We've got your back. With the Tough-O-Meter, you'll know whether to bring extra layers or Swiss army knives as you summit the literary mountain. (10 = Toughest)
(4) Base Camp
We pegged To Kill a Mockingbird at Sea Level. But it's been a while since Mockingbird… both in the real world and in Scout's world. She's grown up (she's almost twenty years older), and her vocabulary has grown with her, moving her a little farther up the mountain.
Also, because this is an unedited manuscript, there are some confusing tense shifts and perspective changes that keep you on your toes. And the characters talk about historical references from that time with little context. Our summary can help if you're lost in time, and our historical sections on Civil Rights and Desegregation can add much-needed context.