Brittany Akers
TH 233- Directing 1
Topdog/Underdog Paper
11/17/06
Topdog/Underdog
1. Describe the world of the play.
I see the world as a dark and dirty place where the story is set. Lincoln and Booth live
in a grubby, run-down part of a large city, like Detroit, Michigan, in a rooming house
where the play is unfolding. I see these characters as two black men trying to survive
in their run-down urban neighborhood. It seems as though these characters are shut
off from the real world during the play, as if they are isolated from everything
surrounding them. Here is a picture of an urban neighborhood that I could see where
Lincoln and Booth’s story exists during the play:
It’s a foul neighborhood, kind of trashy looking and dull. It also seems like a place
where many crimes would be active. I see the play, taking place during late autumn,
when it is starting to get colder and the sun begins to shine less. I see mostly cloudy
days throughout the play because of the sense of darkness I get from the plot of the
play itself. This part of the country is in a bit of a slump, where jobs are hard to find
and life is slower, yet highly active in illegal heists and drug/alcohol use is
functioning in the streets of this neighborhood. Detroit is a city that I see this play
existing in. It’s a large city, yet full of violence and crime. Most of the people in this
part of the city could have very low-income jobs or no jobs at all. Families are going
through harsh times because of the lack of employment available in the area. This
would be considered a lower class part of society and only a handful of people that
are living in this area have jobs that pay a decent amount of money, which isn’t many
at all. I see most of these houses that are in Booth and Lincoln’s part of town, as old
and are slowly falling apart. Windows are cracked, the porches are empty, the yards
filled with bits of trash, there are dead trees everywhere, cars out on the streets that
cannot be driven anymore because they are broken, roofs that have missing shingles,
and stray dogs and cats wander the streets. They live in a rooming house with 1
bathroom, 1 bedroom that they share with two small beds, which are in shabby
conditions, a living room and a tiny kitchen area. The living room is where most the
action is taking place during the course of the play. A milk crate table is probably the
biggest part of the living room, as a central piece of furniture. The floors of the house
have a grayish colored carpet, that has be torn up in some areas with stains buried in
the fibers of the carpet. The walls are bare, with an off-white color to them. Some
holes are embedded in the walls, as well as marks and dirt in some spots. Though
there is one phone in the house, it is not connected to any type of service. I see mostly
dark colors in this world because of the hard times this lower-class society is going
through. This is the world as I see it.
2. Describe each of the characters in the play
Booth:
Lincoln
-Mid. 30’s; 5’10”; 175lbs.; lighter
-Late 30’s; 6’4”; 230lbs.; has dark,
hair, short
curly hair
-A.K.A. “3-card”
-A.K.A. “Link”
-Black male
-Topdog
-Underdog
-Black male
-Younger brother
-Big brother
-Unemployed
-Employed
-Murderer
-“Abe Lincoln”
-Selfish
-Pre-hustler
-Strives to be a great hustler
-Sees a more realistic view of the
-Runs the home, though doesn’t
world, though not necessarily right
bring home the “bacon”
-Pays the bills
-Asked to take care of older brother
-Sees the bad in almost everything,
by his mother
unlike his brother
-Involved in heists
-Good hustler
-Lower-class citizen
-Discourages Booth to hustle
-Practices his 3-card monte scam
-Lower-class citizen
quite often
-Drinker
-Sees the good in things, rather than
-Ex-husband
the bad
-Cheated on wife
-Messy lifestyle
-Fired from job at the arcade
-Bothersome at times to Lincoln
-Discontented
-Gets pleasure from looking at dirty
- Rides the bus to work (before he
magazines
was fired)
-Wants to be the “Topdog”
-“Played” Booth during 3-card
-Angry after finding out that Lincoln
monte, taking his money
“scammed” him during the play of 3- -Killed by his brother in the end
card monte
-Tall and built
-Shorter; thinner than Link
-Looks after Booth
-Wants kids someday
-Takes after his father (Drinker and
-Has a girlfriend, Grace
had women on the side)
-Owns a gun
-Takes up hustling again
-Bitter towards Link at the end of the -Has an inheritance of $500 along
play
with his brother
-Has an inheritance of $500 along
-Teacher to Booth
with Lincoln
-Loyal to his brother, Booth
-Doesn’t want a job; would rather
-Came from a troubled family
hustle to make money
-Feels guilty about many things that
-Wants Lincoln out of the house
has happened in his life
-He lives a complex life
3. Identify the arc of the play including where each of these happen:
a. Inciting Incident
I feel that the inciting incident could be in scene 4, act 1 when Lincoln picks up 3-card
monte again and plays with the cards, possibly leading him into the world of hustling
again. Booth overhears Lincoln playing with the cards and talking to himself about his
job and hustling. This is a point in the play, which brings out a change in Lincoln from
then on. That is why I feel that this is the inciting incident because of the transition of the
play. Up until that point, Lincoln has no desire to touch the cards and no longer wants to
get involved in scams and the world of hustling. He wants to make a living and not go
through the illegal stuff again. He’s afraid that he may try “playing” again and therefore
does not help Booth at the beginning of the play, work on his 3-card monte or hustle with
him. This makes sense to me that this would be the inciting incident because it is a
somewhat big moment for Lincoln before the end of act 1, leading into Intermission.
