TopDog/UnderDog by Suzan-Lori Park

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Book ReviewTITLE: Topdog/Underdog
AUTHOR: Suzan-Lori Parks
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 2002
PUBLISHER: Theatre Communications Group
GENRE: Family Drama
Topdog/Underdog is a play by Suzan-Lori Parks that was written and published in 2002. The story focuses on sibling rivalry and is a comedic drama of sorts that also centers on two African American siblings ironically named Booth and Lincoln. Their father gave them the names of an assassin and his target, that is, John Wilkes Booth and Abraham Lincoln as he thought that it would be a funny joke. However, the names are representative of a much larger issue and foreshadow the tempestuous relationship that the brothers endure throughout the play. Many can relate to the play, as it is both heart-warming, dramatic and laced with comedic elements.
The play revolves around Lincoln and Booth, two African American brothers who are the main characters. Their father gave them their names and thought it would be humorous to do so as John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln. However, the names are symbolic of a deeper-lying issue that is the sibling rivalry between the two. Lincoln, affectionately known as Link, dons and impersonates Abraham Lincoln at the local arcade where revelers can relive his assassination using an assortment of toy guns. He is the older brother and audiences are made to understand that he has been kicked out of his house by his wife and is currently living with his younger brother Booth CITATION Par02 p 19 l 1033 (Parks 19).

Booth, on the other hand, makes a living by stealing or “boosting” as he calls it. Booth is so good at what he does that he has been nicknamed 3-card. Their blood relation is just about the only thing that is common between them. No set of brothers could be more different, and perhaps it is this difference in both behavior and ideology that contributes to the rivalry that exists between them. Lincoln is a reformed con and swore never to return after the death of his partner. Although he does not derive particular joy from his current job, he is proud of the fact that he earns an honest living. Booth has been trying to convince him to return to the life of crime that he once lived. Lincoln is determined not to. All Lincoln ever wants is a fine bottle of whiskey. Booth, on the other hand, spends his days fascinating about women, money, and prestige. A sharp contrast from two people you would expect to have a close if not common desire.
The play can be divided into two halves. One-half of the play, the first half, takes a focus on Booth as he attempts to lure his older brother back into the 3-card Monte. He knows that Lincoln was the best player there was and together, they would be unstoppable. Link does not buy into the idea. He knows what the ramifications of the game are. He witnessed as his friend was murdered and it is something he would rather not go back to. Link does not approve of the life that Booth leads. He sees it as a life that is full of pleasure, gratification and only sought after by lazy people. The differences culminate at the latter half of the play where frustration and disappointment get the better of Booth as he is conned by Lincoln and stood up by a woman he has fallen for. This makes him outraged. Everything seems to work against him and this pushes him to the limit and he even goes as far as killing his older brother in a fit of rage.
Topdog/Underdog is an exciting play that is filled with various thematic elements that include racial segregation, sibling rivalry, and class in the United States. Rivalry is the most obvious given the way the brothers behave and how the play ends. The names of the brothers foreshadow the differences and tumultuous relationship that the brothers will undergo. It was interesting that their father chose to give them two of the most famous names in history albeit for entirely different reasons. Lincoln was loved and adored by all who knew him, and he made a significant contribution to America. He is widely considered as the best president America has ever had who ended slavery. Booth was infamous for assassinating him. Lincoln is “murdered” on a daily basis, and this is evidence of how the real Lincoln’s work is killed through acts of racism and segregation. The issue of class is also evident in the title. Lincoln has a decent and honest job, a place he could call home and seems to be living a better life than his younger brother is. He is, therefore, the top dog. His little brother’s life is the complete opposite, as he does not have a job, has been kicked out and his life seems to be worse off. The theme of greed is also advanced through the way both brothers used to make money by conning other people.
In summary, the play focuses on two brothers who are named after a former president, Abraham Lincoln and his assassinator, John Wilkes Booth and their tumultuous and fragile relationship. It is a tug of war that pits the brothers against each other in an attempt to see who will get the better of the other with a focus on class, race, and greed. It is an exciting play that highlights sibling rivalry with a dramatic and comedic approach.
Works Cited
BIBLIOGRAPHY Parks, Suzan-Lori. Topdog/Underdog. New York: Theater Communications Group, 2002. Print.