TopDog/UnderDog, written by Suzan-Lori Parks is set in a small studio apartment and explores the relationship between two brothers. The brothers, Lincoln and Booth, both named as a cruel joke by their father. They are first abandoned by one parent, then when they were just teenagers, the other left, too. They have had to depend on each other for survival since they were just teens. By the time they are both in their thirties, the brothers are struggling as they attempt to make a living for themselves. Lincoln has decided to abandon his master trade of the con game, three-card monte and life of crime, in an attempt to do something more respectable with his life. In doing so, Lincoln lands a job at an arcade, playing Abraham Lincoln in a game booth, portraying the assassination of the President. Booth, on the other hand, decided to live his life in his brother's previous shadow and makes his living as a petty thief by attempting to learn the trade of “throwing the cards.” All throughout the play, the brothers seem to be competing against each other for control. At any given moment one may have more control over the other, only to…show more content… As I read, I realized that the theme of history was imbedded into he story. However, when I say history, I don't mean that of the literal meaning, but that there are constant flashbacks of the past, and the history that is revealed is of a more personal nature, rather than textbook. Often throughout the play, the brothers reveal the parts of their past that have helped shape their present circumstances. They both seem to remember their personal histories in different ways, and long-held animosity is finally uncovered as they begin to rethink their relationship with each other. An example is when we learn about Lonny's death, we also learn that this was the influence for Lincoln's decision to give up his petty crimes and to stop dealing three-card