How can citizens of a town live in harmony with each other if they quarrel over beliefs that are hardly tangible? Spoon River Anthology, by Edgar Lee Masters, presents a collection of associations between several people, each with contrasting opinions and ethics. The epitaph of "Jacob Godbey" sheds light on the conflict between a somewhat despotic conservative and numerous reveling libertarians of a town. Illustrated in Jacob Godbey's epitaph, antipathy exists between societal factions within the town of Spoon River because of opposing viewpoints regarding the morally correct utilization of constitutional rights and freewill. Many examples of Godbey's abhorrence towards Spoon River's liberals are conspicuous throughout his elegy.

In Godbey's eyes, the libertarians of Spoon River waste away their lives by constantly partying. One question he asks is,

How did you feel, you libertarians,

Who spent your talents rallying noble reasons

Around the saloon... (Lines 1-3)

Godbey questions...