Annals of the Western Shore has a number of themes common across the series, including power, responsibility,
slavery, justice, and the place of women in society. The idea of cultural openness is illustrated by the character of Tirio Actamo: once a well-known citizen of Ansul who was taken to be the
concubine of the Gand, she then wins his love and uses her position to bring about an end to the conflict. Scholar Marek Oziewicz identified the story as critiquing the notion of
retributive justice, considered the norm in Western societies, and instead supporting the idea of
restorative justice. The protagonists of
Voices succeed in "making things right" without punitive action. According to Oziewicz, the central question of the story is one that Memer asks the Oracle: "How can we be free of the Alds?" The answer is not a bloody revolution, but a compromise, possible because both parties are willing to recognize and end the conflict. Desac symbolizes the idea of retributive action, which is more emotionally satisfying but ultimately unsuccessful, while Orrec offers the more difficult, but successful method.
Religion Voices explores religion through the contrasting beliefs of the Alds and the citizens of Ansul, and has been described as a story of religious conflict. The Alds have a single deity, and are led by a king who is also a high priest. They believe books and written words to be evil, and the work of the "Other Lord"; their invasion of Ansul was on the pretext of destroying this evil. Thus after conquering the city they loot homes looking for books and destroying them; they also kill people suspected of preserving books, and empty the famed library. Scholars have described their motivations as "religious fanaticism", and have suggested that the depiction of the "single-mindedness" of the Alds is a subtle critique of monotheism and
imperialism. The beliefs of the Alds are also contrasted with those of the citizens of Ansul, whose religion is
polytheistic and emphasizes the
veneration of ancestors. Little shrines and temples are commonplace, and the citizens frequently engage in worship, or asking for blessing. The religion has both major deities and spirits that inhabit houses or even rooms. Though many of the temples and shrines have been destroyed, the residents of Ansul hold on to their beliefs. The depiction of a polytheistic religion and a critique of monotheism is a recurring feature of Le Guin's work: in contrast to an
omniscient and ever-present God, the deities of Ansul are closely linked to the material world and the daily lives of people. Memer comments that "the sea, the earth, the stones of Ansul are sacred, are alive with divinity". The beliefs of Ansul have been described as a "polytheist and
animist version of
panentheism", while the presence of ancestor worship has been likened to practices in
Confucianism and
Buddhism. Through the depiction of the polytheism of Ansul, Le Guin suggests that their beliefs make them more tolerant of religious difference. The Alds refer to those who do not believe in their god as heathens. Memer, however, thinks to herself that "If [the word heathen] meant anything, it meant people who don’t know what’s sacred. Are there any such people? 'Heathen' is merely a word for somebody who knows a different sacredness than you know." Literature scholar Elizabeth Anderson argues that Le Guin's critique is directed more at
religious fundamentalism than at monotheism. The Alds' beliefs are more complex than Memer believes: while they despise writing, they value poetry and spoken words, and are moved by Orrec's recitations. While Le Guin criticizes the violence of the Alds, she also depicts the failed violent uprising in a negative light. A diplomatic settlement is ultimately what ends the conflict, though Memer acknowledges her unsatisfied desire for revenge as Iddor and his followers are escorted out of Ansul to be tried for treason. ==Reception==