The events of the novel are described in stark, minimal terms, but author Mariano Azuela writes beautiful, intricate descriptions of the harsh landscapes. The terrain is often described lyrically, but also as being intricate, labyrinthine, barren, and treacherous. The trees are often dead, and there are few mentions of anything that is growing or alive. The set pieces are stone fields and dry sierras. There are frequent references to the deepness of the ravines and the steepness of the cliffs. Dust storms appear more than once, blinding the men and making their navigation difficult. Nature confuses and hinders the men as much as it helps them, although it does work to their advantage when they know the terrain better than their enemies. Men such as Demetrio are at the mercy of the bureaucratic forces cajoling them to fight, but every character in the novel is subject to the turbulence of the inhospitable nature in Mexico.

Demetrio’s men are all poor. When they hear the rumor that Pancho Villa is coming to visit, they think of the lavish uniforms they have heard that his men wear. They are always aware that they are dirty and dressed in shabby clothes. When Demetrio’s men begin to take advantage of the peasants when they occupy a town, they initially focus on looting.