. I say this because I have seen movies where people would be fighting over materialistic things and coming out with a black eye. I have also seen how many people would go out their way for these sales right after Thanksgiving. It can be scary because people fighting is a reality and a lot of people don't feel safe.

Britney Wallace said...

What stood out to me the most was the way that this story has actually happened to some degree in real life. There have been many stories talking about people going wild on Black Friday, and actually harming others over material things.

Leea S. said...

I think what stood out to me is that it connected to a certain degree of reality. I have seen and heard of incidents during Black Friday where people have been hurt or even killed over things they get at half the price.

Damien Williams said...

What stood out to me in the story is how it is compared and similar to the things that happen in real life. The information mentioned in the story is exactly the same as people getting hurt in the real world.

Damien Williams said...

What stood out to me in the story is how it is compared and similar to the things that happen in real life. The information mentioned in the story is exactly the same as people getting hurt in the real world.

Atayah Smith said...

Something that stood out to me was the hostility any person could face during Black Friday. The fact that these events could happen in real life sent shivers up my spine, however this story is not foreign to us Americans.

Kailiah Williams said...

In the story, I was surprised by the main character getting bitten during her Black Friday shopping. This was surprising because it is common for Black Friday shoppers to get violent when stores have sales and discounts.

Kailiah W. said...

In the story, I was surprised by the main character getting bitten during her Black Friday shopping. This was surprising because it is common for Black Friday shoppers to get violent when stores have sales and discounts.

Damen Ward said...

What stood out to me the most in this reading was the fact that people actually do these things in real life, people value materials more than the safety of others and even themselves and this is the tragic reality we face today.

Heaven Watkins said...

What stood out to me is that this happens in real life on black Friday people get really violent and people get hurt and sometimes killed.

Sealaya Washington said...

What stood out to me the most was the fact that this could happen in real life. There are always stories of robberies or people losing their lives for Black Friday sales. There are people that hurt others for material things.

Unknown said...

What stood out to me was the fact this could actually come true. In society we value materialistic things, and the thought that it would get that far is terrifying.

-A'nya Wilkes

Brandon Wiles said...

What stood out to me most was the fact this could be an actual reality. This stood out because I really can imagine humans acting so crazy when there are large sales. In real life, I have seen a grown woman on video literally attack a child for an item that was on sale.

Kehajana Tallie said...

What stood out to me was the fact that this happens in real life. I have seen videos of people attacking each other on Black Friday over something materialistic.

Madisen Wilkis said...

What stood out to me is the fact that this type of thing could happen in real life. I made this choice because even though we are not necessarily doing what the customers did in the story, when it comes to Black Fridays, it is not uncommon to see people not really caring about each other in their efforts to get what they want.
-Madisen Wilkins

ArTerrious Thorpe said...

I would say the details stood out to me the most. I found it baffling that a sale would turn people into a different species. Biting a chunk of someone's skin and people grunting or screaming is hardly humorous.

Sarai WB said...

I think the idea that this could be reality when it really is in real life. I've seen it multiple times across the internet and it's sickening almost that people are going crazy over materialistic things. Most of these people are getting physically hurt in the process of it all.
-Sarai WB

Unknown said...

This happens, in reality, people tramble upon each other for products during black Friday.
The part in the story when she saw bloodstains all over the store/clothes but proceeded to shop was appalling to me.




_SARAH ROLLINS<3

Unknown said...

What stood out to me the most was the reality of it. People, let alone strangers, are very unpredictable being as everyone has their own underlying struggles. You never know what someone is bound to do provoked or even unprovoked. So many tragedies since the start of the human race have spawned because of that.
- Jaisha Sims

Preston Wingo said...

What stood out to me was how parallel our reality was to that story. If you look around you would be able to tell that it's not just fiction but it is the truth. There's nothing but chaos and destruction in the world today and the thing about it is that just like the story it can and will get way worse.

DeAndre W. said...

What stood out to me is that we really have Black Friday and it wouldn’t surprise us if these events really happened. People are ready to nearly kill another person over materialistic things. It’s crazy to think people will harm someone over something they could always get later.

Jayla Walker said...

