On more than one occasion O'Dell has stated that he is a preacher at heart. He feels strongly about certain moral and social issues, and he seeks to convey his views to his young readers — and to influence them; so his writings are intentionally, but not obtrusively, didactic. He says that one of his reasons for writing Island of the Blue Dolphins was his concern about the natural world and man's tendency to exploit and destroy the environment— specifically the wanton killing of sea otters and other forms of wildlife.
Consciously reflecting Dr. Albert Schweitzer's "reverence for life," O'Dell emphasizes the importance of taking from the environment what one needs in order to live while also learning to cherish and live amicably with the other creatures of the world. He wants his readers to.....
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