The murder in Dragons in the Waters takes place offstage, and the description of the body when it is found is not luridly detailed. The worst violence occurs when Simon is kidnapped, but this serves to build suspense by establishing the brutality of the evil characters. The violence also ties in with the theme of maturation: the young people become aware that they do not live in a safe world, that violence and evil do exist, and that they must learn how to respond when confronted with these dangers.

Although L'Engle has stated that religious convictions underlie all of her works, she is implicitly rather than explicitly Christian when dealing with the spiritual conflicts of her characters. For L'Engle, love—an unselfish acceptance of people as individuals—is the most rewarding response in the face of adversity. Similarly, the idyllic Quiztano village presents an...