Many of Roald Dahl’s works utilize simple themes with moral undertones. As a children’s book author, Dahl used his stories to engage kids in deep thinking about what it means to be a good person and to treat others with compassion and care. Dahl weaves examples of kindness and cruelty throughout many of the stories in this collection. While many authors of children’s literature may steer away from darker or more sinister plot points and themes, Dahl embraces them, recognizing that children face a multitude of challenges and often encounter cruelty in their day-to-day lives. Danger is an important part of children’s literature, building tension that creates interest and engages the reader. While the dangers of his readers daily life may not be as overt as the presence of witches or war, Dahl uses danger to captivate young people and to highlight goodness as a counter to evil. In both “The Boy Who Talked with Animals” and “The Swan,” Dahl highlights the moral theme of kindness by juxtaposing it with stark cruelty.

“The Boy Who Talked with Animals” explores kindness and cruelty through the contrast between the character of David and the crowd on the beach. The narrator is appalled at the behavior and conversations of the crowd when anglers catch a gigantic turtle.