Comparison Of Topdog And Underdog

Authors Walter Mosley and Suzan-Lori Parks are two contemporary African-American writers who have enriched the literary world with multiple works that deal with everything from personal demons to issues faced by entire generations and cultures. Walter Mosley created the engrossing tale of “Equal Opportunity,” a story of an older black man who decides after decades of inactivity to rejoin productive society. Author Suzan-Lori Parks entertained readers and theater goers with her story of two competing brothers in the play Topdog/Underdog. Despite both literary works being provocative tales of able-bodied black men these two stories do not represent African-American literature as defined by Gibson and Warren but rather depict a contemporary dilemma

Left to raise themselves at an early age the brothers support themselves by any means necessary. Lincoln, an ex-hustler, tries to earn an honest living as an Abraham Lincoln impersonator. His younger brother, Booth, however, is interested in making money anyway he can. He continues the hustle of his older brother by trying his luck as a dealer of three-card monte. When each of the brother’s romantic relationships begin to crumble Booth convinces his older brother to rejoin the game. Lincoln has just lost his job and wife and agrees. Unfortunately for Booth, Lincoln was always the better card dealer. Booth struggles with his perception of his brother as the top dog and his own position in life as the underdog. In a final struggle for power, the two brothers play one last game of cards. Booth loses to Lincoln and frustrated with his brother’s success, kills Lincoln just as his namesake killed the former

Socrates troubles begin when he is a young man who enjoys the wild side of life. Over drinking coupled with an uncontrollable temper lead Socrates to kill his two best friends, landing him in jail for twenty-seven years. Socrates doesn’t believe he will obtain a job in his community partially because he believes that there are no job opportunities to be obtained and partially because he believes that his reputation as a murder and bum will affect his probability of being hired. Socrates looks outside of his community to a wealthier neighborhood for employment. Unfortunately, the grocery store Socrates applies at is uninterested in offering him a position. Socrates refuses to take no for an answer and harasses the manager. Eventually, Socrates finds other employment but the audience is left wondering how long he will maintain the