Kyle Lewis

Professor Erica Richardson

BLS 3085
24 May, 2021
Essay 3 Prompt 2: Aspiring as a Black Man

In various creative works (books, movies, television shows, plays, songs, etc.) there are

the kinds of characters or in general, the characters strive for anything and make their lives

meaningful. This is especially apart of African American Drama and black theater, in which

there is the prominent common aspect of black men pursuing to make the most out of their lives.

These characters have aspirations (wants, desires, motivations, or drives) which are how they are

supplied with purpose to go through their lives. The play Topdog/Underdog (2001) by

playwright Suzan-Lori Parks is centered around African-Americans Lincoln and Booth who are

brothers living through various challenges and struggles including their respective growths and

developments, money, racism, and women. Both of the brothers have their aspirations with

respect them but the two also share one aspiration. Lincoln just wants a place to live in, while

Booth wants Lincoln to get back to facilitating schemes of Three-card Monte with him also

getting involved and he wants to be with Grace. Both of the characters Lincoln and Booth want

money.

Lincoln used to live his former wife Cookie at her place until he was thrown out by her

and then he ended up with no permanent living arrangements as while Booth lets him stay at his

place, Booth has let him know that living in it is only temporary. Lincoln just wants a place of

his own. According to the play,

BOOTH. You like this place?

LINCOLN. Ssallright.

BOOTH. But a little cramped sometimes, right?

 LINCOLN. You dont hear me complain. Although that recliner sometimes Booth, man-

no Booth, right-man, Im too old to be sleeping in that chair.

BOOTH. Its my place. You dont got a place. Cookie, she threw you out. And you cant

seem to get another woman. Yr lucky I let you stay.

LINCOLN. Every Friday you say mi casa es su casa.

BOOTH. Every Friday you come home with yr paycheck. Today is Thursday and I tell

you brother, its a long way from Friday to Friday…

Lincoln. You gonna have to leave.

LINCOLN. I’ll be gone tomorrow.

BOOTH. Good. Cause this was only supposed to be a temporary arrangement.

LINCOLN. I will be gone tomorrow.

BOOTH. Good.

LINCOLN. I don’t got no money, I don’t got no place to stay. My best girl, she threw me

out into the street. (Wilson, August 14-15, 22-23).

Lincoln’s aspiration for wanting a home that he can live in is an honest desire to have which is

also a necessity as not only is Booth’s place his and he would have had no place to stay

otherwise had Booth not allowed him, but having shelter grants the ability to not have to live

outside on the ground and have some warmth from being inside. Lincoln had yet to get a place of

his home and he could have been homeless (or he could have had to rely on living in homeless

shelters) which makes wanting a place understandable especially given the circumstances that he

and Booth are under.

 Quite frequently throughout the play, Booth mentions a woman named Grace. Booth has

strong feelings for her and wants her to be apart of his life. According to the play,

BOOTH. I got a date with Grace tomorrow. Shes in love with me again but she dont

know it yet. Aint no man can love her the way I can.

Ima wear mine tonight. Gracell see me in this and she gonna ask me tuh marry her.

Graces real different from them fly-by-night gals I was making do with. Shes In school.

Making something of herself. Studying cosmetology. You should see what she can do

with a womans hair and nails.

She got this way of sitting. Of talking. That. Everything she does is. Shes just so hot.

(Wilson, August 10, 28, 43).

Seeking love and a relationship is a natural aspiration to have as what comes from finding love

and getting into a relationship is having someone in life that is close in that sense to be with. This

is exhibited by how Booth ponders and talks about Grace. He has quite often had compliments to

say about her and he even hopes that she asks him to marry her. Also sometimes throughout the

play, Booth was playing with cards, practicing Three-card Monte as the dealer and even tells

Lincoln a few times that he could get back to running schemes with him involved as well. He

wants to get into that because of the potential for money to be made. According to the source,

Thursday evening… Booth, a black man in his early 3Os, practices his 3-card monte

scam on the classic setup: 3 playing cards and the cardboard playing board.

…
 BOOTH. … [Lincoln] we could make money you and me. Throwing down the cards. 3-

Card and Link: look out! We could clean up you and me. You would throw the cards and

I'd be yr Stickman. The one in the crowd who looks like just an innocent passerby, who

looks like just another player, like just another customer, but who gots intimate

connections with you u, the Dealer, the one throwing the cards, the main man. I'd be the

one who brings in the crowd, I'd be the one who makes them want to put they money

down, you do yr moves and I do mines. You turn yr head and I tum the card̶̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ ̶ (Wilson,

August 7 ,19-20).

Unlike wanting to have a partner to be with, aspiring to be facilitate cons to make money is not

only more ambitious, but it is also not honest work to make money. Booth is fond of when

Lincoln used to run schemes of Three-card Monte and had his (Booth’s) interest, and the money

Lincoln used to make is why Booth wants him to get back to that with involved.

Having money can contribute to living by enabling the ability to afford items and

participate in certain activities that would be inaccessible otherwise. When Booth was telling

Lincoln that his place is not for Lincoln to stay in permanently, Lincoln made up a brief song

about his struggles.

LINCOLN. I don’t got no money… (Wilson, August 23).

This line refers to Lincoln’s financial instability which he would not have if he had money. The

desire for money is also evidenced for Booth when he is talking to Lincoln (who is the provider

of the two) about returning to playing Three-card Monte and joining him.

BOOTH. …we could make money you and me.

…
 We could be a team, man. Rake in the money… Pockets bulging, plenty of cash!

(Wilson, August 19-20).

Booth is thinking about the money that can be made which also exhibits their desire for money,

and as much of it as possible. Both characters exemplify the figure of being aspiring black men

and more specifically as the examples given, both characters desire money and having it which

can contribute to improving both of living conditions economically.

Characters in creative works seek a multitude of things and this is especially applicable in

creative works of African American drama, in which there is the aspect of aspiring black men.

Lincoln wanted his own place that he can live while Booth wanted to woman named Grace to be

his life partner, and get into Three-card Monte with Lincoln as a card shark. Both of the

characters expressed their desire for money. Having motivations especially as a black man is

important because then there is reason to live and having a purpose would lead to making the

best out of life and be accomplished.

 Bibliography

Parks, Suzan-Lori. Topdog/Underdog. Theatre Communications Group, 2002.