Property Rights in the Scenario Essay

This is more democratic than 'republican' in spirit, and while Locke might support it to some degree, Meyer very likely would not and state that the property owner's will alone should prevail. It should be noted that in contrast to Danny, the other children view their mother's decision in more emotional, moral terms than Locke might, as rather than invoke the law and property rights they stress considerations such as who is neediest and who has given the most to Lillian.

These concerns echo John Winthrop, who wrote about "A Model of Christian Charity." Winthrop focused on what members of the community should feel is their obligation, rather than the law. Do not take more than you need, he counsels, but do not deprive your family: "If the time and occasion be ordinary he is to give out of his abundance. Let him lay aside as God hath blessed him. If the time and occasion be extraordinary [poor], he must be ruled by them; taking this withal, that then a man cannot likely do too much, especially if he may leave himself and his family under probable means of comfortable subsistence." Winthrop would likely agree with Mike's complete proposal, to give more to Janet, because Janet is the person in greatest need. She could not help her mother as much as some of the other children, not because she was not willing, but because of her own trying circumstances. He might also point out that Edna has had her own needs taken care of, such as her housing and food, while she and her husband Bob have been living with her mother. Also, giving back to her mother while she was capable of doing so should not be seen as a way of inheriting Lillian's property, but part of her obligation as a human being with the ability to support another human being.Other children may have wanted to enjoy the benefits of living rent-free or the emotional benefits of spending time with their mother during her final days on earth, but they could not -- Edna could and should not demand payment in exchange.

According to Crevecoeur's essay "What is an American?" Americans are shaped by the land they live on -- backwoods settlers are wilder than natives because they can hunt and do not need to farm, while other settlers, because they have their own land, are much more "sociable" and "tolerable" than their European neighbors, even living side-by-side member of different nationalities and religions who hate one another in their native Europe. Everyone in America is unique and different, and while Edna and Bob are more tied to tradition and the land, Mike became a policeman and Danny became a software engineer. Mike and Danny are true Americans because they were intent upon pursuing their own interests and talents, but Crevecoeur might suggest that this means that they are less in need of the land as sustenance, unlike Edna.

Crevecoeur's analysis unique nature of the American character and the importance of property for Americans stand in contrast with Louis Wright's analysis "The British Tradition in America in Retrospect." Wright sees American government as a product of English common law traditions -- traditions begun by the philosophy of John Locke. Once again returning to Locke, it would seem that rather than pressuring Lillian to do anything, it is her property, which she earned with the majority of her life's labor and sacrifices and thus she should dispense with it as she sees fit. Lillian, as an American, must be trusted to do what is morally right, rather than be pressured by the law or her self-interested children......