What stood out most to me is the fact that this can happen in reality. Things like this do actually happen and its frightening and traumatizing to think this can happen to me or someone I know.
- Jayla Walker

Kiara Umana said...

The thouhgts of how bad Black Friday could get always concerned me the most. The story is enlightening to those who don't understand the severity of dangers Black Friday causes. People become dangerous when they're fighting for things they believe is rightfully theirs.

Deaunzze T said...

The thing that stood out to me more is the fact that this can happen in real life. During the beginning of the pandemic, people were fighting over tissue in stores, and on black Friday, people fight over items. It is very realistic that this is the way humans would react in this type of situation.
Deaunzze Trotter

Erin Myers said...

Anozha S.:

One thing that stood out to me is that to a person who had never experienced or seen something like this happen, this is just exaggerated, but these things genuinely happen.

Erin Myers said...

Nikiyah T.:

what stood out most to me was how much of a reality the book is. what happens in the book is what happens in the real world. you never know what actions somebody is going to take or what caused their action.

Erin Myers said...

Zaria W.:

I think that the idea that something like this could happen in real life is scarier than the details. We've already been living in a world where people have been, and are becoming once again, desensitized to violence, so it's a little nerve-wrecking that we don't know the extremes of how far people will go in order to get what they want.

Erin Myers said...

Sandy S.:

What stood out to me is what stood out to everyone. How gruesome it was and how things like this actually happen and you see how humanity isn?t healthy because people easily die over a half off flatscreen

Erin Myers said...

Xavier S.:

I would say the fact that it could and similar things to it have happened in actuality. I know this isn't a story about black friday, but while I was in elementary school I tripped on the way down to recess and none of the kids stopped on the way down and some stepped straight upon me. I realize it's a drastic difference from the story, but it stood out to me, because something similar has in fact happened to me.

Erin Myers said...

Sydney W.:

I feel like the details and it could happen in real life stand out to me because people go crazy and get aggressive on Black Friday and it becomes a literal zombie apocolypse. There have been many cases where people have been injured over items. It's ridiculous.

Rashad Pipkins said...

The events that took place in the book stood out the most to me because they were very realistic. The world has been an evil place for a very long time and this book properly depicts the hardships that Aftrican Americans face.

DeMarco Smith said...

I feel like what stood out the most to me was how realistic some situations were in this story. Like the man killing the kids and getting away with it that can very much happen in the world we live in.

Erin Myers said...

Anjel V.:

I think that it's crazy that something like this tory can happen in real life. I picked this simply because of the fact that humans are becoming more an more vicious when to comes to materialistic and trivial things. And the hatred and envy of the people who actually have these materials(the rich) we become very shameless and animalistic with greed(zombielike)

Damien W said...

What stood out to me the most was how crazy people acted on Friday black. It is similar in today's society on Black Friday people act out of character when it comes to specific things.

Vashanti Reynolds said...

What stands out to me the most is the fact of how something like this could occur in real life. Before covid my mother always told me how she hates black Friday shopping because how bad it is due to people behaviors, I always thought she was exaggerating because my mom doesn't like being around groups as it is, this just enlightened the fact that she isn't exaggerating and that the stuff in the story is accurate.

Caleb W said...

The part that stood out the most to me would have to be when people were getting killed, the workers were so used to it that they even had a section to put the dead bodies. I actually found that pretty disturbing.

Unknown said...

What stood out the most for me was the pure reality and facts of this story as they could easily occur in our life. The author really pinpoints on the craziness of our society and perfectly describes these events in this story.
-Jonah Wolfe

Gabrielle S. said...

What stood out to me the most was how heavy the bad events happening in this story were. There were also scary parts in this story as well which is what also shocked me while reading.

Janelle W said...

what really stood out to me was the fact that this could actually happen in reality. In this time and generation material things mean more to people then their own lifes and the way the author explains the crazy things that was going on it really shocked me as i was reading of how this could easily happen in real life.

Erin Myers said...

Ty'Ria R.:

What stood out to me the most waas the gory details that were included in the story. The fact that people where getting stepped on and that the author wrote it in such detail. The fact that the main character at one point was bit in the arm was also a reason why I chose this reason.