The purpose of this paper is to introduce and analyze the poem "The Sluggard" by Isaac Watts. Specifically, it will contain a literary exploration of the poem as it relates to children's literature. In "The Sluggard," the author berates a lazy child for his behavior. He writes, "Thus he wastes half his days, and his hours without number," (Watts 32). Is this a relevant poem for today's youth? At first glance, this poem seems outdated, even archaic in how it looks at life, work, and the "sluggard" who sleeps his days away. I believe, however, that even though this poem was written in 1715, when life was much more difficult and demanding, even for children, that it is still relevant, even significant, today. I believe this for a number of reasons, from the nightly news to my own experiences. Our society has become a society of many different opportunities and technologies that make life much easier than it used to be. In addition, there seems to be an aversion to hard work in many areas of society, especially hard labors like the poet discusses, such as maintaining a large garden, creating clothing, and continually reading the Bible for inspiration and guidance. Many people in today's society would avoid all those things for a much more relaxed and laid back lifestyle.
             The poet, Watts, is berating a young man for his laziness and lack of ambition. What child has not been berated for the same things by their parents at least once? Today, with the prevalence of computer games, the Internet, and other sedentary interests, studies are indicating that children are becoming more obese, more sedentary, and even less outgoing. They spend more times in solitary pursuits, rather than engaging in team or group activities. What does this mean for today's children? It means they may not develop many of the social skills they need to survive in the business world, and it means, like the "sluggard" of the poem, they may develop poor work ha...