Reading the World explores the historical and philosophical contexts of Cormac McCarthy's early works, crafted during his Tennessee period from 1959 to 1979, to demonstrate how the writer integrates literary realism with the imagery and myths of Platonic, gnostic, and existentialist philosophies to create his unique vision of the world. Dianne C. Luce examines McCarthy's distinctive rendering of character through mixed narrative techniques of flashbacks, shifts in vantage point, and dream sequences. She shows how McCarthy's fragmented narration and lyrical style combine to create a rich portrayal of the philosophical and religious elements at play in human consciousness as it confronts a world rife with isolation and violence.