b. Rising Action
The rising action for me includes Lincoln starting to play 3-card monte with Booth.
Booth begins to win each game that they play, though no money is involved at this point.
These events lead up to the climax of the play, and that is why I feel that Lincoln and
Booth playing this card game together, can be the rising action of the play.
c.
Climax
The climax of a play is the most intense, exciting, and most important part of the story.
Therefore, I feel that the climax of this particular play is when Booth finds out that
Lincoln has been hustling him the entire time of playing 3-card monte together. We find
out that Lincoln was letting Booth win, when no money was involved, in order to make
him feel more confident about the game. When their inheritance is put into play, Lincoln
ends up winning the game, leaving Booth in complete dismay. Finding out about what
his brother had been doing, hurts Booth deeply and he feels as though he has been
betrayed by Lincoln. Thus, I feel that this is the climax of the play, because it is such a
huge moment for these two characters as well as the audience.
d. Denouement
The denouement is the final part of a play, movie, or narrative in which the strands of the
plot are drawn together and matters are explained or resolved. The denouement of this
play includes several incidents. These could include when Booth gives Lincoln the sock
full of money, when Booth shoots his brother, Link with his gun, and when Booth takes
Lincoln in his arms after he has shot him and cries, realizing what he has truly done to his
brother and what this means for him. These could also be labeled under the falling actions
of the play.
4. Identify any repeated imagery you see in the play
There are several images in the play that are constantly repeated throughout the course of
Topdog/Underdog. For example, the cards used throughout the play are repeated
imagery. We see the cards as part of the scam. They are a constant reminder to Lincoln of
his days of hustling and what he doesn’t want to get back to anymore, during the first part
of the play. The cards have meaning to Booth as well. These cards to him, represent what
he wants to do with the rest of his life and what he wants to make a living doing, playing
3-card monte and hustling. The cards can be a sign of immoral choices, which are made
by these two characters, only coming into play during pivotal moments in the story.
Other repeated imagery could also be alcohol. We see Lincoln drink a lot
throughout the play, which also causes him to make choices he may not normally choose
to make. Alcohol is constantly present in their house and is there for a reason. Maybe it
is for these characters to forget about the tragic life they have for a moment.
Booth’s gun is also considered to be repeated imagery to myself. It is only present
at the beginning and the end of the play. We first see the gun with Booth, who pulls it out
because he was startled by Link. And we see the gun again when Booth is angry at
Lincoln after finding out he was “playing” him in 3-card monte. Booth ends up shooting
his brother with the gun, thus completely changing the direction of the play, leading it to
the end. This gun can also represent the violence and crimes Lincoln and Booth are
constantly surrounded by their entire lives, including the environment they are existing
during the play.
I also see Abe Lincoln as a repeated image throughout the play. He is an
important part of Link’s job, and possibly his moral beliefs during the first act of the play.
Abe Lincoln was also a leader of the United States, and Link was considered to the
audience at first as the “topdog,” therefore being a leader to his brother. Link is fired
later, which means that he no longer needs to wear his Lincoln costume to the arcade
anymore. This could be a symbol that he is no longer like “Abe Lincoln,” but instead
getting caught up in immoral choices again, such as hustling. He is beginning to become
an “underdog” at this turn of events. This figure can also foreshadow what the future
events in the play are, including Booth shooting Lincoln, which is parallel to the real
event that took place in our American history.
5.
Backwards and Forwards of the play
(See other sheet attached)
6.
Answer the following questions:
a.
What is the significance of the brothers being named Booth and Lincoln?
