“Daddy told me once why we got the names we do….Why he named us both. Lincoln and Booth….It was his idea of a joke” (Jacobus, 1650). Suzan-Lori Parks’ Topdog/Underdog premiered on July 22, 2001 at the Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival. This play centers around two brothers who have been forced to raise themselves within harsh living conditions. The older brother Lincoln’s quotation summarizes the entirety of the play because he and his brother have been set up for failure from the beginning. Individuals who are supposedly meant to provide love and support, such as parents and significant others, eventually abandon Lincoln and Booth. Parks capitalizes on the idea of setting up Lincoln and Booth to wind up in a death match
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It is significant Parks names her characters after these two prominent men because, "as the Chinese saying goes, 'One 's name is one 's fate" (1644). Lincoln and Booth were not just provided with their names to heighten the dramatic effect of the play. Rather, both of the brothers share similar characteristics of the actual president and assassin. For instance, Abraham Lincoln 's experienced the loss of his mother at age nine due to her death from milk sickness. John Booth 's father passed away when he was fourteen years of age. Both of the historical figures had limited formal education. However, Abe Lincoln was encouraged to read; whereas, John Booth failed to attend school regularly. In fact, John Booth was deemed as an unwilling worker since he would refuse to dedicate considerate amounts of his time and effort towards his career in theatre. Furthermore, John Wilkes Booth saw President Lincoln as an obstacle threatening his lifestyle in the South. John Booth shouted, "Sic semper tyrannis! (Latin for 'Thus ever to tyrants! ') The South is avenged!" after shooting the president in the back of the head ("John Wilkes Booth Biography."). Likewise, Parks ' characters lose their parents at early ages. Additionally, Lincoln is expressed by Booth to have sought an education, "[Lincoln] got on the damn school bus cause [he] didnt have the sense to do nothing else", unlike himself (1650). Furthermore, Booth would rather make an easy living by swindling money through a hoax card trick, and he views his brother as an obstacle needing to be rid of. He specifically shouts, "YOU STANDING IN MY WAY, LINK!" (1650). Lastly, Booth shoots Lincoln in the back of the head. The characters ' daddy knew naming his sons Lincoln and Booth was a joke because they would inevitably fall into a dark fated scenario similar to the historical figures, as clearly
It is significant Parks names her characters after these two prominent men because, "as the Chinese saying goes, 'One 's name is one 's fate" (1644). Lincoln and Booth were not just provided with their names to heighten the dramatic effect of the play. Rather, both of the brothers share similar characteristics of the actual president and assassin. For instance, Abraham Lincoln 's experienced the loss of his mother at age nine due to her death from milk sickness. John Booth 's father passed away when he was fourteen years of age. Both of the historical figures had limited formal education. However, Abe Lincoln was encouraged to read; whereas, John Booth failed to attend school regularly. In fact, John Booth was deemed as an unwilling worker since he would refuse to dedicate considerate amounts of his time and effort towards his career in theatre. Furthermore, John Wilkes Booth saw President Lincoln as an obstacle threatening his lifestyle in the South. John Booth shouted, "Sic semper tyrannis! (Latin for 'Thus ever to tyrants! ') The South is avenged!" after shooting the president in the back of the head ("John Wilkes Booth Biography."). Likewise, Parks ' characters lose their parents at early ages. Additionally, Lincoln is expressed by Booth to have sought an education, "[Lincoln] got on the damn school bus cause [he] didnt have the sense to do nothing else", unlike himself (1650). Furthermore, Booth would rather make an easy living by swindling money through a hoax card trick, and he views his brother as an obstacle needing to be rid of. He specifically shouts, "YOU STANDING IN MY WAY, LINK!" (1650). Lastly, Booth shoots Lincoln in the back of the head. The characters ' daddy knew naming his sons Lincoln and Booth was a joke because they would inevitably fall into a dark fated scenario similar to the historical figures, as clearly