All the Pretty Horses Lesson Plan

In the first few pages of the book, how does McCarthy set the scene? What details does he give that provide clues about the setting? Do you find this method of scene-setting more or less effective than stating it directly and quickly? Why?

McCarthy slowly unfolds the setting of the book in a natural way. Instead of directly stating the setting in one fell swoop, he reveals details about the era and location by dropping details little by little. Here are some examples:

"In the distance a calf bawled." (3)
"He stood with his hat in his hand" (3)
"He walked out on the prairie" (3)
"I appreciate you lighting the candle" (4)
"A norther had blown in" (4)
"Snow in the air with...