I feel that the brothers, being named Lincoln and Booth is very significant throughout the
play for several reasons. First, Link is named Lincoln because he is considered a leader,
or “topdog” of the family between the two brothers. He makes the more moral choices
during most of the play. He wants a real life for himself, leaving hustling out of the
picture. It’s also significant that Link is named Lincoln, because he has a job where he is
dressed up like Abe Lincoln. I find that quite ironic throughout this play. As far as Booth
goes, he is the “underdog” just as the real Booth seemed to have been in our American
history. He was a fighter, not a leader, though he wanted to be, just as 3-card wished for
during the story. He wanted to become more than his brother. He wanted to get Link out
of the way, just as the real Booth wanted President Lincoln out of the way. 3-card wanted
to be the “topdog” and after he shot Link, just as John Wilkes Booth shot President
Lincoln, he did become what he wanted. All of the attention was then drawn to 3-card as
well as the original Booth in history. Thus, both of these characters of Lincoln and Booth,
do reflect the real life events and choices made by the historical figures.
b.
What does Lincoln’s job at the beginning of the play tell us about him?
His job tells us that Lincoln wants to make a moral living, unlike his brother. Though his
job isn’t much, he does take pride in the fact that he does have a job though hard times
are occurring. He brings in the money for his family, which is Booth and himself, thus
providing existence for them both in a decent house, for what they can afford. This also
shows again that he is a leader.
c. What does the apartment Booth lives in and shares with his brother tell
us about Booth?
Booth takes the apartment for granted because he does not provide any amount of money
towards the payment of the apartment. He acts as though he is running the household,
though he does not have a job, and chooses not to have one. Lincoln is the one bringing
home the money from his job, thus paying for the house they are living in. Booth tends
to not always appreciate what Link does and provides in their household. It is ironic
when Booth wants Link out of the house, though Lincoln is the one providing what they
need for their lives to exist in this place they are living.
d.
Describe the relationship between the brothers in terms of who has the
power in the relationship at any given time.
The relationship between the brothers changes at various times throughout the play, so it
seems. At first, though Lincoln is the one bringing home the money, Booth is the one
running the household and their relationship, wanting desperately to be the “topdog”
though Lincoln is considered to be the “topdog” of this play. Booth is considered to be
the “underdog” because he is the younger sibling and is not providing for the two of
them. Booth begins to take more control of their relationship, especially at the end of the
play, after he kills Lincoln. Link is loyal to his brother, as is Booth throughout the play
in certain situations, but this constantly changes, and Link is the one who ends up
betraying his brother in the end, changing their relationship completely. And after Booth
shoots Link, he now has total power over their relationship and feels it in that one single
moment.
e. Did Booth Kill Grace?
I never had any thought that Booth killed Grace at all, though I did believe that she
existed, just not as his girlfriend anymore. I did not have the impression that Booth had
done anything harmful to Grace, as the way that I interpreted it.
f.
Why did Link go back to the hustle?
I feel that Link went back to the hustle because of the urges he kept feeling when he
would see his brother playing the cards and getting all excited about it. Link slowly
began to want to feel what Booth was feeling, though he knew that going back into
hustling would be wrong. That is his true talent anyway. Also, maybe he decided to go
back into it because of the rush he would feel when he was hustling. He wanted to have a
dangerous life again, even if it was just for a moment. That is how I interpreted it.
7.
Themes of the play:
1. Death
2. Family (Brothers)
3. Money
4. Jealousy
5. Poverty
6. Identity
7. Trust
8. Loyalty/Betrayal
9. Competition
10. Obsession
11. Addiction
12. Urban Environment
13. Daydreaming
14. Escape
15. Sex
16. Sibling Rivalry
17. Assassination
18. Temptation
20. Mockery
21. History
22. Realization
23. Desire
24. Sin
25. Coldness/Darkness
8. My Directing Approach to the play
I want my audience to see what the world is like for those who have to make it on their
own and grow up in a society, driven by crime, deception, and who are left to be on their
own. I want them to see truths what a lower-class society can consist of, a part of society
that isn’t bought into the light as often as it should be. I want my audiences to see what it
can be like for those who grow up in poverty and what they have to do to survive, even if
that is to commit crimes. This is the only way of life that most of these people from this
class know, and it’s their only means of getting along. For instance, Booth does not have
money, nor does he have a job. Therefore, he has to rob to get the finer things in life
because he wants it so badly. Most upper-class citizens do not understand this class in
our society, and I can show them what it could be like through this play. Life isn’t all
chocolates and roses in a society like this play is set in. Jobs are hard to find, income is
low, and family life is not picture perfect. Relationships are also hard to keep during this
type of society as well, which is another thing I want bring to my audience. Some people,
like Booth and Lincoln for instance, are left to be on their own and somehow they find a
way to keep on going, whether they make moral or immoral decisions to get by. This play
represents a society that is hard to live through, and those who make it, are the ones who
truly come out on top in the end.