A Review of "The Cay" by Theodore Taylor Theodore Taylor is an American writer who also makes documentary films. His inspiration to write "The Cay" came from his research into German submarines that fought in the Second World War. He is now married with three children and lives in California. Setting This novel is set in the 1940's on a small island, called a "cay", in the Caribbean Sea. German U-boats are constantly submerged in the vicinity of the island and Williamsted, Phillip's home, which is a Dutch colonised island. Theme One of the main themes in this novel is racism. Phillip sees Negroes in the same way