The Gin Game -- by Donald L. Coburn (1978)

Description

Weller Martin, in his early 70s, and Fonsia Dorsey, in her late 60s, find themselves abandoned at the end of their lives. Both individuals have been placed in the same nursing home and forgotten by their families. Weller invites Fonsia to play "gin" with him on the porch outside the home. Fonsia first wins with supposed luck; however, Fonsia continues to beat Weller every time they play. Fonsia's winning streak enrages Weller. Throughout their game-play, Fonsia and Weller discover histories and common frustrations. As Fonsia continues to beat Weller, Weller becomes more persistent on playing more gin. His incredulity of Fonsia's perfect record inflames his contempt of her. As tempers flare, both individuals find themselves facing ugly truths about their state of living.

In 2015, Cicely Tyson and James Earl Jones played this two-hander in a Broadway revival for a limited engagement. I cannot imagine how spectacular the performance must have been. There has also been a movie version made in the early 2000s with Dick Van Dyke and Mary Tyler Moore.  
Candid Reaction

• Another poem as a preface to a play! I wonder if productions include these poems in the playbill? 
• The setting is inherently symbolic, again. To put these individuals on the outside of the nursing home in the light is, pardon the pun, brilliant. They both do not want to conform to the institutional living and yearn for "the natural." With light consistently symbolizing truth, it makes sense for them to draw closer to the light . . . also . . . they are approaching death in their age . . . so . . . 
• It is refreshing to hear old people talk about being old in an honest way. 
• It is terrifying to hear old people talk about being old in an honest way. 
• Weller asserts, "A fact . . . is a fact" (7). While this assertion may be met with a "Tell me something I don't know," it is incredible way for Coburn to develop Weller's character and to prepare the audience for heartbreak in act two. Facts are facts--and the truth isn't always comforting. People get old and histories contain pain and hurt. 
• Is this "two ways of going out" in gin a commentary on life? Or is that reading into it too much?
• The stage directions indicate a normal game of gin lasts 2-5 minutes, so the director needs to pace the scenes with that in mind. Is it not the writer's job to provide enough dialogue to last 2-5 minutes? I know the director can play with beats, but it feels unfair for the writer to give a few lines for something that is supposed to last a confined amount of time. 
• The juxtaposition of topics addressed in their conversation is saddening. At one moment Weller discusses how bad the food is at the home; in the next moment, he discusses how he used to be an authoritative business owner. He went from a high position to being forced to eat food that gives him diarrhea. 
• HA! Weller's theory on nursing home entertainment is hilarious. 
• To not find an elderly person in a routine location at a routine time must be frightening. 
• This play challenges the reader to consider how to value the elderly. Weller complains, "Here this woman is defining my life . . . in one sentence!" (21). Do we as a society devalue the elderly by stereotyping them?
• Complaining about complaining. Classic irony. 
• Ah, so what was once skill in her victory is now considered luck or foolishness?
• Weller seems to have anger about the injustice of life.
• Ah, the "character in the audience" trick. Classic and effective here. 
• Nobody wants a pity victory during a competition just like the elderly don't want pity during their life. 
• So now we've gone from skill to luck to divine intervention. Interesting. 
• Oh no. There's a literal storm brewing--that is never a good sign. 
• Yup. There is the lightning show. These two are hitting each other hard and way below the belt. 
• Poor Fonsia. 
• Fonsia sums up so much of the conflict in saying, "You're not going to drop this gin game business . . . and I'm not going to play" (66). Her statement signifies their approaches towards facing their histories' demons. 
• Good use of the word "acidly" in the stage directions. 
• How profound for Coburn to suggest that old people struggle to accept that their lives were not as glorified as they recalled. 
• Now THAT is a satisfying, exhilarating, heart-breaking, memorable ending!    

Top Two Aspects/Reasons for Winning

1. Age

Lead roles for old people are not abundant in literature. Therefore, there is a lack of representation. The Gin Game gives two old people the opportunity to create a dialogue on aging and how society views and treats its elderly. Coburn humanizes the often dehumanized elderly. The script does not read rant-y or preachy. Instead, reading the play feels like being a fly on a porch where two people play cards.  

2. Simple Motifs/Conceits

The purposes of the characters playing gin are rewarding in various facets. The game reveals ideologies and gives the individuals time to have "normal" conversation.

The storm near the end appropriately foreshadows the final showdown.

The setting throughout the show provides several interpretive mines for the reader to explore.

All of these motifs/conceits are natural, unforced.  

Classroom Implications

I would not use this text in class due to its language. However, it would be great for an Introduction to Literature class. I would focus on setting, character development, motifs/conceits.

Personal Takeaway

The elderly deserve to be respected for all their humanity just like any other age range.

Ranking

	Dialogue	Characters	Plot/Conflict	Symbol/Literary Devices	Overall Enjoyment	TOTAL SCORE 9.25
0	Unfollowable; unrealistic; diction does not match character	Undeveloped; does not reflect humanity	Not engaging; predictable; reader can step away from text because it isn’t gripping	Devices are apparent for cleverness and do not enhance the story	Reader has no interest in re-reading play
1	Not consistently realistic	Well-developed; most depictions reflect humanity	Semi-engaging; some unnecessary plot-points	Devices somewhat enhance story	Reader would re-read with pleasure and reminded of work
2	Realistic; connotative; diction matches characters (2)	Fully-developed; depictions reflect humanity (2)	Engaging; unique; reader finds it impossible to put down text because the conflict is so gripping! (1.5)	Devices seamlessly enhance the story and provide rich interpretation (1.75)	Reader would re-read the play on own volition, enthusiastically (2)